Downhearted Duckling
Jerry’s little duckling friend is depressed because he’s just read The Ugly Duckling and thinks that he’s ugly. Jerry does his best to help. Tom gets involved when the suicidal duck offers himself as a meal and Jerry keeps saving him. Jerry tries a makeover: mud pack, corset, perm – the works. When Tom sees the makeover in progress, he loses his appetite, which convinces the duck he’s even more ugly. He walks off with a bag on his head. A lady duckling happens along, lifts the bag, and tells him he’s cute and all is solved.
Quacker reads The Ugly Duckling and takes it badly, with Jerry trying to convince him otherwise. The series occasionally let its guest characters have real feelings, and this is the clearest example — the comedy has to work around actual sadness.
Quacker believes he is ugly and worthless, and the opening is genuinely melancholy.