Category: Cartoons from the 40’s

My personal favorite decade from Warner Bros. The majority of my favorites came from this era. (It was the last one where we still had Avery and Clampett)

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Wackiki Wabbit

“Ah! White man!”

Don’t let the title fool you. There is no Fudd in this short.

Our main characters are two castaways. Let’s call them Fatty and Slim. They must have been afloat for days because they are trying to eat one another without the other one noticing. That is until they spot an island. They arrive and explore their new locale. They spot Bugs and immediately declare him food. (It’s official. They’re gonna starve.) Bugs runs and they find him doing a tribal dance. He spouts some long gibberish which translates to “What’s up, Doc?” Then he says something short which is translated as a huge saying. Slim thanks him and his words get translated into Bug’s dialect. (“Did you say that?” Fatty asks.) Bugs dances and they join in allowing him to escape.

Consulting their book on the Sea Islands, (as opposed to the numerous land ones.) they learn that the natives dive into water to retrieve coins. (No, I don’t know where they got the book.) After they toss a coin into their cauldron of water, Bugs steals the whole thing. Luckily for them, he uses it as a bath and doesn’t notice what it’s intended for until he joins in their singing of “We’re gonna have roast rabbit!” He goes to his tree house and attaches a chicken to some strings. He freaks out the men by making it look like the chicken is scolding them. However the strings tangle causing the puppet to reveal Bugs. They pull on the strings bringing Bugs with it.

He runs and takes the chicken meat with him. The men break down and cry. Then to their luck, a boat arrives. They are so happy they fail to notice Bugs has switched places with them, until the boat vanishes over the horizon. They see each other as food before chasing each other into the hills. (Personally, my money’s on Slim) I’ve heard a rumor this short was based on a real experience of Jones where he was shipwrecked. Anyone know if that’s true?

Personal Rating: 3

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Acrobatty Bunny

“Iron bars do not a prison make. But they sure help, eh doc?”

Wow! a new record of people visiting? More than 10? You like me! You really like me!

The first Bugs Bunny short directed by Robert McKimson begins with the circus coming to town. All the noise disturbs Bugs who is sleeping underground. (For the record, elephants wouldn’t make that much sound.) A lion’s cage is put right over Bug’s rabbit hole. The lion investigates the hole, causing more distress for Bugs. Bugs goes up to see what the deal is.

The lion (dubbed Nero by Bugs) begins to chase the rabbit. Bugs leaves and renters the cage to confuse the feline who is now on the outside and locked out. Nero tries to use an elephant to break back in. Bugs unleashes a wind up mouse which sends the pachyderm into hysterics and uses the lion to bat at the mouse. Bugs dresses up as an operatic circus clown and urges Nero to laugh. No sooner does he, when Bugs smacks him with a mallet.

The chase continues into the big top and onto the trapeze. In the end, Bugs tricks Nero into climbing into a cannon just as Bugs lights the fuse. Dazed and confused, Nero is taken advantage of by Bugs who uses the lion as a new act. A hula dancing lion.

Personal Rating: 3

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Case of the Missing Hare

“Look Doc! Do I go around nailing signs over your house?”

So this cartoon begins with a magician nailing signs everywhere to advertise his show. (At least, I think so. He does it very subtly.) The magician’s name is Ala Bahma. He is in the middle of nailing a sign over a tree. Bugs burst out. Apparently he lives in a tree now. (I guess Ala nailing a sign over a hole in the ground would be a little TOO weird. Even for a cartoon.) Ala is a jerk and quickly nails a new one. When Bugs complains, Ala throws a “blacksberries” pie in his face and leaves laughing. Bugs is not amused.

Later at his show, Ala prepares for his first trick: pulling a rabbit out of a hat. Cue Bugs. He pulls himself out of the hat, and steals Ala’s applause. He tells Ala to tempt him with a carrot. Ala tries to do so, but Bugs hits him over the head with his hammer. Later, Ala nails his hat shut so Bugs can’t bother him any more. His next trick requires a young boy’s assistance. Bugs comes up (dressed up in a Pinocchio like get up,) and Ala explains the trick. Bugs will be in a basket and Ala will seemingly stick swords into him. While doing so, Bugs appears to squeal in pain in the basket. (One of the greatest Looney Tunes moments ever.)

Ala finds Bugs is the one handing him the swords, so Ala prepares to murder him and Bugs plays “red light green light” with him. To finish off, he gives him an exploding cigar. The magician is dazed and in a sense of poetic justice, Bugs hits him in the face with another “blacksberries” pie.

Personal Rating: 3

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Bowery Bugs

“Sorry, Mac! Me luck’s run out!”

In the only Bugs Bunny cartoon to be directed by Arthur Davis, we find Bugs telling some random old man the story of how a man named Steve Brody jumped off the Brooklyn bridge. (For the record: Brody was a real guy, and he survived his fall. He did not, however, sound like Billy Bletcher.) The tale starts with Brody deciding that his life needs a lucky charm and so he goes in hunt of a rabbits foot. (Why are just they considered lucky? Surely the rest of the body it is attached to counts for something.)

Bugs eludes injury by telling the fellow to visit someone known as the Swami Rabbitima instead. Brody ( for the record, is voiced by Billy Bletcher) goes and finds this swami. (Bugs in disguise.) The swami tells him that a man with a carnation will be his lucky mascot, if he keeps him nearby at all times, success is sure to follow. Brody finds this man, (Bugs in disguise.) and drags him to a casino. He wins nothing and gets booted out to…boot.

He heads back to the “swami” for revenge but forgets it after he is told that he will find true love. He spots a girl (Bugs in disguise…again.) who acts offended and gets Brody in trouble with a cop. Back with the “swami.” He asks why Brody why he wants good luck so bad. Brody just wants some dough. That’s a fair request, right? The swami tells him where he can gets lots of it. Brody ends up at a bakery, baked into a pie by the baker. (Bugs in… oh screw it.) Brody realizes that the baker IS Bugs and deduces that he was everyone else too. Driven to insanity, he jumps. Bugs finishes his story and the old man buys it. (Literally.)

Personal Rating: 3

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The Wabbit who came to Supper

“Oh, that you Murt? How’s every little ting?”

Bugs is on the run from Elmer and his pack of dogs. Just as he is about to meet his fate, Fudd (in his fat design) gets a telegram. Elmer’s uncle Louie has just decided that when he dies his $3,000,000.00 will go to Fudd. There’s just one catch: no harming animals. Especially Rabbits. (I dunno, maybe its a test to see if he’s worthy? Or Louie just really loves animals. Rabbits in particular.) Elmer grants Bugs his freedom and goes home to find the wabbit in his shower.

Elmer pulls a gun on him, but Bugs reminds him of his Uncle’s words. Elmer begs Bugs to leave and ultimately locks him out of the house. Bugs puts on a act that he is dying in the cold, and mentions that the scene should get him an academy award. (Here’s a legit question: WHY DIDN’T LOONEY TUNES GET ONE TIL 1948!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?) But clearly I digress. Elmer brings him in and caters to his every whim.

Soon he gets a note telling of his uncle’s passing. However, dues to tax deductibles it ends up with Elmer actually owing money. Free of his burden, he chases Bugs. Bugs tries to pass it off as New Year’s Eve, and pulling his drag routine for the first time, before finally running from the house. But at least he was kind enough to leave Elmer a gift: An Easter egg full of little rabbits.

Personal Rating: 3

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Easter Yeggs

“Remember: keep smiling.”

Just in time for Easter we have a Easter-themed short to talk about. Ironically, the first time I saw this was on Easter. (It was on DVD, so it WAS a coincidence.)

We open with Bugs reading, when he overhears some sobbing. It’s the Easter Rabbit bawling his eyes out. He claims his feet hurt and Bugs decides to take over the deliveries for him. The E.R. confides to us that he always gets some idiotic rabbit to do his work for him. (I don’t know what his problem is. Even when Bugs leaves he still is whining.) Bug’s first stop is the home of a character fans refer to as “The Dead End Kid” (Hes teething on a gun, Bugs. I wouldn’t hang around.) Bugs gives him an egg, but the brat just breaks it and demands more. (This is the kind of kid you’d want to strangle if you met.)

Bugs can’t put up with him and grabs his arm. The kid screams and his giant family appear, shooting guns at Bugs. Bugs is ready to quit, but E.R. convinces him to try once more. The next stop is Fudd’s house and judging by those signs he has in his front yard, he’s ready for Easter. His plan is to kill the Easter Rabbit and make stew. (“How the Fudd stole Easter”? It has potential.) He disguises himself as a baby to lower suspicions but Bugs is now wary of children sitting alone, and breaks the egg in Fudd’s hands. The chase begins.

Elmer digs a pitfall which Bugs falls into, and floats away when Fudd tries to flood him out. They both enter a hollow log and come out the tunnel of love. Bugs tries to use magic to keep Fudd occupied, but the rabbit he pulls out of a hat is E.R. telling him to get back to work. The chase resumes with Bugs running from Fudd, the rabbit, and even the brat returns. Bugs solves two of his problems by trapping Elmer in a door and painting his head like an Easter egg, which draws the kid to him with a hammer.

The E.R. sees a rather large egg (probably belongs to a moa) and figures Bugs forgot to deliver it and decides to do it himself. It turns out to be a bomb, which Bugs lights. (I can’t figure out if he was planning that or not.)

Personal Rating: 4

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A Hare grows in Manhatten

“I’ll moidalize ya!”

We begin with a voice identified as Lola Beverly. She is in Hollywood and aims to interview the stars. Naturally, we come to Bugs. He tells his life story which begins with him being born in New York. He grows up, and one day runs into a gang of dogs. (Yep. That one with the derby is Spike.) They think they spy an easy target and “dogpile on the rabbit” (with Bugs being the one on top.)

Bugs ducks into a sewer and when Spike tries to follow, he smacks his head on the manhole. Bugs pulls the ole “Does the rabbit have big ears, a fluffy tail, and hops” gag, with a great response from Spike that I’m not about to spoil.  After catching on, the chase continues. Bugs hides in a cigarette ad, which rats him out, so he sends Spike over the edge of the building with a stick. Spike grabs on to a clothes line, but Bugs plays Tweety and slowly removes his toes. (Apparetnly Spike was Bug’s 30th dog that day.)

Bugs walks on, thinking he’s rid of the canines, when they corner him in an alley. He grabs a book to defend himself but there’s no need. The dogs leave when they read the title: “A tree grows in Brooklyn”

Personal Rating: 4

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Hare Tonic

“I gotta go back and heckle that character.”

Elmer has just bought Bugs from the market and is planning on making a wabbit stew for his dinner. At the Fudd residence, Bugs rings a bell and when Elmer leaves to answer what he thinks is the telephone, Bugs escapes. He stops short and figures that before he leaves he might as well have fun with Fudd first.

He pretends to be a radio announcer and says that all rabbits that have been bought lately have a disease known as Rabbititus. (Symptoms include: seeing spots, coated tongue, having fits, and believing you are a rabbit.) Fudd falls for it and tells Bugs to leave. Bugs can’t as he points to the sign proclaiming the premise is quarantined. He starts faking symptoms and heckling Fudd.

Elmer gets visited by Dr. Killpatient (Bugs in disguise) who asks to see the infected rabbit. He calls Elmer in to a room that he painted spots all over. Tricking Elmer into multiplying numbers, he declares that he too has caught the disease. Eventually Elmer gets wise and tries to catch him. Bugs tells him the audience has the disease and Fudd flees again. Bugs tells us we’re fine and says that if we were sick, we’d see spots, (like the ones on screen?) get dizzy, (is the screen moving?) and everything going dark. (IT DOES!)

Finally, this is the only other time I recall Bugs popping out of the end drum instead of Porky. (The other being “Baseball Bugs“)

Personal Rating: 3

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Hare Remover

“All out of expewamentew animaws. I’ll have to twap a wabbit.”

So now that the site is two years old, I’m trying to improve it anyway I can. So now if I can’t find a clip, I’ll still try to find a picture for the short.

In this short, Elmer is a scientist. He never says what he is working on, but I assume it’s a standard Jekyll/Hyde formula. He gives some to his lab dog, who rushes out to eat grass. (I only assume it does not work, you don’t need to  invent something that makes dogs eat grass.) Since that was his last “guinea pig,” Fudd decides to trap a lagomorph. (To use Latin.)

He sets up a trap, and Bugs comes out, amazed such obvious traps still exist. Taking pity, he decides to play along and gets in. (Notice Elmer seems to have buck teeth in this short?) Back at the lab, the formula seems to have no effect on Bugs. Elmer gives up. (Scientists have to be used to failure, so I guess it’s true when he says he’s a horrible scientist.) To calm him down (or maybe to give him a taste of his own medicine,) Bugs gives him a drink of the concoction. I still don’t know if it works. Elmer freaks out, so does it only work on people? He runs to join his dog in grass eating but on the way he runs into a bear, leaving his hat behind.

The bear walks to the lab, and when Bugs sees the ursine wearing Fudd’s hat he assumes the potion did it. He whips up something to turn him back. The bear drinks it and hates the taste. Bugs flees for his life. The bear takes a bite out of Bug’s carrot to remove the taste in his mouth. Fudd comes back and seeing the bear with the carrot, also assumes the stuff worked. He whips up a potion to remove the effects, but the bear is not drinking that again. Bugs reappears and Elmer flees from what he now knows is 100% bear.

Bugs advises him to play dead, and just like in “Wabbit Twouble” it works. Fudd is relieved, but Bugs acts like a bear to torment him. Elmer continues to play dead while the real bear concludes that the two are insane.

Personal Rating: 3

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Hare Force

“Heavens to Betsy! A poor, little, rabbit out in the cold!”

It is a cold evening. Our setting is a house that is home to a Proto-Granny and a dog named Sylvester. (Proto putty-tat? I’ll leave that up to you. He looks more like Willoughby to me) Sylvester is happy to be in front of a toasty fire but is angered when Bugs is found at the door and he is instructed to take care of the rabbit. As soon as the old lady leaves, he throws Bugs out. Bugs makes a snowman in his likeness and when the guilt-ridden dog brings it in, he flips out when it melts.

Bugs tells him to hide outside, but when he hears the granny returning, he pretends the frozen dog is posing for a picture. After getting put out again, Sylvester jams a stick in the door frame to keep the door open, but Bugs closes the bottom half anyway. Later, Bugs feels guilty and when he goes to let the dog in, he gets put out. They continuously throw each other out until the woman gets fed up and decides to throw them both out. They form a truce and toss her out instead.

Personal Rating: 3