Life with Feathers

Life with Feathers is a 1945 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies animated short film directed by Friz Freleng.^[4] The short was released on March 24, 1945, and is the first cartoon to feature Sylvester the Cat.^[5]

Life with Feathers
Directed by	I. Freleng
Story by	Tedd Pierce[1]
Produced by	Edward Selzer
Starring	Mel Blanc Sara Berner Dave Barry[2]
Edited by	Treg Brown
Music by	Carl W. Stalling Milt Franklyn
Animation by	Virgil Ross Ken Champin Gerry Chiniquy Manuel Perez Jack Bradbury A.C. Gamer
Layouts by	Hawley Pratt Owen Fitzgerald[3]
Backgrounds by	Paul Julian
Distributed by	Warner Bros. Pictures The Vitaphone Corporation
Release date	March 24, 1945 (1945-03-24)
Running time	7:41
Country	United States
Language	English

Plot

A dour lovebird is experiencing marital difficulties and is thrown out of his cage by "Sweetiepuss", his wife. The depressed lovebird decides to end it all and considers various methods of suicide, finally deciding on death by cat. The lovebird encounters Sylvester the Cat, selecting choice morsels from garbage cans and whistles to get his attention. As Sylvester is about to pounce on the lovebird, he abruptly stops, puzzled why the blindfolded bird didn't try to escape. Sylvester concludes that the lovebird is poisonous and wants to be eaten so the cat will die. The bird begs Sylvester to eat him, but he refuses. Sylvester is then pursued relentlessly by the lovebird who employs various schemes, attempting to force or trick the cat into eating him. Finally, Sylvester is so hungry he gives in and just as he is about to eat the lovebird, a telegram arrives from Sweetiepuss: She is moving home to her mother. The happy lovebird has changed his mind about being eaten, but Sylvester hasn't. Sylvester gives chase to the lovebird, but ends up falling off of a ledge. When the lovebird arrives safely back in his cage, he finds Sweetiepuss there; she has decided to stay. The lovebird then frantically searches for Sylvester, calling "Here kitty, kitty, here pussycat!"

Cast

• Mel Blanc as Sylvester, Lovebird, Telegram Guy
• Sara Berner as Sweetiepuss, Housewife
• Dave Barry as Radio Announcer

Production notes

Life with Feathers marks the debut of Sylvester the Cat, who would later star in 102 additional shorts. The cartoon earned a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. It was re-released as part of the Blue Ribbon Merrie Melodies program on March 3, 1951, retaining its original closing bullet titles.

The title is a play on the longest-running non-musical play on Broadway, Life with Father (the title being the only connection between the two works). Warner Bros. would produce a film version in 1947.

It was notably the final cartoon to feature the 1941–45 opening rendition of "Merrily We Roll Along" and the last non-Bugs Bunny Merrie Melodies cartoon to include the "Warner Bros. Pictures Inc." and "Present" fade-in after the WB shield zooms in. In 1951, Chuck Jones recycled a similar concept for Hubie & Bertie's last cartoon, Cheese Chasers. The American and European Turner "dubbed versions" depict Sylvester with black fur, though the restored version on Blu-ray Disc/DVD reveals his original lighter bluish-black fur. Scenes from the cartoon were reused in Kit For Cat, Tweety's S.O.S., and Catch as Cats Can.

Home media

• VHS – Cartoon Moviestars: Tweety and Sylvester
• LaserDisc – The Golden Age of Looney Tunes, Volume 1, Side 2: Firsts.
• VHS – The Golden Age of Looney Tunes, Vol. 2: Firsts
• Blu-ray Disc, DVD – Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 3, Disc 2.