The Duck Factory

1984
The Duck Factory

Seasons & Episodes

  • 1

EP1 Goodbye Buddy, Hello Skip Apr 12, 1984

Skip Tarkenton finds his dream of being an animator coming true a lot sooner than he expected when he hops a bus to L.A.

EP2 Filling Buddy's Shoes Apr 19, 1984

Someone must fill Buddy's shoes as the Dippy Duck showrunner. But who?

EP3 The Annies Apr 26, 1984

A series of mishaps arise when the staff attend the Annies, where Buddy is to receive a posthumous award.

EP4 No Good Deed May 03, 1984

Skip learns that no good deed goes unpunished when he gives Ginger a job she doesn't deserve and Marty's script a kinder review than it deserves.

EP5 The Way We Weren't May 10, 1984

Aggie plans to attend a reunion with her old Navy pals, but when she can't scrounge a date, she asks Skip to accompany her.

EP6 Can We Talk? May 17, 1984

Marty's plagiarism becomes Skip's problem.

EP7 The Education of Mrs. Winkler (a.k.a. The Education of S*h*e*r*e*e W*i*n*k*l*e*r) May 24, 1984

In hopes of being smarter, Sheree decides to finally get her high school diploma, and Brooks gives her a helping hand -- and a little something extra.

EP8 Ordinary People, Too Jun 06, 1984

Skip helps come up with the cash to fund Andrea's film project, yet doesn't get the thanks one might think.

EP9 It Didn't Happen One Night Jun 13, 1984

The gang begin to suspect that Skip and Andrea are romantically involved. Meanwhile, Marty isn't happy about his friend's new girlfriend -- Sheree.

EP10 The Duck Stops Here Jun 20, 1984

Wally decides to throw his hat into the Shakespeare ring after his Dippy Duck voice escapes him.

EP11 The Children's Half Hour Jun 27, 1984

It's Children's Night at the Apollo when Brooks' son and Wally's daughter both want to further their artistic careers -- to the joy of Brooks and the dismay of Wally.

EP12 You Always Love the One You Hurt Jul 04, 1984

Roland is pressured to quit the animation biz and follow in his father's footsteps -- as a dentist. Meanwhile, the staff consider changing the show when a parents group vote it one of the most violent kids' programs on TV.

EP13 Call Me Responsible Jul 11, 1984

The ball is in Skip's hands when the show needs someone to fight for it at the network, or it will be cancelled.
6.4| 0h30m| en| More Info
Released: 12 April 1984 Ended
Producted By: MTM Enterprises
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

The Duck Factory is a 1984 NBC television series produced by MTM Enterprises that is perhaps most notable for being Jim Carrey's first lead role in a Hollywood production. The show was co-created by Allan Burns. The premiere episode introduces Skip Tarkenton, a somewhat naive and optimistic young man who has come to Hollywood looking for a job as a cartoonist. When he arrives at a low-budget animation company called Buddy Winkler Productions, he finds out Buddy Winkler has just died, and the company desperately needs new blood. So Skip gets an animation job at the firm, which is nicknamed "The Duck Factory" as their main cartoon is "The Dippy Duck Show". Other Duck Factory employees seen regularly on the show were man-of-a-thousand-cartoon voices Wally Wooster; comedy writer Marty Fenneman; artists Brooks Carmichael and Roland Culp, editor Andrea Lewin, and business manager Aggie Aylesworth. Buddy Winkler Productions was now owned by his young, ditzy widow, Mrs Sheree Winkler, who had been married to Buddy for all of three weeks before his death. The Duck Factory lasted thirteen episodes; it premiered April 12, 1984. The show initially aired at 9:30 on Thursday nights, directly after Cheers, and replaced Buffalo Bill on NBC's schedule. Jay Tarses, an actor on The Duck Factory, had been the co-creator and executive producer of Buffalo Bill, which had its final network telecast on Thursday, April 5, 1984.

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Reviews

stevenforbis The basic concept was earnest, young art school grad Jim Carrey lands his dream job at a venerable animation studio only to find the crazy people who work there are running the place into the ground and it is up to him to be the responsible grown up who keeps it all together. See the irony? One of the greatest physical comics ever, a man who is himself a living cartoon character, is locked into a straight-man role, while everyone else on the show is supposed to be a lunatic. Carrey is such a good actor that when he emerged a decade later as a wild man on "In Living Color," I was absolutely amazed. It didn't help anything that this show took the time slot of the truly inspired "Buffalo Bill" show with, oh, you know, Dabney Coleman, Gina Davis...
canonet I remember seeing "The Duck Factory" on NBC as a teenager( makes two who saw it). I had an interest in voice-work and animation, plus curious to see what Don Messick looked like.The show was OK, from what I remember, but felt NBC did not really give it a chance. Typical of shows that are actually good but the almighty dollar, and ratings, rules so it was cut.
shark-43 I actually saw this sitcom when it first appeared on TV in 1984 (I must of been the only one). But since I myself was a cartoonist and fascinated by the whole process, I couldn't wait to see this show set in a cartoon studio. I remember enjoying the episodes and that Jim Carrey gave a believable, controlled performance and I was always a big fan of Jack Gilford. Needless to say, the show didn't last (wasn't really given much of a chance). The network didn't promote it at all - but it does show that Carrey can give naturalistic performances. I do admire Carrey's work, but he seems to have fallen into the Robin Williams trap - be manic and crazy at comedy - practically shouting out, "Love me, accept me" and then get all brooding and quiet when they try their dramatic turns. I'm all for actors trying to stretch their wings, but don't get angry when people don't exactly jump up, applauding and throw awards at you. (Truman Show, Man/Moon). As for Duck Factory, it is a sweet little show with good performances.
mcgee-8 This show had talented actors (Jim Carrey, Jack Gilford, Jay Tarses, Don Messick, etc.) and an interesting premise (life behind the scenes of an eccentric cartoon factory). But it never quite clicked...the writing was mediocre, and the network never gave it a chance to develop into the decent show it might've become. In a way, it was a show ahead of its time -- with the '90s animation boom, perhaps this would've drawn a bigger initial audience and the show would've had time to find itself. For animation fans, though, it was a rare chance to see longtime voice-over artists such as Messick, Janet Waldo and Bill Scott. And, of course, there was Carrey -- only 22 at the time -- who might've had more opportunity to showcase his wackiness had the show continued.