We're back, presenting more cartoon characters who ran for president as an alternate to the current candidates. This week we have a rodent and a duck. America is certainly a land of opportunity...
Part Three: Alvin for President!
Alvin, lead singer for the Chipmunks, ran for president in 1960, beating Kanye West to the punch by sixty years. According to NEWSWEEK, when candidate John F. Kennedy heard that Alvin had entered the race, he commented, "I'm glad to know I have at least one worthy opponent."
Alvin started his campaign with a campaign song 'Alvin for President" released as a single by Liberty Records. It was the last Chipmunk single to hit the Billboard top 100. Alvin followed this up with a comic book and a performance of his campaign song on "The Alvin Show." Despite Alvin's popularity he was no match for John F., who beat out Alvin, Nixon and Huckleberry Hound (see our previous post for details on Huck's campaign).
Take a listen to Alvin for President:
Part Four: Daffy Duck for President!
In 1997, the Looney Tunes characters began appearing on US postage stamps. Daffy Duck decided this would be the perfect year to run for president since, after all, he is already on a stamp. Chuck Jones contributed to Daffy's campaign with the book "Daffy Duck for President," a children's book that explains the three branches of government. Unfortunately Daffy failed to realize that 1997 was not an election year, so it was all a wasted effort.
Seven years later, Daffy realized that 2004 is divisible by four and that this could be his year. He produced a film based on his campaign book from 1997, Daffy Duck For President. The film received minimal play time but must have done some good - He was elected senator. George Bush took the presidency that year. Take a look at "Daffy Duck for President."
BONUS: Here's Alvin's campaign song as performed on The Alvin Show. Not the best video, but included for archival purposes.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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...
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...
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.
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.
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!
I've posted very few Chuck Jones cartoons on this blog... the reason for that is because everyone has seen his best work practically everywhere. In this blog I'm trying to bring you the different stuff, the stuff you don't see all the time. For instance, you will NEVER see What's Opera Doc posted on this site. They show that darn cartoon at every animation festival I attend. I have seen it so much I can no longer enjoy the Der Ring des Nibelungenwithout singing "Kill the Wabbit!" And if you knew how much I enjoy the full 15 hours of the cycle, you'd understand my frustration.
I'm posting a Warner Bros. Merrie Melodie cartoon from 1952, Feed the Kitty, directed by Chuck Jones. This cartoon has none of the famous Warner characters in it... No Bugs, Daffy or Sylvester. It stars a typical Warner Bros. bulldog and a kitten. But in this short 7-minute film, Chuck gives the bulldog a personality and range of emotion that gets you instantly caught up in the proceedings. The results is one of his best, and one of my personal favorites. In 1994 it was selected as #36 on the list of 50 Greatest Cartoons of all Time. Enjoy!
This week's cartoon is a little-known Warner Bros. gem from 1960, The High Note, directed by Chuck Jones. By 1960, the Warner Bros. cartoon studio was nearing the end, but was still capable of producing some great cartoons. In the coming months, they would lose their top two writers, Mike Maltese and Warren Foster, to Hanna-Barbara. The quality of the cartoons dropped dramatically at this time until the studio closed in 1963. However, enjoy this one, one of the last great ones from the studio!
