Joseph Barbera and Hanna worked alongside animator Tex Avery, who had created Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny for Warner Bros. and directed "Droopy" cartoons at MGM. In 1940, Hanna and Barbera jointly directed "Puss Gets the Boot", which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best (Cartoon) Short Subject. The studio wanted a diversified cartoon portfolio, so despite the success of "Puss Gets the Boot", Barbera and Hanna's supervisor, Fred Quimby, did not want to produce more cat and mouse cartoons believing that there were already enough cartoons of those in existence. Surprised by the success of "Puss Gets the Boot", Barbera
Daredevil Droopy Daredevil Droopy Daredevil Droopy is a 1951 animated cartoon short, one of the few cartoons in which Droopy was paired with dog Spike. When a circus arrives to town, it features its famous attractions including ""The Great Barko and His Famous Acrobatic Dogs"". And under the commercial posters an advertisement stands, titled ""Dare Devil Dog Wanted"", advertising a job for Barko's new dog-acrobats, under the condition ""Must be Fearless!"". This attracts both Droopy and Spike's attention to apply for the job. Satisfied with the reply from the two dogs, Barko decides to put the situation on the competitive basis: ""The