The Wacky Worm

The Wacky Worm is a 1941 Merrie Melodies short directed by I. Freleng.
== Plot ==
A crow searches for a meal and happens to find a singing Jerry Colonna-esque worm in an apple tree. Spotting the crow, the worm hides in several apples. The crow tries to find the apple the worm is in, but when one of the apples move, the crow tries to look away when the apple moves. However, when he is about to catch the worm, all of the other apples moves, further confusing the crow. The worm ends up crashing into a wall, splitting the apple, forcing him to flee inside a toothpaste bottle. When the crow tries to force open the bottle, he ends up flinging the crow into a phonograph. The crow corners the worm, but he is blared out by loud music. 
The worm jumps into a toaster. The crow attempts to launch him out, but gets a piece of toast launched at him instead. The worm then flees into a bottle of alcohol, which makes him drunk and repeatedly jump all over the place. Eventually, the worm confronts the crow directly, planning to fight the crow. He requests the crow to make the first strike, which results in a large blow. The worm admits defeat before fleeing into another set of apples.
The crow decides that he'll get the worm even if he has to eat all the apples on the ground. The crow takes his word, and ends up being grossly sick after eating a plethora of apples with none containing the worm. Seeing the last apple left which the crow is certain that he finally has got the worm, a pesky woodpecker knocks a bunch more apples off the tree. The crow, now no longer hungry, asides, "Oh well, who wants a worm anyhow?" before fainting.
== Caricatures ==
* Jerry Colonna - as a worm.
== Availability ==
Golden-Age-of-Looney-Tunes-3-F.jpg|(1992) LaserDisc The Golden Age of Looney Tunes, Volume 3, Side 4
346061 front.jpg|(2023) Blu-ray Looney Tunes Collector's Choice: Volume 2 (restored)
=== Streaming ===
Lt warner bros discovery ride.png|Warner Bros. Discovery RIDE (2021 - 2023) (restored)
== Notes ==
* The Wacky Worm would later appear in "Greetings Bait" (1943). Both of his shorts were given a Blue Ribbon reissue.
* The restoration of this short that popped up in 2021 has more faded, browner-looking color corrections due to being sourced from inferior film elements.https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/thad-k-reviews-looney-tunes-collectors-choice-vol-2/
* A can of "Binder Brand Peaches" can be seen when the worm faces the crow in a junkyard. This is one of many references to Henry Binder.
== Gallery ==
File:The Wacky Worm Lobby 2.jpg|Lobby card
File:The Wacky Worm Lobby.jpg|Lobby card
WackyWormReissueLobby.jpg|Lobby card
The Wacky Worm.jpg|Model sheet
331-AD1.png|Animation drawing
== References ==
Category:Blue Ribbon reissues
Category:Shorts
Category:1941
Category:Merrie Melodies Shorts
Category:Cartoons directed by Friz Freleng
Category:Cartoons with music by Carl W. Stalling
Category:Cartoons with characters voiced by Mel Blanc
Category:Cartoons with orchestrations by Milt Franklyn
Category:Cartoons with film editing by Treg Brown
Category:Cartoons with sound effects edited by Treg Brown
Category:Cartoons produced by Leon Schlesinger
Category:Insects
Category:Birds
Category:Cartoons in a.a.p. package
Category:Cartoons with camera by John W. Burton
Category:Cartoons with missing Leon Schlesinger credits