"The Case of the Missing Chromosome" is the unaired pilot episode of Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man.
Plot[]
The episode begins with the camera zooming in on the door of Duckman's office. A shadowy figure appears, holding a pistol pointed directly at Duckman. Confessing to his crime and vowing to repeat it, the deranged individual stands firm. Unfazed, Duckman swiftly takes him down, causing the intruder to collapse onto the ground. Just as the adrenaline fades, the press suddenly barges into his office, stunned by Duckman's heroic capture of yet another heartless criminal. Initially reveling in the spotlight and the acknowledgment, Duckman's triumph quickly dissipates as he abruptly awakens from his slumber, exposing the dream fueled by his own inflated ego.
Duckman's slumber is abruptly disrupted by the resounding tremors caused by his wife Beatrice's intense workout routine, shaking the very foundations of the house. Weary-eyed, he trudges downstairs and greets her with a good morning, only to be practically ignored as she remains engrossed in her exercise. Our perspective shifts to the exterior of the house, where Duckman's son, Ajax, stands amidst a group of mischievous youngsters. Demonstrating his lock-picking skills, Ajax successfully gains access to the trunk of Duckman's car, earning the approval of his cohorts. However, their playful camaraderie takes a mischievous turn as they push Ajax inside the trunk and securely lock it. Unaware of the unfolding events, Duckman steps outside for a smoke, only to be confronted by a bunch of snickering kids surrounding his vehicle. Assertively dispersing them, he enters the car, oblivious to the fact that his own child is trapped in the trunk.
Duckman recklessly maneuvers through traffic, cutting off numerous drivers and ultimately colliding with a No Parking sign. Undeterred, he proceeds to enter a building, where he nonchalantly enters a crowded elevator adorned with a prominent No Smoking sign, still puffing on his earlier cigarette. Displaying a continuous disregard for public regulations, Duckman finally arrives at the door of his own establishment, a detective agency. Inside, he is greeted by his secretaries, Fluffy and Uranus, a pair of diminutive sentient stuffed bears. They timidly offer him some herbal tea, but Duckman disdainfully declines, demanding coffee instead. As he reflects on his dissatisfaction, he privately bemoans the fact that his previous request for a blonde secretary with specific comely physical attributes had been denied, resulting in the assignment of his current secretaries.
(TBA)
Cast[]
| Actor | Character | |
|---|---|---|
| Ronnie Schell | ... | Eric Duckman |
| Gregg Berger | ... | Cornfed Pig, Bearded Lady |
| Andrea Martin | ... | Beatrice, Madame Rosarita |
| Dweezil Zappa | ... | Ajax Duckman |
| Art Metrano | ... | Rico, One Eyed Man #1 |
| Pat Musick | ... | Fluffy and Uranus |
| Eddie Deezen | ... | Kid on Bumper Car, Voice Behind Door |
| Brian Cummings | ... | Concessionaire, One Eyed Man #2 |
| Andy Houts | ... | Cop, Driver, Wild Boy |
Trivia[]
Charles and Mambo in a bumper car.
- In this episode, the characters Eric Duckman and Bernice Hufnagel (referred to as Beatrice in the pilot) are voiced by Ronnie Schell and Andrea Martin, as opposed to Jason Alexander and Nancy Travis, who voice the characters in the official series.
- Charles and Mambo Duckman make a cameo appearance at the carnival. While it is established that Ajax is Duckman's child, it remains unclear in this pilot whether Charles and Mambo are also still intended to be his children.
- For decades, a significant portion of this episode was lost, leaving its availability and completeness in question. On the DVD release, glimpses of the footage and animatics were shown, accompanied by commentary from the series creator, Everett Peck, and Gregg Berger, the voice actor for Cornfed. However, due to the commentary, various sections of the episode were omitted, and there was no audio from the original episode itself. Remarkably, an unexpected development unfolded when a recording of the entire 16-minute episode, sourced from its VHS master, surfaced online. This newfound recording allows viewers to finally experience the episode in its entirety, without any missing segments.
The frame of a possible Mo Dorkin can be seen on the far right.
- One of the framed portraits adorning the walls of Duckman's house bears a striking resemblance to the visage of his uncle, Mo Dorkin.
- Certain narrative elements from this episode find new purpose throughout Season 1. The concept of Duckman's self-aggrandizing dreams contrasting with his disheveled reality is revisited in the episode "I, Duckman". Furthermore, Duckman's recurring reliance on fortune tellers as a plot device resurfaces in "A Civil War". Similarly, the scenario where Duckman manages to offend an entire bar filled with dubious patrons is recycled in the episode "Not So Easy Riders".
- Numerous adjustments were made to the show's concept from the pilot to the full series, but one notable alteration involved Duckman's treatment of his son. In the original pilot, there was a scene where Duckman physically struck his son, which was a significant departure from how the character was portrayed in the subsequent episodes. In the actual series, Duckman's behavior never escalated to that extent.