Tweety Bird, who became a cartoon classic for his epic battles with Sylvester the Cat and his famous line "I tawt I taw a puddy tat," turns 50 years old Thursday.
The family of Tweety's creator, the late "Loony Tunes" pioneer Bob Clampett, plans to hold a tribute Thursday at Name That Toon, a museum dedicated to the history of animation.Tweety is best known for his encounters with Sylvester the Cat, the bumbling feline who was always outfoxed by the innocent yellow bird despite Sylvester's elaborate plots to make a meal of him.
But when Tweety made his debut in 1942 in the classic "Tale of Two Kitties," Sylvester had not yet arrived on the scene.
With his oversized head, tiny beak and duck's feet, Tweety became an overnight sensation for Warner Bros. and its "Loony Tunes" cartoon lineup. Tweety's cartoon adventures have since been dubbed into several languages and have delighted children around the world.
Clampett, who became known as Warner's "King of the Outrageous," was also instrumental in the creation of such cartoon stars as Porky Pig, Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny.
"He was a true animation genius," said Donna Ravitz, a spokeswoman for the museum.