A Lad in His Lamp

Directed by Robert McKimson

Animation by John Carey

Release Date:

October 23, 1948

Main Character(s):

Bugs Bunny

Summary:

While digging up a new hole, Bugs Bunny finds a magic lamp that inhabits a genie named Smokey. After Smokey grants Bugs’ wish of two carrots, Bugs decides to go with him to Bagdad where the greedy caliph Hassen Pfeffer wants the lamp for himself. During the chase, Bugs keeps accidentally disturbing Smokey in his downtime.

That’s Not All, Folks:

The production number is 1065 and was released as a Looney Tune.

Smokey’s voice is provided by an actor named Jim Backus, who would later become the voice of Mr. Magoo. Later McKimson cartoons also have a few guest actors more known for their work on radio, such as Pat Patrick as the crow in “Corn Plastered” (1951), and Sheldon Leonard as a very lazy cat named Dodsworth in “Kiddin’ the Kitten” (1952) and “A Peck o’ Trouble” (1953) and the punch-drunk fighting rooster Kid Banty in “Sock a Doodle Do” (1952).

Sadly, this is another case of Warner being frustrating regarding racially insensitive cartoons. This case is probably THE most frustrating, because this cartoon is not at all racist, yet they consider Hassen Pfeffer to be an Arab stereotype! Once again, this is also hypocritical as they had no trouble airing this cartoon on MeTV in 2021 (albeit unrestored), and have since had no trouble airing other cartoons with characters cast as Arabs such as Freleng’s “Sahara Hare” (1955) and McKimson’s “Well Worn Daffy” (1965). Hopefully, though, Warner Archive will be able to restore this one for a future Looney Tunes Blu-ray release.

The title is a pun for “Aladdin’s Lamp”.

Speaking of which, the gag where Bugs summons Smokey at the exact moment the latter is taking a bath would later be reused in Disney’s “Aladdin” (1992).

You can find out who animated what scene here.

The cartoon had two working titles, “Genie’s Lite Brown Hare” and “The Fair Haired Hare”, the latter of which actually became the title of a Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam cartoon from 1951.

The cartoon makes use of the “three strikes and you’re out” formula which is used during Bugs summoning Smokey at the wrong times. The first time Smokey is mildly annoyed, the second time he is agitated, the third time he is when he’s furious and warns Bugs not to do it again. While it works in cartoons as long as it’s not used in every single one, this three strikes formula would notably become a problem in seasons 9-16 of my favorite kids’ show, Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends where nearly every episode in those seasons used it, which was a major cause of them not being well received (as someone who is autistic, I very much enjoy this show, which is why I’m bringing it up. Obviously, though, nothing surpasses the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies in my view).

What I Like About This One:

Hitting the lamp with his shovel while digging, Bugs gets out and complains, “A fine thing. I’m trying to build a home and people gotta bury their old junk right here where I’m workin’”. He looks at the label (animated by Charles McKimson) and mispronounces it as “All-a-Din’s Lamp” (animated by Fred Abranz). Bugs scoffs at it, “Lamp!? Some lamp!” but decides to shine it up and use it for a potential ashtray or something (animated by Manny Gould).

Rubbing it summons Smokey, who announces his entrance with, “I’m here! I’m here! Let the bells ring out and the banners fly! Feast your eyes on me! It’s too good to be true, but I’m here!” When Bugs asks him, “What’s up, doc?”, Smokey tells him he’s a genie and lives in that lamp. “They call me Genie with the Light Brown Hair. Oh, that was a witty one. Ya-howl, ya-howl, ya-howl, ya-howl”. He tells Bugs (who he addresses as “my little buck-toothed pal”) he’ll grant him a wish. Bugs asks, “How about one of those-” before Smokey cuts him off: “Oh, no, no. They’re much too small”, so Bugs asks for something different, only for Smokey to interrupt him again, explaining “They’re too delicate. Too sansitave” (how he pronounces “sensitive”). After Smokey interrupts him once more with, “Oh, heavens to gimbles, NO!”, Bugs is fed up: “Now cut that out! That’s enough of that stuff! I got a wish comin’ and I wish for a carrot!” In an “okay, no need to yell” gesture, Smokey goes down (animated by Gould).

Believing Smokey might be a phony (animated by Charles), Bugs decides to find out by calling down the lamp, “Hey, Smokey, as long as you’re down there, make that TWO carrots!”, which Smokey does indeed come back up with (animated by Gould). Figuring “Hmm, this looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship” (animated by Charles), Bugs is told by Smokey that he has to go to his fabulous estate in Bagdad. Bugs wishes he could go to Bagdad, so Smokey puts the lamp over him and shoots him into the air like a bazooka while he takes off in the lamp (animated by Gould). Flying through the air with his arms out, Bugs tells us, “Look fellas, I’m a HARE plane!” (animated by John Carey)

A birds’ eye view of Bagdad is seen with two bodies of water labeled “Turhan Bay” and “Veronica Lake” respectively.

Magic carpets are being sold in the same way as used cars would.

Still flying through the air, Bugs suddenly crash lands atop Hassen Pfeffer, angering him. Hassen Pfeffer is about to attack Bugs after he asks, “Eh, what’s up, Beaver Puss?”, but the lamp suddenly lands on his head, which excites him: “Aladdin’s Lamp!” Bugs takes it from him and counters, “Eh, correction, doc. Bugs Bunny’s Lamp”. Hassen Pfeffer points his sword at Bugs’ chest (animated by Phil DeLara) as Bugs tells him, “Eh, just a minute, doc. Let’s not start splittin’ hares!” (animated by Charles)

Bugs dodges Hassen Pfeffer’s sword swipes and runs with the lamp into another room (animated by Carey), but immediately comes out of it as screaming women are heard. Bugs assumes this was a harem as Smokey comes out of the lamp and peeks in himself. After the screaming women are heard again, Smokey confirms, “Oh, that was a harem, alright. I know a harem when I see one” (animated by Gould).

Hassen Pfeffer catches up to Bugs and demands him to “Give me that lamp!” (animated by Carey) Bugs makes him let go of him and tells him off, “Cut it out! You’ll wrinkle the material!” and yanks on Hassen Pfeffer’s beard before running off (animated by Abranz).

Seeing he’ll probably need a little help, Bugs rubs the lamp to summon Smokey, just as he’s about to take a bath. Smokey complains, “Oh fiddle dee dee dee. Can’t I even get a chance to take a bath? Now don’t bother me!” (animated by DeLara)

After running from Hassen Pfeffer again (animated by DeLara), Bugs attempts to summon Smokey again, but this time Smokey is about to eat dinner. “Oh sweet spirits of Camphor! Can’t a man get any nourishment around here? Now go away!”, Smokey exclaims. Angry at Smokey’s unhelpfulness, Bugs raves, “Why you double crosser!” and starts poking into the lamp with a stick, demanding him to come out. Smokey grabs the stick himself and whacks Bugs with it. After Bugs calls Smokey an “overgrown puff of smoke”, he hears Hassen Pfeffer yelling and is forced to run off again (animated by Charles).

Bugs uses a magic carpet to get away and starts it with an outboard motor attached to it. Rubbing the lamp again, Bugs says, “Come on, Smokey. Stop kiddin’ around. I’m in a spot”. This time, Smokey is about to kiss his girlfriend, but she retreats back into the lamp upon seeing Bugs. Fed up, Smokey gives Bugs a warning: “Now you’ve done it. You’ve made me simply furious! If you disturb me once more, I’ll beat you to a pulp!” Conveniently, the magic carpet runs out of gas like a car as Bugs falls (animated by Carey), with the lamp bouncing into Hassen Pfeffer’s clutches (animated by DeLara).

Having no idea what he’s in for, Hassen Pfeffer is elated at finally having the lamp and ignores Bugs’ warning of “You’ll be sorry!” After Hassen Pfeffer rubs the lamp, a seething and much larger Smokey comes out and beats the tar out of Hassen Pfeffer (animated by DeLara).

Triumphant, Smokey declares, “Three cheers and a tiger for me!” and decides to grant Bugs another wish. Bugs whispers a request in his ear to which Smokey obliges by dropping a smoke bomb. Wearing a turban on his ears and surrounded by a harem of female hares, Bugs asides, “Eh, I wonder what the POOR rabbits are doing this season” (animated by Abranz).

Where Can I Watch It?

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕