Foghorn Leghorn's debut was in the cartoon short "Walky Talky Hawky" (1946), where he was voiced by Mel Blanc. The character's original design was inspired by a large, boastful rooster, and his personality was modeled after a Southern gentleman with a pompous attitude. Initially, Foghorn Leghorn was intended to be a one-off character, but his popularity led to numerous appearances in subsequent cartoons.