Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

As a huge (and the wife thinks ridiculous) fan of old cartoons, I wish I could give a better answer to this, but, alas, I do not have such a photographic memory that would allow it. My instinct, however, puts me more in line with the original poster than with Glenn (and I almost never disagree with Glenn). I seem to think that the "ratzafratzin'" nonsensical syllables to stand in for swearing started well before Dick Dastardly and Muttley made the cartoon scene in the late 60s, after Hanna-Barbera built the animation machine that capitalized on their great success with the original "Tom and Jerry" cartoons (seriously, just look at how many cartoons from the late 60s and throughout the 70s were from the HB shop -- it's astounding). I seem to remember, though, Yosemite Sam ranting with the same nonsensical phrase as early as the Friz Freleng or Bob Clampett days of the Warner Bros. shorts. Those guys were directors in the 40s, at the same time Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera were still working on "Tom and Jerry" shorts (and winning numerous Oscars for those shorts, by the way).

Anyway, I have no actual evidence to support my point of view; those are just my thoughts as an animation nerd.

My first thought was it might have been Yosemite Sam. But a shot at the Google brought me to this comment post to a blog:

absolut_jmo wrote:
August 16th, 2009 12:43 am (UTC)
"Cahn-sarn-it" and to steal one from Daffy Duck - "Razza-frazza".

Ding! - I'm pretty sure that, yes, Daffy Duck had a cussing fit that included this. It might have been the one where Elmer Fudd shoots Daffy's bill off in the marsh.