''Deduce, You Say'' is a 1956

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...

Looney Tunes ''Looney Tunes'' is an American media franchise produced and distributed by Warner Bros. The franchise began as a series of animated short films that originally ran from 1930 to 1969, alongside its spin-off series ''Merrie Melodies'', during t ...

'' cartoon, directed by

Chuck Jones Charles Martin Jones (September 21, 1912 – February 22, 2002) was an American animator, painter, voice actor and filmmaker, best known for his work with Warner Bros. Cartoons on the ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' series of shorts. He ...

and written by

Michael Maltese Michael Maltese (February 6, 1908 – February 22, 1981) was an American screenwriter and storyboard artist for classic animated cartoon shorts. He is best known for working in the 1950s on a series of '' Merrie Melodies'' cartoons with director ...

. The short was released on September 29, 1956, and stars

Daffy Duck Daffy Duck is an animated cartoon character created by animators Tex Avery and Bob Clampett for Leon Schlesinger Productions. Styled as an anthropomorphic black duck, he has appeared in cartoon series such as ''Looney Tunes'' and '' Merrie Me ...

and

Porky Pig Porky Pig is a cartoon character in the Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' series of cartoons. He was the first character created by the studio to draw audiences based on his celebrity, star power, and the animators created man ...

. The title is a play on the exclamation, "The deuce, you say!" The cartoon features Daffy Duck as the dim-witted detective Dorlock Homes (a parody of

Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a Detective fiction, fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a "Private investigator, consulting detective" in his stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with obser ...

) and Porky Pig as his sidekick Watkins (

Dr. Watson Dr. John H. Watson is a fictional character in the Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Along with Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson first appeared in the novel ''A Study in Scarlet'' (1887). "The Adventure of Shosc ...

), as they attempt to locate and apprehend the dangerous "Shropshire Slasher."

Plot

In London, Dorlock Homes (a parody of

), resides on Beeker Street. Engaged in "deductive reasoning" related to tax deductions, Homes receives a telegram from the Shropshire Slasher, a notorious criminal. Determined to apprehend him, Homes and Dr. Watkins visit a pub where the Slasher frequents. Despite Holmes' bumbling attempts, it's Watkins' polite interrogation that convinces the Slasher to surrender. However, a misunderstanding arises when Homes accuses a flower seller of operating without a license, unaware that she is the Slasher's mother. In the end, the Slasher voluntarily turns himself in, leaving Homes to quip about his "elementary" detective skills learned in elementary school.

Reception

Animation historian

Jerry Beck Jerry Beck (born February 9, 1955) is an American animation historian, author, blogger (person), blogger, and video producer. Beck wrote or edited several books on classic American animation and classic characters, including ''Looney Tunes and ...

writes, "''Deduce, You Say'' is an outrageously witty film that parodies both the original Sherlock Holmes books by Conan Doyle and the Hollywood movie versions ... The premise allowed huckJones to combine Daffy's frantic animated action with Porky's subtle attitudes, facial expressions, and posing, which get just as many laughs. A class act, and a first-rate cartoon."

Voice Cast

Mel Blanc Melvin Jerome Blanc (born Blank ; May 30, 1908 – July 10, 1989) was an American voice actor and radio personality whose career spanned over 60 years. During the Golden Age of Radio, he provided character voices and vocal sound effects for come ...

(as Dorlock Homes),

(as Dr. Watkins), The Shropshire Slasher, the Telegram Deliveryman, Alfie, and the Bartender *

June Foray June Foray (born June Lucille Forer; September 18, 1917 – July 26, 2017) was an American Voice acting, voice actress and radio personality, best known as the voice of such animation, animated characters as Rocky the Flying Squirrel, Natasha F ...

as The Shropshire Slasher's Mother and Lady Ashtabula (uncredited)

Home media

DVD: *'' Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1'' *''

The Essential Daffy Duck ''The Essential Daffy Duck'' is a DVD set featuring cartoons focusing on Daffy Duck Daffy Duck is an animated cartoon character created by animators Tex Avery and Bob Clampett for Leon Schlesinger Productions. Styled as an anthropomorphic b ...

'' Blu-ray: *'' Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 2''

References

External links

* {{Chuck Jones 1956 films Looney Tunes shorts Short films directed by Chuck Jones Daffy Duck films Porky Pig films Sherlock Holmes pastiches 1950s Warner Bros. animated short films 1950s mystery films American mystery films Films scored by Milt Franklyn Films with screenplays by Michael Maltese American detective films Animated films set in London Films produced by Edward Selzer 1950s English-language films English-language short films English-language mystery films 1956 animated short films