Porky Pig

The stuttering pig who became Warner Bros.' first cartoon star and still signs off every show.

Porky Pig is a cartoon pig from the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts, instantly recognized by his stammer and his closing line, "that's all, folks!" He was the studio's first character to pull in audiences on star power alone, and he headlined many well-regarded cartoons. Even after flashier characters overtook him, Porky stayed popular as an everyman, a straight man and a sidekick. He appeared in 153 cartoons during the golden age of American animation and is the longest-running Looney Tunes character still in use.

Quick Facts

Series: Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies
First: I Haven't Got a Hat (2 March 1935)
Creator: Friz Freleng
Gender: Male
Partner: Petunia Pig
Species: Pig

Facts from the source article.

Background

Porky debuted with a small part in I Haven't Got a Hat, released on March 2, 1935, and directed by Friz Freleng after studio head Leon Schlesinger asked for a cartoon take on the Our Gang films. Freleng borrowed the name from two childhood classmates nicknamed Porky and Piggy. Tex Avery soon reused the cast in Gold Diggers of '49, turning Porky into a heavy adult who stole the laughs. His first voice, Joe Dougherty, really did stutter, which made recording sessions slow and costly. Mel Blanc took over in 1937 and kept the stammer but timed it for comedy, voicing him until his death in 1989. Bob Clampett settled the design in 1939 as a slimmer, likable young adult.

Did You Know?

Porky in Wackyland was chosen for the National Film Registry in 2000.
Porky's Duck Hunt (1937) was also the first film to feature Daffy Duck.
Gold Key Comics published his comic for 109 issues from January 1965 to June 1984.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) was the final time Mel Blanc voiced him.