★ Today I am going to do a few posts on Elmyra Duff for my blog. After the announcement from Cree Summer, Ms. Duff will no longer exist for future reboots. So why not blog about her?
Let me get it straight. She added a lot as antagonist, but in Tiny Toon Adventures was sometimes a protagonist. She was originally going to sound exactly like Elmer Fudd, but instead her VO actress decided to try something new, and Elmyra was born.
Elmyra became the most popular character in the series, but was often disliked by the public but also liked at the same time. Instead of killing animals, she loved them to death.
Elmyra is the same age as the Tiny Toon cast members, but in the original series she was the same age as the characters but dressed like she was younger. Because Elmyra was claimed to be “INSANE” in the original series.
Her character is nothing original. There were characters like her prior to her creation, in classic cartoons. In which little girls were portrayed as “loving” animals over-the-top in which they would push them in strollers dressed as babies.
Elmyra has a one-track mind in the series and will not stop harassing the animals. She was made that way to counter Elmer Fudd. Elmer in the original Bugs Bunny series also would not stop hunting Bugs.
Only with Elmyra she often at times would be normal and not hug or squeeze, depending on the storyline.
Elmyra had such a presence during the 90s that other studios often emulated her in their cartoons. Instead of Cree Summer, they had Cheryl Chase play the role of one knock-off Elmyra Duff character. Both VO artists are known for their roles as Angelica Pickles and Susie Carmichael in Rugrats.
Two pitched pilot episodes for Elmyra’s own spin-off series were put into the Tiny Toon series. They were Take Elmyra Please and Grandma’s Dead. The series never took off, because it wasn’t picked up by the network.
After Tiny Toon Adventures ended, the network pushed Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain. Elmyra actually hints in one of the last Tiny Toon Adventures specials that she will see Pinky and the Brain. In this series Elmyra is made even dumber than usual. Her VO artist Cree Summer is not doing the original Elmyra. She also has lost her iconic “hyuck hyuck hyuck” laugh, something she often did in the Tiny Toon Adventures series. And is just stupid. There are no family of Elmyra present in her home. The series is watchable, but doesn’t really follow the original concept. The writers and producers who worked on this series hated it, but the network pushed it.
Prior to her series with Pinky and the Brain, she made numerous cameo appearances in Animaniacs. She even praised the characters in The Warners 65th Anniversary Special.
The conclusion with Elmyra Duff is she was overused in the 90s cartoons and her character does not fit the expectations of this generation. Though in Animaniacs 2020, they had a character exactly like her but it was “one-shot” episode. Elmer Fudd made a cameo in Animaniacs 2020 reboot, so it is possible that if Tiny Toon Adventures is rebooted, Elmyra may make a cameo appearance but I wouldn’t hope on it. A few more Elmyra Duff blog posts to follow.
Sums up my thoughts exactly. She was my favorite character. And the tiny toons reboot will feel incomplete without her. And cree summer is an amazing actress and an awesome person. If Elmyra isn’t in the new show, I hope at least Cree can voice a new character instead.
