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Michigan J. Frog is a minor character who has appeared on occasion in the Looney Tunes film-shorts, having debuted in One Froggy Evening in 1955. He is a frog with quite a talent for singing and / or dancing. Ed Sullivan influenced the character, as told by Chuck Jones.

Debut appearance[]

In One Froggy Evening, a member of a wrecking crew finds Michigan sealed in a box that he discovers during the demolition of an old building. To the person's amazement, the frog he finds in said box is capable of dancing vaudeville-style and singing classic songs of the 1890s in a baritone voice. Michigan's new owner, seeing the monetary potential for such a character, tries to exploit him, but in every attempt to do so, it is discovered that Michigan is incapable of performing for any audience other than the person who found him. Eventually, the construction worker grows so frustrated with this that he reburies Michigan in a building that is under construction; the cartoon ends on Michigan being dug up by another would-be moneymaker years later in 2056. Initially created without a name, the character was given the name "Michigan J. Frog" when 1 Froggy Evening was announced to be on the following week's episode of The Bugs Bunny Show. The name comes from"The Michigan Rag, a song written for the cartoon that Michigan sings at one point. The middle initial was later added as a suggestion made to Charles Jones in an interview.

Gallery[]

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