Daffy Duck debuted in the 1937 short “Porky’s Duck Hunt.”
The cartoon was released on April 17, 1937, and paired Porky Pig with a chaotic black duck who repeatedly outsmarted the hunter. Directed by Tex Avery, with Bob Clampett as lead animator, the short presented Daffy as an unusually energetic and unpredictable character rather than the more self-conscious personality familiar from later cartoons.
Daffy was not formally named in this first appearance. His second cartoon, “Daffy Duck & Egghead,” released in 1938, gave him the name audiences would remember. The character’s design and temperament also changed substantially over time, moving from a wild, bouncing screwball to a vain, jealous, and often frustrated rival to Bugs Bunny.
Another notable detail is that Mel Blanc voiced both Daffy and Porky in “Porky’s Duck Hunt.” That recording helped establish the vocal identity of two of Warner Bros.’ most important characters. Porky’s presence does not make him the answer: he was already an established character by 1937.