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 lovebird named Sweetypuss experiences a tumultuous turn of events when his spouse evicts him from their shared birdcage, prompting him to contemplate suicide. Convinced that his fate lies in the jaws of a cat, Sweetypuss strategically positions himself near Sylvester the Cat, hoping for a swift demise. However, Sylvester's hesitation, stemming from suspicions of Sweetypuss being poisonous, thwarts the avian's initial plan.

Undeterred, Sweetypuss resorts to inventive schemes, including mailing for a mallet to propel himself into Sylvester's mouth. Yet, the cat's resourcefulness prevails, as he smokes a pipe to dissuade Sweetypuss and ensnares him in a bottle. A comedic interlude ensues as Sylvester unwittingly ingests one of Sweetypuss's feathers, mistaking it for food, and subsequently perceives himself to be poisoned. Through acts of altruism, Sweetypuss administers an antidote, only to be rebuffed by Sylvester's rejection and subsequent banishment.

Further attempts at self-sacrifice, such as masquerading as Santa Claus and leveraging auditory stimuli, fail to elicit the desired response from Sylvester. The lovebird's fortunes gradually oscillate, with the imminent threat of consumption by Sylvester momentarily alleviated by news of his wife's reconciliation. Nevertheless, Sylvester's unyielding pursuit prompts Sweetypuss's hasty retreat to the safety of his birdcage.

Cast

• Mel Blanc as Cat, Lovebird, Telegram Guy
• Sara Berner as Sweetypuss, 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 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.