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!

Worst Cartoon Character of all Time, Part 3

We've listed seven, and finally reached the TOP THREE in our listing of Worst Cartoon Characters of all Time!   We are now at the point of severe badness.   Up to this point, the cartoon characters listed had SOME redeeming quality that kept them from being ranked higher.   These last three entries...  are really rank.  They are the true bottom of the barrel.  As I have warned you before, shield your eyes from the videos as we start into listing number three....

10. Baby Huey
9. Squiddly Diddly
8. Buzzy the Crow
7. Hippity Hopper
6. Loopy De Loop
5. Go Go Gophers
4.  The Blue Racer
3. The Beary Family

Walter Lantz had one of the longest careers in animation and was truly an animation pioneer.  He began his career in 1916 working on silent films and by 1924 he was starring in his own live action / animated cartoon series entitled "Dinky Doodle".   Any of the Dinky Doodle cartoons are better than
the best "Beary Family" cartoon ever produced.

In 1928, Walter Lantz was given the character "Oswald the Lucky Rabbit." whose cartoons were formerly produced by Walt Disney and Charles Mintz.   Walter eventually set up his own independent cartoon studio and churned out over a hundred Oswald cartoons for Universal Studios, any of which is better than the best "Beary Family" cartoon that was ever planned to be produced.

In the coming years, Lantz would come up with a variety of cartoon stars, such as Andy Panda, Chilly Willy, Wally Walrus and of course, Woody Woodpecker.  Any of the cartoons with these characters are, of course better than any "Beary Family" cartoon that you could imagine being produced (with the exception of the last few years of Chilly Willy cartoons).

In the 1960's, as theatrical cartoons became less and less popular, Lantz tried coming up with a new cartoon series that he hoped would grab the public's attention.   There was Inspector Willoughby, who almost made this list of "Worst Cartoon Characters of all Time."  There was Hickory, Dickory and Doc.   There was Windy and Breezy.  And finally, the one that lasted the longest, the Beary Family.

The Beary Family was a take off of the family sitcoms that permeated television in the late 1950's.   Think of "The Life of Riley" and you've got it.  The characters included Charlie Beary, the usual loud mouthed, long-suffering father, Bessie, the nagging, long-suffering wife, dimwitted teenage son Junior and cute (and long suffering) daughter Suzy.   Daughter Suzy got smart and left the series after the first few years, deciding life in an orphanage was better than a career with the Beary Family.  The plots of these cartoons usually dealt with some household activity, such as installing a spare room, that would end in disaster.   As the Walter Lantz Cartune Encyclopedia notes, most cartoons in the series contained two lines of dialogue similar to this:

Bessie:  "Charlie, we really need a ___________________"  (fill in blank with new TV, spare room, new oven, swimming pool, bomb shelter, etc.)
Charlie: "OK, but I won't pay $10 to install it.   I'll do it myself!"

The next six minutes would play like a bad Laurel and Hardy short (all of which are better than any "Beary Family" cartoon ever produced) as Charlie and Junior would wreck the house trying to install the TV arial, the gas pipes, or whatever it may be.   Unfortunatley, all the Beary Family cartoons feature poor music, bad gags, uninspired plots and limited animation.   Plus the characters themselves were worn cliches even by 1962, inspiring neither laughter or sympathy.

Walter Lantz produced almost 30 Beary Family cartoons from 1962 until 1972, when the studio officially closed.   Andy Panda, a legitimate cartoon success, appeared in only 27 cartoons.  Hollywood is fickle and unfair. 

Please think it over carefully before you hit "Play" on the video below.   Life is good, your friends and family love you, you make a significant contribution at work...   why spoil the rest of your life by watching one little video?   Here is "Let Charlie Do It" released to an unsuspecting public in 1972.  I'm imagining the audience for 'The Godfather" who got this cartoon shown to them before the feature.  Being killed by the mafia must've seemed like a welcome relief.

Animation drawing from the cartoon above.  

Below:   There was some merchandise produced, such as puzzles, books and the like.   Here is a coloring book featuring the family when Suzy was still around.