Porky's Duck Hunt (1937) is a standard hunter/prey cartoon, in which Porky Pig makes several failed attempts to bag the screwball duck before calling it quits, but Daffy (barely more than an unnamed bit player in this short) was something new to moviegoers: an assertive, completely unrestrained, combative protagonist. Director Bob Clampett later recalled: "At that time, audiences weren't accustomed to seeing a cartoon character do these things. And so, when it hit the theaters it was an explosion. People would leave the theaters talking about this daffy duck."

Daffy's heartfelt catchphrase (often directed at his enemies after one of his own plans has backfired) is "You're despicable!"

Mel Blanc's characterization of Daffy once held the world record for the longest characterization of an animated character by their original actor: 52 years.

The origin of Daffy's lisp is a matter of some debate. One often-repeated story is that it was modeled after producer Leon Schlesinger's tendency to lisp. However, in Mel Blanc's autobiography, That's Not All Folks!, he contradicts that conventional belief, writing, "It seemed to me that such an extended mandible would hinder his speech, particularly on words containing an s sound. Thus 'despicable' became 'desth-picable.'"

The American black duck (Anas rubripes) somewhat resembles the female mallard in coloration, but has a darker plumage. The male and female are generally similar in appearance, but the male's bill is yellow while the female's is dull green with dark marks on the upper mandible.

The story begins with Duck Dodgers (Daffy) being tasked with locating the uncharted "Planet X", the only remaining source of the dwindling element Illudium Phosdex, a.k.a. "the shaving cream atom".

In this World War II-themed cartoon, Daffy guards a scrap yard, doing his part to help the United States win the war against the Nazis, but the Nazis decide to destroy his scrap pile by sending a billy goat to eat everything in sight.

In "Rebel Without a Glove" (2012), it is revealed that the white stripe around Daffy's neck is actually a pearl necklace that he inherited from his grandmother.

Daffy's blonde girlfriend is featured in several cartoons but is only referred to as Melissa in one, "The Scarlet Pumpernickel" (1950). She is a separate character from Daffy's wife Daphne, who is usually referred to simply as Mrs. Daffy.

Daffy tries to intimidate Nasty Canasta with his gun, but Canasta just bites off most of the gun and swallows it.