Logo What's After the Movie

Rocket-bye Baby 1956

A cosmic mix‑up swaps a Martian infant with an Earth baby. Joseph Wilbur and his wife must raise the clever, green‑skinned Martian as if he were their own child. When the alien boy constructs a spaceship and bolts, Wilbur races to retrieve him before the exchange with the Martian parents can be completed, hoping to get his son back.

A cosmic mix‑up swaps a Martian infant with an Earth baby. Joseph Wilbur and his wife must raise the clever, green‑skinned Martian as if he were their own child. When the alien boy constructs a spaceship and bolts, Wilbur races to retrieve him before the exchange with the Martian parents can be completed, hoping to get his son back.

Does Rocket-bye Baby have end credit scenes?

No!

Rocket-bye Baby does not have end credit scenes. You can leave when the credits roll.

Meet the Full Cast and Actors of Rocket-bye Baby

Explore the complete cast of Rocket-bye Baby, including both lead and supporting actors. Learn who plays each character, discover their past roles and achievements, and find out what makes this ensemble cast stand out in the world of film and television.


Take the Ultimate Rocket-bye Baby Movie Quiz

Challenge your knowledge of Rocket-bye Baby with this fun and interactive movie quiz. Test yourself on key plot points, iconic characters, hidden details, and memorable moments to see how well you really know the film.


Rocket-bye Baby Movie Quiz: A diverse quiz exploring key characters, plot points, and humorous references from the 1956 animated short Rocket-bye Baby.

What planet is the baby originally destined for in Rocket-bye Baby?

Full Plot Summary and Ending Explained for Rocket-bye Baby

See more

Read the complete plot summary of Rocket-bye Baby, including all major events, twists, and the full ending explained in detail. Explore key characters, themes, hidden meanings, and everything you need to understand the story from beginning to end.


Sure! Here’s a detailed rephrased summary of the movie in markdown format:


The film opens with a vivid depiction of Mars and Earth, showing how close the two planets came during the summer of 1954. The narrator, voiced by Daws Butler, explains that this unusual proximity caused a “cosmic force disturbance,” leading to a bizarre baby switch: a baby destined for Earth was diverted to Mars, and conversely, a Martian baby was sent to Earth. This story unfolds visually through two comet-like bodies colliding and then diverging along different paths, one heading towards Earth and the other to Mars. The green comet, in particular, travels through Earth’s atmosphere, passing over numerous homes with strange-looking TV antennas before finally arriving inside a hospital.

Inside the hospital, Joseph Wilbur, voiced by Daws Butler, anxiously waits in the nursery with other expectant fathers. A voice over the PA system announces that he can now see his baby, fueling his excitement as he presses his face against the nursery window. When the baby is rolled in, Joseph is initially overwhelmed by the sight of a baby with a distinctly green head and two antennae that spark and beep in Morse code. Shocked, he comically exclaims, “Somebody goofed!” and quickly faints, overwhelmed by the strange situation.

The story then shifts to a suburban home where Joseph is arguing with his wife, Martha, voiced by June Foray. He pleads with her to let the baby stay inside, but she insists the infant needs sunlight and fresh air. Reluctantly, Joseph takes the green baby out in a stroller, trying to keep the baby’s unusual nature a secret. While he isn’t paying close attention, the baby surprises him again by crawling onto the stroller’s hood and beeping, then scampering onto a nearby wall to communicate with a bee sitting on a flower.

Later, inside the house, Joseph expresses concern to Martha that the baby might talk to any strange insects or animals he encounters outdoors. As he pushes the stroller along the street, an elderly woman, played by [June Foray], begins to dote on the infant, remarking how healthy and green he looks. When she notices the baby’s antennae and hears him beep, she becomes increasingly disturbed, even using a pitch pipe to find the right note, which results in her shrieking loudly. Joseph, noticing her reaction, hurriedly brings the baby back home, visibly tense.

Martha begins to worry as her husband’s antics grow more bizarre. The baby is shown doing complex activities such as solving Einstein’s mass-energy equivalence with letter blocks and constructing a fictional molecule called “illudium,” famously referenced in Marvin the Martian cartoons. He even creates a Tinkertoy model and builds a planetary system out of household objects, like a basketball and Christmas ornaments. The scene humorously depicts him working on plans for a better mousetrap — blueprints included — while happily playing on the family’s television, watching Captain Schmideo promote a toy flying saucer as part of a cereal promotion.

The plot thickens when the family receives a message from Mars, delivered by a small rocket. Initially believing it’s just a joke or a letter from Martha’s mother, they are stunned when it reveals that the child they are caring for is actually from Mars, named Mot, and that the baby they originally had, called Yob, is now on Mars. The message, from a Martian named Sir U. Tan, humorously references a popular vegetable laxative and explains that the cosmic exchange resulted in the switch, warning them to take good care of the Martian infant until the exchange can be arranged.

In a comical turn, Mot, using his toy spaceship, launches himself out of his highchair like a rocket using the window as a launchpad. Joseph chases after him, first on foot, then by car, desperately trying to catch the little green baby. Mot flies into a hotel and zooms into a lecture hall where a UFO skeptic dismisses alien stories until the green Martian baby suddenly appears before him. The skeptic’s disbelief turns to shock as he begins to laugh and then cry, overwhelmed by the tiny alien. Joseph arrives just in time to see Mot flying out another window. He attempts to grab the spaceship but fails, falling out of the window himself while calling for the return of Yob, the original baby now on Mars.

Mot, meanwhile, is taken aboard a mother ship, disappearing into the sky. The scene then shifts back to the hospital waiting room, where it is revealed that all of these events were part of a vivid dream Joseph experienced. He wakes up to see the normal human baby being rolled into the nursery, and he relieves himself with a whistle of relief. As a final humorous detail, the camera zooms in on the baby’s wristband, which bears the name “YOB,” confirming that the switch was just a fantastical dream.


Let me know if you’d like any adjustments or additional details!

Uncover the Details: Timeline, Characters, Themes, and Beyond!

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Discover Film Music Concerts Near You – Live Orchestras Performing Iconic Movie Soundtracks

Immerse yourself in the magic of cinema with live orchestral performances of your favorite film scores. From sweeping Hollywood blockbusters and animated classics to epic fantasy soundtracks, our curated listings connect you to upcoming film music events worldwide.

Explore concert film screenings paired with full orchestra concerts, read detailed event information, and secure your tickets for unforgettable evenings celebrating legendary composers like John Williams, Hans Zimmer, and more.

Concert Film CTA - Music Note
Concert Film CTA - Green Blue Wave

Rocket-bye Baby Themes and Keywords

Discover the central themes, ideas, and keywords that define the movie’s story, tone, and message. Analyze the film’s deeper meanings, genre influences, and recurring concepts.


1950souter spacemars the planetplanet earthalien on earthwaiting roomantennabeehusband wife relationshipbaby carriageold womanincome taxreference to albert einsteingeniusblueprintreference to the theory of relativitywatching tvt squarespaceshiprocketlettermix uphotellecturesleepdream sequencescience magazineearthit was all a dreamnightmaredreamman sleepsmagazinespace shipman laughsman cryingdaynighthousefatal fall off buildingbaby aliencradlebaby extraterrestrialcitymodel of the solar systemspace alienalphabet blocksmartianbabysurrealism
Movie Wiki CTA - Movie Book

Unlock the World of Movies with Our Comprehensive Wiki

Dive into our Movie Wiki for in-depth film encyclopedia entries, including cast biographies, production trivia, plot synopses, behind-the-scenes facts, and thematic analyses. Whether you’re researching iconic directors, exploring genre histories, or discovering hidden easter eggs, our expertly curated movie database has everything you need to fuel your cinematic passion.

Movie Wiki CTA - Green Blue Wave

Similar Movies To Rocket-bye Baby You Should Know About

Browse a curated list of movies similar in genre, tone, characters, or story structure. Discover new titles like the one you're watching, perfect for fans of related plots, vibes, or cinematic styles.


© 2025 What's After the Movie. All rights reserved.