Happy 75th Birthday, Bugs Bunny!

1940 was a banner year for cartoons.   In that year we saw the debut of three cartoon characters that would go on to become among the biggest, most recognizable cartoon stars of all time - as well as the most successful characters for each studio. In February 1940, MGM released Puss Gets the Boot, which introduced Tom and Jerry to the populace. In November 1940, Walter Lantz produced an Andy Panda cartoon dealing with a crazy woodpecker who was pecking holes in Andy's roof, and Woody Woodpecker was born.  And on July 27, 1940, Warner Bros released a cartoon that began very simply, with a hunter slowly making his way through the woods, pausing a moment, then turning to the audience to say, "Be vewy, vewy quiet...   I'm hunting wabbits."

And so it began.  Bugs Bunny popped out of his hole for the first time 75 years ago this week, and his first line, was, of course, "Eh, what's up doc?"  The classic line, then completely unexpected from the subject of a rabbit hunt, instantly became the rabbit's trademark and solidified his personality.  Bugs Bunny was not going to be the typical cartoon star that we had seen before 1940.   Bugs was calm, cool and collected in the face of adversity, and was always able to overcome his opponents in every situation (unless you were a turtle...  or a gremlin).  Bugs Bunny has always been my favorite cartoon star, and I am glad to be able to post this 75th birthday tribute to the wily rabbit.


Model sheet from "A Wild Hare" the first true Bugs Bunny cartoon

As a kid, the Warner Bros. cartoons were shown continuously on TV.  I've seen them all so many times I know them by heart.   However, as new generations come and go, I am finding that there are some younger people out there who are much less aware of the Warner Bros. cartoons.   Worse yet, I have heard that there are people who can listen to Wagner's Der Ring Des Nibelungen without singing "kill the wabbit" to themselves.  To them, I am offering my list of Top Ten Bugs Bunny Cartoons.  After watching these ten classics, I am sure you'll understand why I can't turn off the TV whenever that rabbit comes into view.

I was able to find posted versions of most of the cartoons, with the exception of Hillbilly Hare.  If you look around the Internet a bit more you can probably find it.

10.  Hillbilly Hare (1950)  Robert McKimson
I had to include one cartoon from Robert McKimson.   Bugs Bunny vacations in the Ozarks, where he runs afoul of the Martins and Coy's infamous feud.   The last half of the cartoon, where Bugs directs a square dance like no other, is embedded below with subtitles added so you can sing along!



9. Little Red Riding Rabbit (1943) Friz Freleng
At this point, Bugs is only three years old, and the directors were still figuring out exactly how to handle him.   There is still some issues drawing him consistently from one scene to the next.   However, this cartoon has a lot of great things going for it, especially an unexpected ending that comes out of nowhere.   Follow the link and watch the full cartoon!


Bugs Bunny - Little Red Riding Rabbit by bugs-bunny1

8.  High Diving Hare (1949) Friz Freleng
A classic encounter with Yosemite Sam.   Freleng takes a one-joke premise, adds in some great gags and some razor-sharp timing, and ends up with one of the best Bugs cartoons there is. 


Bugs Bunny - (Ep. 73) - High Diving Hare by werewolf1912

7.  Rhapsody Rabbit (1946)  Friz Freleng
One of the more controversial cartoons on the list, due to its resemblance to a similar Tom and Jerry cartoon.  However, it's a great film on its own.


Bugs Bunny - Rhapsody Rabbit by bugs-bunny1

6.  Long Haired Hare (1949) Chuck Jones
Bug's first encounter with classical music, and in my opinion, the ultimate Bugs Bunny cartoon that defines all that is Bugs.   Bugs has no inclination to bother anyone - in fact, he is provoked three times until he finally delivers his famous line, "Of course, you know this means war."  From then on, it's Bugs getting revenge on his opponent in hilarious fashion. 


Bugs Bunny - Long-Haired Hare by bugs-bunny

5.  Baseball Bugs (1946) Friz Freleng
The best Bugs Bunny cartoons pit him against a worthy adversary, place him at a disadvantage, and have him come out on top.  In this cartoon, Bugs is bullied into playing a baseball game, by himself, against an entire team of thugs and cheats called the Gashouse Gorillas.  Guess who wins.


Bugs Bunny - Baseball Bugs (1946) by enteritament

4.  What's Opera, Doc?  (1957) Chuck Jones
I'll probably get berated for not putting this higher.  This cartoon takes the classic Bugs Bunny formula (Elmer hunting Bugs), uses the same gags we have seen a million times (Elmer not recognizing that Bugs is a rabbit, Bugs in drag, Bugs faking death, etc.) and sets it in the world of a Wagner opera. 


What's Opera Doc by MistyIsland1

3.  Rabbit Seasoning (1952) Chuck Jones
It was hard not to put all of the Bugs / Daffy / Elmer cartoons in here. I settled on the next two.  I doubt there's anyone out there who hasn't seen it, but it's definitely worth seeing again...


Daffy Duck - (Ep. 65) - Rabbit Seasoning by cartoonNetworks

2.  Duck!   Rabbit!   Duck!  (1953)  Chuck Jones
The less famous of the three "hunting trilogy", but in my opinion the funniest.  If you've never seen it, you're in for a real treat...


Bugs Bunny - Duck! Rabbit, Duck! by bugs-bunny1

1.  The Rabbit of Seville  (1951) Chuck Jones
Here it is, my favorite Bugs Bunny cartoon of all time!  As near a perfect cartoon as there ever was.   Great characters, great music, great animation and truly funny gags all combine to make this a true tour de force.


Bugs Bunny - Rabbit Of Seville by bugs-bunny1

BONUS!   A Wild Hare (1940) Tex Avery
Here it is, Bugs Bunny's first true appearance, 75 years ago.  You can see how many of the gags and situations in this first film were carried on in the series. 


Merrie Melodies - A Wild Hare (1940) by Cartoonzof2006

There you go!  I hate to leave of so many true classics...   Slick Hare, Rabbit Fire, Show Biz Bugs, Buccaneer Bunny, Hare Trigger, Racketeer Rabbit, Bully for Bugs, The Old Gray Hare and Rabbit Punch are among the cartoons I was sorry to leave off.   I welcome you to leave your own top ten in the comments below.  Next week, I will post some rarely seen Bugs Bunny appearances.   Stay tuned!

The Ten Worst Cartoon Characters of all Time - Number 7

Sorry for the delay, it's been a busy week.  I had to go out to the mailbox twice this week.  And those darn girl scouts keep ringing my door asking if I want cookies.  One day I may have to turn them down.  We're back to giving you our ratings for the worst cartoon characters of all time.   Competition is getting fierce, but I think when the final list is unveiled you will agree with at least 30% of the choices.   If you agree with less than that, I'll be happy to post your list in a subsequent column.  But let's move on to number 7, as we move up the list to number one...

10.  Baby Huey
9.  Squiddly Diddly
8.  Buzzy the Crow
7.  Hippity Hopper

Okay, let's get one thing straight right now.   THIS is a baby kangaroo:

...And THIS is a giant mouse, better known as a Capybara, native to South America.

See any resemblance?   Sure, I guess they are both brown and furry, but then again so is a brown bear.   And yet Ranger Smith never mistook Yogi for a giant mouse.  A bear from outer space, yes, but never a giant mouse.

However, this mistaken identity is the basis for every Hippity Hopper film released by Warners Brothers from 1948 until 1964.  In case you're not familiar with the premise, the cartoon usually begins with a baby kangaroo escaping from a zoo, a circus, an Outback restaurant, or any other place you're likely to find a baby kangaroo.   He inevitably ends up in the neighborhood of Sylvester the Cat, who mistakes the baby kangaroo for a giant mouse and spends the rest of the cartoon trying to subdue the creature, and getting beaten to a pulp in the process.  Every cartoon in the series was directed by Robert McKimson.

The first couple of cartoons were interesting and fun, but soon after that the cartoons fell into the same repeated formula that would curse such cartoon stars as Pepe Le Pew, Casper, and any Famous Studios cartoon star. 

Hippity Hopper, the name of the baby kangaroo, has almost no personality and really doesn't do much in his own films.   He is the star of these cartoons much like the Roadrunner stars in a Roadrunner cartoon.   Let's be honest, the real star of the Roadrunner cartoons is the Coyote, and in the Hippity Hopper films it is Sylvester that really carries the film.  However, the Warner Bros. cartoon department seemed to think that Hippity Hopper had the star power, as you can see from these title cards:



Pop 'im Pop, 1950, Hippity Hopper's third film.   At least Sylvester is still getting second billing.

Lighthouse Mouse, 1955



Too Hop to handle, 1956.  At least Sylvester made it onto the title card.

Hippity Hopper went on to appear in comic books, some merchandise, and the occasional resurrection of the Warner Bros. characters in TV and movies such as Space Jam.   Below I've posted a Hippity Hopper cartoon that has a plot somewhat different than all the others (but not very), Bell Hoppy from 1954.   The nice thing about this one is Sylvester gets top billing...


Sylvester The Cat - (Ep. 42) - Bell Hoppy by cartoonNetworks

A rare piece of Hippity Hopper merchandise, a ceramic decanter

Saturday Morning Cartoon: A Fractured Leghorn

Foghorn Leghorn is one of those cartoon characters that some people love, and some people hate.  I fall in the middle.  Some of his early cartoons are among the best cartoons Warner Bros ever made...   in fact his first one was nominated for an academy award.  On the other end of the spectrum, some of his later cartoons are among the worst ever made.   Check out Mother was a Rooster, The Slick Chick or Strangled Eggs to see the worst.  Look for Walky Talky Hawky or The Leghorn Blows at Midnight to see the best.   You'll notice I didn't create links for the worst; you'll have to find them yourselves.  I won't take blame for that.

A little history about Foghorn Leghorn might be appropriate here.  He started out as a supporting character to Henery Hawk, a character who had already debuted in a cartoon directed by Chuck Jones.   Foghorn debuted in Walky Talky Hawky and literally stole the show from Henery.   The cartoon earned an Academy Award nomination for director Robert McKimson, and a new cartoon series was born.  Twenty eight Foghorn cartoons were made, all directed by McKimson.

Most people think that Foghorn Leghorn was patterned after Senator Claghorn, a character that lived on Allen's Alley on the Fred Allen radio show.  In fact, in his early days he was patterned after a sheriff character that appeared on a 1930's radio show called Blue Monday Jamboree.   However, as the character developed, he began to sound more like Senator Claghorn, picking up many of his catchphrases ("That's a joke, son!" is among the most obvious)

The interesting thing about Foghorn is that, although it may seem like his cartoons are all the same, the writers and directors actually tried to create some variety in the series.  They created several characters to inhabit the Foghorn universe, and each cartoon may differ depending on the supporting cast.  Henery Hawk, the weasel, Miss Prissy, Little Egghead, and Barnyard Dog were among the regulars.  Sylvester and Daffy Duck also made appearances in the series.   This is in contrast to Pepe Le Pew, Hippity Hopper or the Roadrunner, in which every cartoon had the same basic plotline.

The cartoon I'm posting below is Foghorn's fifth cartoon, A Fractured Leghorn, from 1950..   It's a bit different than most of the others, and was rarely seen on television.  No Barnyard Dog, no Henery Hawk in this one.  Enjoy!