Petunia Pig
| Petunia Pig | |
|---|---|
| Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies character | |
 | |
First appearance | Porky's Romance (1937) |
| Created by | Frank Tashlin |
| Voiced by | Shirley Reed (1937–1939)[1] Mel Blanc (1937,[1] 1973–1974)[2] Bonnie Baker (1948)[3] Gilbert Mack (1955)[4] Jay Scheimer (1972) June Foray (1976–1982) Sonia Manzano (1978)[5] Vera Baudey (1984)[6][7] Desirée Goyette (various Six Flags stage shows; 1980s)[8] Kathleen Helppie-Shipley (1986-1993)[9][10][11] Grey DeLisle (2001–2004) Chiara Zanni (Baby Looney Tunes; 2002–2005) Jodi Benson (2004) Katy Mixon (2013) Jessica DiCicco (2018–2020) Eric Bauza (2018) Lara Jill Miller (2021–2023) Alex Cazares (2022–present)[12] Candi Milo (2024)[13][14] |
Developed by | Bob Clampett David Gemmill Caroline Director[15] |
| In-universe information | |
| Species | Domestic pig |
| Gender | Female |
Significant other | Porky Pig |
Petunia Pig is a cartoon character in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons from Warner Bros. She looks much like her significant other, Porky Pig, except that she wears a dress and (since 1939) has pigtailed black hair.[16]
Biography
An early version of Petunia was introduced by animator Frank Tashlin in the 1937 short Porky's Romance.[17] The film is arguably a parody of Mickey's Nightmare, a 1932 Walt Disney cartoon; whereas Mickey Mouse dreams of a marriage with Minnie Mouse made difficult by dozens of annoying kids, Porky's nightmare-marriage also involves a scornful Petunia treating him badly. Tashlin featured her in two more cartoons: The Case of the Stuttering Pig (where she is depicted as Porky's sister) and Porky's Double Trouble, both in 1937.
After Tashlin left the studio in 1938, Bob Clampett, under management by Ray Katz, redesigned Petunia to contemplate Porky's new look, giving her pigtailed hair for the redesign. Clampett first featured her in Porky's Picnic, a 1939 film that sees Porky tormented by his nephew Pinky. Pinky and Porky's encounters are always out of sight of Petunia, of course, so she blames Porky for everything that goes wrong as a result of Pinky's activity. Petunia's largest role came in Clampett's 1939 short Naughty Neighbors.[18] The film borrows elements from both the famous feud between the Hatfields and McCoys as well as Romeo and Juliet as Porky and Petunia's love for each other is stymied by their respective hillbilly families' mutual hatred. Petunia was retired soon after due to her relative unpopularity.
Although Petunia made only a handful of appearances in Warner Bros. cartoons, she continued to appear frequently in Warner's merchandising, with a major presence in comic books for the entire 1941–1984 run of Western Publishing (Dell, Gold Key and Whitman Comics) Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies comics, Porky Pig, Bugs Bunny and various other titles. Often featured in Porky's stories, she sometimes co-starred with Bugs Bunny and occasionally had a story of her own. Pinky, renamed "Cicero" for the comic books, was depicted as being Petunia's young cousin as well as Porky's nephew. Petunia was portrayed in the comics as a determined, bossy, and occasionally pretentious character, similar to the early Tashlin depiction, though with a genuine affection towards Porky. In early years, she was often rivals with Bugs, who enjoyed pranking and humbling her.
Later appearances
Despite her unpopularity in the classic era, in modern years Petunia has appeared in multiple new roles:
- Petunia has a co-starring role in Filmation's lone Looney Tunes-related production, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig Meet the Groovie Goolies, in 1972. She is voiced by Jay Scheimer, the wife of Filmation co-founder and Warner alumnus Lou Scheimer.
- Petunia made a cameo appearance in the 1979 short Bugs Bunny's Christmas Carol as Mrs. Cratchit, wife of Bob Cratchit (played by Porky Pig), though she had no speaking lines.
- Petunia was intended to make a cameo appearance with Porky in the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit in the deleted scene "Acme's Funeral".[19]
- Petunia made a cameo appearance as an audience member in Bugs Bunny's Overtures to Disaster, where she shoos a fly off with her binoculars.
- Petunia made a cameo appearance in Tiny Toon Adventures in the episode "It's a Wonderful Tiny Toon Christmas Special".
- An infant version of Petunia was a recurring character in the Baby Looney Tunes television series, where she was voiced by Chiara Zanni.
- The regular adult Petunia is an occasional guest star in DC's Looney Tunes comic book and appeared frequently in 2001-2005 webtoons on the official Looney Tunes website.
- She also turned up in Duck Dodgers, playing the role of Princess Incense (voiced by Jodi Benson).
- Petunia appeared on The Looney Tunes Show in the episodes "Here Comes the Pig" and "Mr. Wiener", voiced by Katy Mixon in the latter episode.
- Petunia is a playable character in the mobile game "Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem", along with Farmer, Lunar, and Athena variants of herself.
- Petunia appears in several New Looney Tunes segments, voiced by Jessica DiCicco.
- Petunia also appears in Looney Tunes Cartoons, voiced by Lara Jill Miller, which for the first time she has a solo appearance. In this portrayal, she has a Brooklyn accent similar to Bugs Bunny.[20]
- Petunia appears in Bugs Bunny Builders, voiced by Alex Cazares.[21]
- Petunia appears in the 2024 film The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, voiced by Candi Milo, as a flavor scientist working for a gum factory who helps Porky Pig and Daffy Duck against an alien invasion.
References
- 1 2 Scott, Keith (2022). Cartoon Voices of the Golden Age, 1930-70. BearManor Media. ISBN 979-8-88771-010-5.
- ↑ """Bugs Bunny in Storyland": The Good, The Bad & the Bugs"". Cartoon Research. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
- ↑ ""Bugs Bunny Sings" on Capitol Records"". Cartoon Research. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
- ↑ ""Golden Records' "Bugs Bunny Songfest" (1961)"". Cartoon Research. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
- ↑ Warner Bros. Looney Tales - Talk-To-Me Book - Fisher-Price. YouTube. October 27, 2022. Retrieved February 16, 2025.
- ↑ "Bugs Bunny – This Is It (1984, Vinyl)". Discogs. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ↑ This Is It. YouTube. April 5, 2022. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ↑ "Celebrating the Many Ways She Uses Her Versatile Voice". The Mercury News. June 14, 2017. Archived from the original on June 15, 2017. Retrieved February 16, 2025.
- ↑ U.S. Constitution PSA featuring Porky and Petunia Pig. YouTube. January 30, 2021. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
- ↑ The Toonite Show - Six Flags Great America. YouTube. July 10, 2021. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
- ↑ Happy Birthday Bugs! - Looney Tunes Review. YouTube. January 31, 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2026.
- ↑ Milligan, Mercedes (June 14, 2022). "Trailer: 'Bugs Bunny Builders' Breaks Ground on Cartoonito July 25". Animation Magazine.
- ↑ "THE DAY THE EARTH BLEW UP - GFM Animation". GFM Animation. Archived from the original on November 6, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
- ↑ "Looney Tunes Movie 'The Day the Earth Blew Up' Launching at AFM from Warner Bros. Animation, GFM Animation (EXCLUSIVE)". October 26, 2023.
- ↑ Director, Caroline (April 28, 2021). "More Looney Tunes tomorrow on HBO Max - Had a lot of fun writing/boarding for Petunia and her little squirrel friend!". Twitter. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
- ↑ Rovin, Jeff (1991). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cartoon Animals. Prentice Hall Press. p. 204. ISBN 0-13-275561-0. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
- ↑ Beck, Jerry; Friedwald, Will (1989). Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons. Henry Holt and Co. p. 55. ISBN 0-8050-0894-2.
- ↑ Beck, Jerry; Friedwald, Will (1989). Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons. Henry Holt and Co. p. 93. ISBN 0-8050-0894-2.
- ↑ Hill, Jim (May 8, 2014). "Storyboards reveal what Marvin Acme's funeral in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" would have looked like". jimhillmedia.com. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ↑ Jacobs, Mira (April 28, 2021). "Looney Tunes Cartoons Debuts Shorts for Petunia Pig and The Gremlin". CBR. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
- ↑ "Trailer: 'Bugs Bunny Builders' Breaks Ground on Cartoonito July 25". June 14, 2022.
