Release Date:

July 11, 1942

Main Character(s):

Bugs Bunny, Beaky Buzzard

Summary:

Sent by Mama Buzzard to bring home something for dinner, Beaky Buzzard attempts to catch Bugs Bunny.

That’s Not All, Folks:

This is the first appearance of Beaky Buzzard, a very dopey bird who is based off of Mortimer Snerd, Edgar Bergen’s ventriloquist dummy. Before he was given his official name, Beaky was sometimes referred to as the “Snerd Bird” (although he’s named “Killer” here).

Beaky would later appear in Clampett’s “The Bashful Buzzard” (1945), Friz Freleng’s “The Lion’s Busy” (1950; where he is actually smart in that one), and Robert McKimson’s “Strife with Father” (1950) as well as the Looney Tunes Cartoons episodes “Buzzard School” (2020), “Desert Menu” (2023), and “A Prickly Pair” (2023).

For his first two appearances, Beaky was voiced by Kent Rogers. Due to Rogers’ death in 1944, Mel Blanc took over his voice for his 1950 appearances.

The cartoon is in the 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons book.

This is Clampett’s first Bugs Bunny cartoon where Bugs is provoked into attacking his foe rather than initiating the mayhem.

The Harold Lloyd film “The Freshman” is referenced when Bugs is buried up to his chest in the ground and mistakes some cattle bones for his.

What I Like About This One:

The music over the opening credits (I like to refer to this as the “Beaky Buzzard theme” since this also played under the original titles for “The Bashful Buzzard”).

Beaky is so bashful that he is reluctant to join his siblings in getting something for dinner. Mama tells him to at least catch a rabbit but Beaky still doesn’t want to do it so Mama kicks him into the air (animated by Robert McKimson).

Beaky flying through the air while dorkily scatting to the Arkansas Traveler (animated by McKimson).

Spotting Bugs reading “Hare Raising Stories” (animated by McKimson), Beaky tiptoes into a cloud (animated by Virgil Ross), briefly comes out with a beard formed from the cloud, and then tells the audience, “Shh, I’m stalking a victim!” (animated by Sid Sutherland)

Bugs spotting Beaky zooming down to him and imitating a radio operator for a plane to give Beaky misdirections causing him to crash (animated by Rod Scribner).

When Bugs asks Beaky the usual “What’s up, doc?”, Beaky tells him “My mama done told me bring home something for dinner” to the tune of “Blues in the Night”. Bugs asks him what he’s hunting for dinner, Beaky tries to remember what it is (Ross animated this scene up to here), before getting in Bugs’ face and answering “It’s a rabbit” (animated by McKimson) .

Bugs going down to “tidy up a bit first” (animated by McKimson) which causes Beaky to think he fooled Bugs. Upon hearing Bugs take his time by taking a shower, Beaky attempts to grab him but Bugs comes out dressed like a woman in the shower and scolds “You naughty, naughty boy” which causes Beaky to blush in embarrassment and chuckle before Bugs whips him with his towel (animated by Scribner).

Bugs grabbing Beaky by the hairs on his head and tickling his Adam’s apple (animated by Scribner).

Beaky grabbing Bugs and carrying him off by the ears only for Bugs to free himself by pulling out Beaky’s tail feather and tickling him with it (animated by Sutherland) .

Bugs however crashes into the ground where some cattle bones are lying. Ending up chest deep in the ground, the rib bone lands in front of him. Bugs thinks the bones are his and starts crying hysterically (at one point stopping to ask, “Gruesome, isn’t it?”) but upon seeing his feet pop out of the ground, realizes he’s okay and comments, “Eh, I knew it all the time!” (animated by McKimson).

Beaky then ambushes Bugs and attempts to wrestle him but Bugs turns this into a jitterbug dance (animated by Ross) where he asks Beaky in a feminine voice, “Why don’t we do this more often?” Beaky replies “You mean just what we’re doing tonight?” and then blushes (animated by McKimson) before Bugs spins Beaky into the cattle bones (animated by Ross).

Thinking the bones are his, Beaky yells for Mama, who immediately arrives on the scene and is horrified at what she sees (animated by Rev Chaney). She confronts Bugs and demands to know, “Hey, what did you do to my poor little kid!?” Bugs gets her to calm down: “Keep your shirt on, lady. The kid’s okay. Look.” and pulls Beaky from the bones. Relieved that he is okay, she starts kissing Beaky who chuckles in embarrassment (animated by McKimson). Mama then declares Bugs her hero and kisses him to which Bugs blushes and imitates Beaky (animated by Scribner).

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕