Michigan J. Frog is an animated cartoon character who debuted in the Merrie Melodies cartoon One Froggy Evening (December 31, 1955), written by Michael Maltese and directed by Chuck Jones . In this cartoon, partly inspired by a 1944 Cary Grant film entitled Once Upon a Time , Michigan is a male frog who wears a top hat , carries a cane, sings pop music , ragtime , Tin Pan Alley hits, and other songs from the late 19th and early 20th century while dancing and performing acrobatics in the style of early 20th century vaudeville . He appeared in a later cartoon titled Another Froggy Evening which was released on October 6, 1995. He was also a former mascot of The WB Television Network from that year until 2005, and after The Night of Favorites and Farewells , he was shown as the final image of a white silhouette bowing down to viewers, bringing up The CW Television Network .