Elmyra Duff



Elmyra Duff is a cartoon character from the Warner Bros. animated television series, Tiny Toon Adventures. She is one of the main characters on the show. Elmyra is voiced by Cree Summer in all of her appearances.

Elmyra is a young, redheaded female human, who wears a white pleated skirt, a light blue blouse with white collar and frills, a light blue bowed ribbon in her hair that has an gerbil's skull in the middle, black strapped Mary Jane shoes and white socks. She attends Acme Looniversity and lives in Acme Acres. She also serves as the school nurse.

Biography
Elmyra Duff is based superficially on her name derivative and mentor, Elmer Fudd; "Elmyra" being a female form of "Elmer" and her last name, "Duff," as "Fudd" pronounced backwards. According to creator, Tom Ruegger, she also got her first name from his next door neighbor in Northridge, CA; an elderly lady named Elmyra Lamb. Elmyra strongly resembles a younger version of the feminized Elmer Fudd from the 1946 cartoon, The Big Snooze, in which Elmer's peaceful retirement dream became a nightmare where he was transformed into a shapely female by Bugs Bunny. She behaves quite a bit like Little Suzie, a child from a fairly obscure 1955 Freleng short called A Kiddie's Kitty. Here a girl adopts Sylvester Pussycat and unwittingly abuses him with her childish antics, to the point that he decides he would rather take his chances with a bulldog who had been tormenting him earlier in the picture.

Elmyra lives in a nice, suburban home with her parents, older sister and two younger brothers. The place is fairly average except for the piles of discarded pet toys littering the yard and the several abandoned doghouses and kitty baskets. Elmyra's pets are constantly escaping in terror. One of the animals in her vast menagerie is Byron Basset, a near-gelatinous basset hound who draws much of his humor from his odd appearance. In contrast to her other pets, Byron seems to feel a grudging love for his owner despite her flaws, particularly proven in the ending to the A Cat's Eye View episode segment, Little Dog Lost. Li'l Sneezer is also shown to be one of the few "pets" capable of enduring Elmyra's well intentioned zeal, but in these cases it is Elmyra who ends up the victim because of Sneezer's allergies. Less enthusiastic pets have included Buster, Furrball, Fifi La Fume and Tyrone the Turtle. Although, Furrball is shown in some episodes to enjoy living with Elmyra (especially in latter episodes where he becomes more of a permanent resident at her home).

Personality
Elmyra is quite young and obsessed with animals and cute things (which is probably why she works as a nurse at Acme Looniversity), even chasing after animals whom she knows are her classmates at Acme Looniversity, obliviously causing great discomfort or serious injury to potential pets from her overenthusiastic affection and complete lack of even the most rudimentary knowledge of pet care. In this, she is reminiscent of the aforementioned Suzie, or even Hugo the Abominable Snowman (who, in turn, is influenced by Lenny from Of Mice and Men). This is in contrast to Elmer's well-armed actual intent to violence, although she is dismissed by Buster and Babs Bunny in the pilot as extremely lame for a "villain." The two share a distinct similarity in that both hunt animals; while Elmer hunts them for sport, Elmyra hunts them to love and baby them to death (sometimes literally) -- often even diapering the animals (such as Plucky in the Pollution Solution episode segment, No Deposit, No Return of the Trash Bag Dispenser). She does not really mean to mistreat her pets, she simply doesn't understand the negative effects of her behavior.

Curiously, on a few occasions, Elmyra is shown to be bald like her inspiration and wearing a wig (although, whether or not she is really bald or if this is simply cartoon humor at its most absurd is up for debate). This danger is balanced by her complete and utter gullibility. Her abject stupidity is pocked with occasional instances of cleverness and her character is toned down as needed. Buster Bunny and Babs Bunny explain in the series' debut that Elmyra is a pushover — unlike Montana Max — but that they need nominal "villains" to pitch their series. This is a nod to the original Looney Tunes shorts, in which Yosemite Sam (the basis for Montana Max) was created due to the fact that Elmer J. Fudd was seen as too easy and mild-mannered to be an effective enemy for Bugs Bunny.

At heart, Elmyra is a sweet girl and somewhat a major dunce (in the Acme Cable TV episode sketch, Toonywood Squares, it shows that mayonnaise has a higher I.Q. than her), she speaks in semi-perpetual baby talk and her hair bow is decorated with a small gerbil skull, which may hint at her sinister side (some fans believe that the skull in her bow is the skull of her very first pet, who died when she was little). Elmyra sometimes removes the skull to tell Mr. Skullhead stories. She has a deep love for animals, but generally cuddles and loves them to death (literally). She leaves a trail of destruction wherever she goes. Elmyra means well, but she is oblivious to the trouble she causes. Anyone who allows her to help them is courting sure disaster. She has rare moments when she's semi-aware that things haven't gone as she'd planned; usually when a pet runs away from her or someone shouts at her for goofing something up. Then, Elmyra bursts into heartbreaking sobs.

Elmyra thinks life is "cute," and she has "cutesy" names for everything: Rabbits are "hippity-hops," Plucky is "Mr. Quack Quack"... et cetera. She is sweet to the point of dementia. One of the few characters that Elmyra doesn't think is cute and cuddly is Hamton J. Pig, as she thinks he's a dirty "piggie-wiggie" in need of a good bath, which is ironic, because Hamton is obsessed with cleanliness and dislikes filth and bad odors.

Although Elmyra is normally a recurring antagonist in the series, she is the main protagonist in the Fox Trot episode segment, Can't Buy Me Love, where she is bullied by her new neighbor, Rhoda Queen. Although Elmyra is determined to be her best friend, Rhoda bullies her by having her do whatever she says, with the constant threat of breaking up with her if she refuses. Elmyra is forced to sacrifice her skull-donned bow, all the money in her piggy bank, and even her boyfriend, Montana Max, but when Rhoda wants her to give up Furrball, Elmyra, having put up with her all day, refuses to do so, leaving Rhoda angry and in tears. Elmyra then talks to Furrball about the morale of the story, in which you don't have to give up all your stuff just to make a new friend, but Rhoda arrives and promises Elmyra she'll be her best friend again if she gives up her mom's car keys and drive her to Utah (which Elmyra instantly agrees to).

Romance
Elmyra has a big crush on Montana Max. She's sure that Monty calls her a "bug-faced little dweeb" because he's too shy to admit his real feelings for her. No matter how many times her "Monty-Wanty" pushes her away, Elmyra remains convinced that he feels nothing but undying love for her.

Elmyra shows romantic feelings for Montana Max on several different occasions. Usually in these episodes, Elmyra does not try to chase after and capture Buster or Babs, showing little to no interest in them or other animals outside of getting their help with snagging Monty for her own. Monty does his best to avoid her at all costs, usually insulting her in the process. Despite this, Elmyra stays smitten with Monty and sometimes even refers to him as her "boyfriend."

In the episode, Prom-ise Her Anything, Elmyra wants to go with Monty to the prom, but he does not take her nor show up for the prom, causing Buster and Babs to intervene. They bring him to the prom by force, but he insults Elmyra and tells her, "I don't like you" (this causing Elmyra to literally fall to pieces). Monty is attracted to Mitzi (Dizzy's date) and is persistent in trying to get her to dance with him, but she rejects him, verbally abusing the cocky, rich brat in the same way that he had hurt and belittled Elmyra moments ago (also bluntly telling him, "I don't like you"). Monty is crushed, but then apologizes to Elmyra and reluctantly asks her to dance, which Elmyra accepts in a heartbeat exclaiming, "Oh, Monty-Wonty. I knew it! I knew it! You do love me! Let's cut a rug, buggy!"

In the Love Disconnection double-length episode segment, My Dinner With Elmyra, Monty is forced by his mother to take Elmyra out or else he would lose his allowance (as he responds, "The things I do for a lousy 700 grand a week"). After being teased at Weenie Burger by Dizzy, Fowlmouth, and other Tiny Toons for being on a date with Elmyra as well as enduring her movie choice of The Adventures Of Fido & MewMew (he wanted to see Death Lords), he decides to spray her with a bottle of seltzer while walking her to her door. However, Elmyra plants a big kiss on his lips before he can spray her, leaving him stunned in his tracks until he gets back into his limo and exclaims, "I think I'm in love."

The Duffs
Producer Tom Ruegger decided to give Elmyra two entire episodes later in the series. The family, which had been previously unmentioned, appears in two episodes, Take Elmyra Please and Grandma's Dead. Soleil Moon Fryevoices Elmyra's eldest sister; Amanda; Matt Frewer is her frazzled inventor father, Mac. As these episodes feature none of the rest of the regular Tiny Toons cast, other than Furrball and Byron Basset, they may have been a test to see if Elmyra's character could get her own spin-off series, centered around her family. Elmyra's dad is a spaced-out inventor whose inventions either succeed, fail, or are used in another purpose. Elmyra's mom; Emily (voiced byTress MacNeille), is patronizing and doesn't pay too much attention to her children's behavior, save for her baby son who demonstrates incredible strength, a cause of concern. Elmyra's brother; Duncan (voiced by Whitby Hertford), thinks he's a superhero and usually winds up saving Elmyra every time she gets in trouble. Amanda is the typical version of a teenage girl and is embarrassed by her family's behavior. They also have a dimwitted maid, Queegee, also voiced by Tress MacNeille, who shows superhuman strength at some times. Elmyra's grandmother is voiced by Fran Ryan.

Also of note in these episodes is the introduction of the character, Mr. Skullhead. Mr. Skullhead was created by Elmyra's imagination from the small skull she wears as a hair ornament. He stars in his own show, The Mr. Skullhead Show. The character later appears regularly on the show, Animaniacs, as the central character in a skit called Good Idea, Bad Idea, in which Mr. Skullhead and the various members of his family would be violently maimed.

Quotes

 * "I'm gonna hug you and kiss you and love you forever [and never use you up]." (Said while squeezing Furrball)
 * "I love kittens, I love kitties, squeeze them into itty bittys!" (Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation)
 * "I'm gonna start his motor!" (Said while rubbing a tiger's belly)
 * "Bunnies! I love bunnies!"
 * "I lose more pets that way." (After Dizzy Devil runs away from her)
 * "This is the way we wash our pets, wash our pets, wash our pets, this is the way we wash our pets, because they're filthy and disgusting and yucky!" (while bathing Dizzy Devil)
 * "Come back, you spinny purpley puppy thing! Elmyra just wants to hug you and squeeze you into itty-bitty pieces! And then I'm gonna change your diaper all by myself!" (while chasing Dizzy Devil)
 * "Bachelor Number One, if I were ice cream and you were a dessert topping, what's the capital of South Dakota?" (on a game show)
 * "Bachelor Number Two, we're at an expensive restaurant, and you find that you've forgotten your wallet. Who was the twelfth president of the United States?" (again, on a game show)

Spin-offs
Elmyra later acquires newly-homeless Pinky and the Brain in a short-lived series in 1998 (in which Pinky is adjusting well to his new life, but the Brain has problems living with his mistress, Elmyra) — notable only for the Christopher Walken-esque madman who is pursuing the two mice for his own world domination plans. Although she has essentially the same personality and lives in Acme Acres, her character on Pinky, Elmyra, & the Brain is different from her character on Tiny Toon Adventures in several ways. She goes to school with other human kids rather than her Tiny Toons co-stars, and she harbors an unrequited crush on a different boy, Rudy Mookich (voiced by Nancy Cartwright), who does not return her affections either. A recurring gag here is that Elmyra continually washes Brain's mouth whenever he says either something that she would find offensive or merely scientific jargon that she can't understand (she calls it "naughty-waughty potty talk"). Perhaps because of these inconsistencies in comparison with Tiny Toon Adventures, the show was heavily disliked by fans of both Tiny Toon Adventures andPinky and the Brain alike, and cancelled after only 13 episodes. The screenwriters disliked the series as well, and expressed their disgust in the theme song, in the lyrics, "It's what the network wants, why bother to complain?", as well as Brain's line, "I deeply resent this." Curiously, Pinky and the Brain had earlier made a cameo as two of Elmyra's caged pets in the Tiny Toons Spring Break Special. Also, when Brain makes a cameo in the Tiny Toons Night Ghoulery Special, Elmyra remarks, "I'll play with you later," a possible foreshadowing.

Cameos

 * Elmyra made various appearances in Tiny Toon Adventures' successor show, Animaniacs. Her most notable appearance is in the episode, Lookit The Fuzzyheads, in which she would pursue the Warner Siblings.
 * In the episode, Hard Day Warners, Elmyra also pursues the Warners as one of the many fans. The Warners eluded the fans disguising themselves as Elmyra using a parody prop of The Mask.
 * During the Warner Brothers 65th Anniversary Special, Elmyra congratulates the Warners before a cut to commercials.

End Tag

 * Elmyra's end tag credit is "Let The Show Begin!" It is also used as an intro tag for the Season 2 finale, Take Elmyra Please.

Appearances
Season 1 Season 2 Season 3 Film Specials Music Video Games Appearances outside of Tiny Toon Adventures
 * Episode 1: The Looney Beginning -- (Cameo)
 * Episode 3: The Wheel O' Comedy -- Prologue before the episode segment: Devil Doggie (Cameo: Still image of head and face shown), Episode segment: Devil Doggie (Main role), Prologue before the episode segment:Optical Intrusion (Cameo: Still image of head and face shown), Prologue before the episode segment: Win, Lose, or Kerplowie (Cameo: Still image of head and face shown)
 * Episode 5: The Buster Bunny Bunch -- Prologue before the episode segment: Buffed Bunny (Cameo), Prologue before the episode segment: Squish (Cameo), Prologue before the episode segment: Born to be Riled (Cameo), Epilogue after the segment: Born to be Riled (Cameo)
 * Episode 8: Stuff That Goes Bump in the Night -- Episode segment: Fang You Very Much (Main role)
 * Episode 9: It's Buster Bunny Time -- Prologue before the episode segment: Bag That Bunny (Cameo), Episode segment: Bag That Bunny (Main role), Prologue before the episode segment: Lifestyles of the Rich and Rotten (Cameo), Episode segment: The Anvil Chorus (Supporting role)
 * Episode 10: Looking Out for the Little Guy -- Episode segment: Awful Orphan (Main role)
 * Episode 11: Starting from Scratch -- (Supporting role)
 * Episode 14: The Acme Acres Zone -- Episode segment: A Walk on the Flip Side (Supporting role)
 * Episode 15: Life in the 90's -- Episode segment: Paper Trained (Cameo)
 * Episode 17: Prom-ise Her Anything -- (Supporting role)
 * Episode 18: Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow -- (Main antagonist)
 * Episode 20: You Asked for It -- Prologue before the episode segment: Debutante Devil (Cameo: A still image is shown)
 * Episode 21: Gang Busters -- (Cameo)
 * Episode 22: Citizen Max -- (Minor role)
 * Episode 24: Buster and the Wolverine -- (Supporting role)
 * Episode 28: The Wacko World of Sports -- Episode segment: Bleacher Bummer (Cameo). Episode segment:Miniature Goof (Cameo)
 * Episode 30: Fields of Honey -- (Cameo)
 * Episode 32: Spring in Acme Acres -- Episode segment: Love Among the Toons (Cameo: A still image of a clay version is shown), Episode segment: Elmyra's Spring Cleaning (Main role)
 * Episode 33: Psychic Fun-omenon Day -- Prologue before the episode segment: Piece of Mind (Cameo), Episode segment: Rear Window Pain (Minor role)
 * Episode 34: The Wide World Of Elmyra -- Prologue before the episode segment: Turtle Hurdle (Cameo), Episode segment: Turtle Hurdle (Supporting role), Episode segment: Drooley Davey (Main role), Episode segment: Go Fetch (Supporting role)
 * Episode 35: A Ditch in Time -- (Minor role)
 * Episode 36: Animaniacs! -- (Minor role)
 * Episode 37: Career Oppor-Toon-ities -- Episode segment: Working Pig (Main role), Episode segment: Falling to Pizzas (Cameo)
 * Episode 38: Strange Tales of Weird Science -- Prologue before the episode segment: Scentimental Pig(Cameo)
 * Episode 39: Inside Plucky Duck -- Episode segment: Bat's All Folks (Minor role), Episode segment: Wild Takes Class (Minor role)
 * Episode 40: The Acme Bowl -- (Cameo)
 * Episode 41: Dating, Acme Acres Style -- Episode segment: Dream Date Game (Main role)
 * Episode 42: Looniversity Daze -- Episode segment: What's Up Nurse? (Main role)
 * Episode 43: Best O' Plucky Duck Day -- Episode segment: One Minute Til' Three (Minor role)
 * Episode 44: Hero Hamton -- (Cameo)
 * Episode 45: Whale's Tales -- (Main role)
 * Episode 46: Ask Mr. Popular -- Episode segment: Dapper Diz (Minor role), Prologue before the episode segment: A Pigment of his Imagination (Cameo)
 * Episode 47: Son of Looniversity Daze -- Prologue before the episode segment: Plucky's Dastardly Deed(Cameo), Episode segment: Plucky's Dastardly Deed (Minor role), Episode segment: C Flat or B Sharp(Cameo)
 * Episode 48: Mr. Popular's Rules of Cool -- Episode segment: Mr. Popular's Rules of Cool (Minor role), Episode segment: Slugfest (Minor role)
 * Episode 49: Fairy Tales for the 90's -- Episode segment: Bear Necessities (Main role)
 * Episode 51: Tiny Toon Music Television -- Music video segment: Istanbul (Not Constantinople) (Cameo)
 * Episode 52: The Return to the Acme Acres Zone -- Episode segment: Real Kids Don't Like Broccoli (Cameo: A robot version is shown), Episode segment: Duck Dodgers Jr. (Cameo: A still image is shown)
 * Episode 53: The Acme Home Shopping Show -- Episode segment: Oh, For Art's Sake (Cameo), Episode segment: Teddy Bear's Picnic (Main role), Prologue before the episode segment: I Was a Teenage Bunnysitter (Cameo)
 * Episode 54: Weirdest Story Ever Told -- Episode segment: Elmyras Round the World (Main antagonist)
 * Episode 55: Viewer Mail Day -- Prologue before the episode segment: Out of Odor (Cameo), Episode segment:Out of Odor (Main antagonist)
 * Episode 56: Son of the Wacko World of Sports -- Episode segment: Buster at the Bat (Cameo)
 * Episode 57: Pollution Solution -- Episode segment: No Deposit, No Return of the Trash Bag Dispenser (Main role)
 * Episode 58: You Asked for It Again -- Episode segment: Buster's Guide to Goofing Off (Cameo), Prologue before the episode segment: Elmyra at the Mall (Cameo), Episode segment: Elmyra at the Mall (Main role)
 * Episode 59: Brave Tales of Real Rabbits -- Episode segment: And All that Rot (Minor role)
 * Episode 60: How Sweetie It Is -- Episode segment: Let's Do Lunch (Supporting role)
 * Episode 62: Here's Hamton -- Prologue before the episode segment: Drawn and Buttered (Cameo), Episode segment: Drawn and Buttered (Minor role)
 * Episode 64: K-Acme TV -- (Supporting role)
 * Episode 66: Pledge Week -- Prologue before the episode segment: It's All Relatives (Cameo), Prologue before the episode segment: Lifeguard Lunacy (Cameo), Episode segment: Lifeguard Lunacy (Supporting role), Prologue before the episode segment: The Kite (Cameo)
 * Episode 67: Going Places -- Prologue before the episode segment: When You're Hot (Cameo: Face not shown), Episode segment: When You're Hot (Minor role), Prologue before the episode segment: "Slaughterhouse Jive (Cameo), Episode segment: Slaughterhouse Jive (Supporting role)
 * Episode 68: Elephant Issues -- Episode segment: Why Dizzy Can't Read (Minor role), Episode segment:C.L.I.D.E. and Prejudice (Cameo: Face not shown)
 * Episode 69: Hog Wild Hamton -- (Minor role)
 * Episode 70: Playtime Toons -- Episode segment: Fit to be Toyed (Minor role: Shown in Montana Max's imagination)
 * Episode 71: Toon Physics -- Episode segment: Once Upon a Star (Main role), Prologue before the episode segment: A Cub for Grub (Cameo), Episode segment: The Yearbook Star (Minor role)
 * Episode 72: Acme Cable TV -- (Supporting role)
 * Episode 73: Buster and Babs Go Hawaiian -- (Minor role)
 * Episode 74: Henny Youngman Day -- Episode segment: Stand-Up and Deliver (Minor role)
 * Episode 75: Love Disconnection -- Prologue before the episode segment: My Dinner with Elmyra (Cameo), Episode segment: My Dinner with Elmyra (Main role), Episode segment: The Amazing Three (Cameo: Back of head shown)
 * Episode 77: Sepulveda Boulevard -- (Main role)
 * Episode 78: Take Elmyra Please -- (Main protagonist)
 * Episode 79: Thirteensomething -- (Minor Role)
 * Episode 80: New Class Day -- Prologue before the episode segment: Sound Off (Cameo)
 * Episode 81: Fox Trot -- Episode segment, Can't Buy Me Love (Main protagonist)
 * Episode 82: What Makes Toons Tick -- Episode segment: Whirlwind Romance (Cameo)
 * Episode 83: Flea for Your Life -- (Supporting Role)
 * Episode 84: The Return of Batduck -- (Cameo)
 * Episode 85: Toons Take Over (Cameo: Still image is shown)
 * Episode 86: Toons from the Crypt -- Prologue before the episode segment: Night of the Living Pets (Cameo: Shown in a still image and voodoo doll form), Episode segment: Night of the Living Pets (Main role)
 * Episode 88: Buster's Directorial Debut -- Episode segment: Ducklahoma (Supporting role)
 * Episode 89: Washingtoon -- (Minor role)
 * Episode 90: Toon TV -- Prologue before the music video segment: Video Game Blues (Cameo: Face not shown), Music video segment: The Name Game (Main role), Episode segment: Toon Out, Toon In (Minor role)
 * Episode 91: Grandma's Dead -- (Main role)
 * Episode 92: Music Day -- Episode segment: The Horn Blows at Lunchtime (Minor role), Prologue before the episode segment: Loon Lake (Cameo: Shown on a poster)
 * Episode 93: The Horror of Slumber Party Mountain -- Prologue: (Main), Episode: (Main antagonist)
 * Episode 94: Sports Shorts -- Episode segment: The Undersea World of Fifi (Main role)
 * Episode 95: Weekday Afternoon Live -- (Supporting role)
 * Episode 96: A Cat's Eye View -- Prologue before the episode segment: Little Dog Lost (Cameo), Episode segment: Little Dog Lost (Supporting role)
 * Episode 97: Best of Buster Day -- Episode segment: Compromising Principals (Minor role)
 * Episode 98: It's A Wonderful Tiny Toons Christmas Special -- (Minor role)
 * Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation -- (Main sub-plot role)
 * Tiny Toon Adventures: Spring Break Special -- (Main antagonist)
 * Tiny Toon Adventures: Night Ghoulery -- (Supporting role)
 * 1992 Japanese import audio CD of Tiny Toons Sing! -- Song: The Name Game (Vocals Only), Song: Tiny Toons Rap (Vocals Only)
 * Elmyra appears in most of the Tiny Toon Adventures video games, usually as an obstacle that the player has to outrun and/or escape from. If she manages to catch the player, they will instantly lose a life.
 * Acme All-Stars for Sega Genesis/Mega Drive: Elmyra is one of twelve playable characters in multiplayer mode. This is the only video game in which she is playable.
 * Scary Dreams/Buster's Bad Dream for Game Boy Advance: She is the first boss in this game. In the game, she is dressed in her cheetah fur pajamas that she wore in the direct-to-video movie, Tiny Toons: How I Spent My Vacation.
 * Animaniacs -- Episode 64: Lookit the Fuzzy Heads (Main role)
 * Animaniacs -- Episode 65: The Warners' 65th Anniversary Special (Cameo)
 * Animaniacs -- Episode 73: A Hard Days Warner (Minor role)
 * Elmyra appears in all episodes of Pinky, Elmyra & the Brain.