King-Size Canary (1947, animated short)

King-Size Canary is an animated cartoon short that debuted in movie theaters in 1947. It was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and directed by Tex Avery. The canary in this short was a primary inspiration for the design of Maurice, a character from The Wacky World of Tex Avery.
Production:
Directed by: Tex Avery
Animation: Ray Abrams, Robert Bentley, Walt Clinton
Story: Heck Allen
Music: Scott Bradley
Produced by: Fred Quimby

Reception:
In 1994, it was voted #10 of the 50 Greatest Cartoons of all time by members of the animation field.

In popular culture:
The Simpsons episode "Itchy and Scratchy and Marge" reproduces the climax, with Itchy and Scratchy shooting each other with ever-larger handguns.

"Planet of the Capes", an episode of Darkwing Duck, has the hero and villain repeat the final sequence with an energy gun that makes them grow. At the end, the villain rebuilds his gun to work in reverse. However, Darkwing Duck shoots himself with it, leaving the villain to stand on the planet alone.

An episode of Dexter's Laboratory titled "Monstory" parodies the short, in which Dexter and Dee Dee repeatedly drink a formula that transforms them into increasingly giant monsters. Like the Avery short, the episode ends with both Dexter and Dee Dee on top of the globe.