The last three never happened as far as I'm concerned.

I think you forgot the final phase, "narcissist."

The looniest directors (Avery, Clampett, Tashlin) left in the 40's and Friz Freling and Chuck Jones never liked the character so they changed him. Kinda sucks.

Chuck Jones really is one of the most overrated POS animation directors ever. HE was the one who gave us Tom and Jerry...AS FRIENDS! NEVER forget that! THAT was fucking with a working formula!

Kook Daffy was always my fave Daffy Stage. (Hey, that rhymed!... in a Bob Dylen-esque way, I guess.!)

Why do I always wait until after I've had my toast to post? (Another rhyme! I'm a guy who knows how to put rhyming words together, despite the fact that this knowledge was lost upon me.)

No, Hanna and Barbera had shorts with Tom and Jerry as buds before Jones did (Tot Watchers, Smitten Kitten, Blue Cat Blues). If anything, Hanna-Barbera TV productions really went with the buddy cartoons in the '70s.