The Blue-Jay Cops[1] are characters featured in the 1935 Silly Symphony short "Who Killed Cock Robin?". They are the police patrol that serves as the police force in a universe where only birds are present.
Background[]
Personality[]
These birds serve as police officers (hence their name) who patrol a universe showcasing communities ruled by birds. They are shown to be on the lookout whenever an incident happens in the universe such as the supposed "killing" of Cock Robin, often finding suspects accused of their involvement with him. They are shown to be equipped with clubs which they use as weapons - often treating victims by giving them a bad reputation in a strict manner. Despite having a serious manner, they are also shown to be attracted to Jenny Wren whom all the male characters think she is lovely.
Physical appearance[]
These cops are shown with a black plumage around their body wearing custodian hats and blue police officer outfits with a yellow belt, each wearing a star-shaped badge as well as having long blue tails.
Role in the short[]
After Cock Robin lies unconsciously near the Old Crow Bar being struck by an arrow, the police patrol is seen arriving towards the spot where the incident occurred as they make way for the other cops to take care of the suspects accused of their involvements with Cock Robin. Two hospital workers take away Cock Robin just as the cops incarcerate three suspects into their vehicle. As a blackbird denies about his claim about his involvement with Cock Robin, one of them tells the blackbird to tell it to the judge.
During the court, a group of Blue-Jay Cops are seen outside gathered for the hearing while two other cops stand behind a nest labeled "Witness Box" where a parrot accuses a blackbird telling him if he was involved with Cock Robin. As the blackbird denies, the cops beat him up and as he is unable to answer the attorney's question, the witness was deemed guilty for this. The cops then toss the blackbird into a birdcage labeled "Sing Sing" while a warden patrols on a stump above. Two more cops bring Legs Sparrow out of his cage where the two beat him up, only for Legs to repel them, thanks to his tough strength just before he sits on the Witness Box. After Legs denies about his involvement with Cock Robin, two more cops take him away just before a cuckoo bird is place onto the nest.
Later, Jenny Wren walks past the audience and a cop who are all awed when they see her walk pass by. Just as Jenny suggests to the judge to hang all the suspects who "killed" Cock Robin, the attorney tells the judge that the three suspects he interacted with are guilty for the "killing" of Cock Robin, which the latter tells him to hang them all by sending in the cops to do so. Although not seen again afterwards, the Attorney's plan to hang all the suspects was cancelled when Dan Cupid was the real culprit who shot Cock Robin with an arrow, revealing that he is not dead but rather Cupid himself trying to help Cock Robin fall in love with Jenny. Thus, it is likely that the Blue-Jay Cops forgave the witnesses for their bad reputations.
Trivia[]
- Although the police birds' names were not mentioned in the short, the character model sheet identifies the name of the police birds as "Blue-Jay Cops".
- Despite their name, they do not resemble the real-life blue jay at all (save for their tail) but rather resemble generic passerine birds.
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