Release Date:

January 15, 1949

Main Character(s):

Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd

Summary:

Elmer Fudd chases Bugs Bunny to the local movie theater where Bugs gets Elmer in trouble with the usher two times, trampled by the crowd going out for intermission, and finally consumed by a lion in a circus-like act.

That’s Not All, Folks:

The production number is 1068 and was released as a Merrie Melodie.

The cartoon is similar to “Stage Door Cartoon” (also a Freleng cartoon) in that Elmer chases Bugs to a center for entertainment with Bugs and Elmer getting involved with the stuff there.

The ending scene is similar to the ending of “A Day at the Zoo” where Elmer’s predecessor, Egghead, is also consumed by a lion offscreen.

The title is a pun for “hairdo”.

In typical Paul Julian fashion, there are several in-jokes on various artists: a billboard that reads “Try Friz- The Wonder Soap. At Every Grocer’s” (obviously referring to Freleng), “H. Love Insurance” (referring to future effects animator Harry Love), a department store called “Batchelder’s” (referring to animator Warren Batchelder, who was Virgil Ross’ assistant at this time), “Marron Insurance” (referring to staff member Paul Marron), “Hadley and Pert Men’s Wear” (once again the same variation on Hawley Pratt), “Champ’s Bar and Grill” (referring to Ken Champin), a window with Virgil Ross’ name, Gerry Chiniquy’s name appearing on a wanted poster, and Pete Burness starring in the fictional film “Backwash”, a Sid Farren picture (Sid Farren was an assistant animator).

What I Like About This One:

The rendition of “Don’t Sweetheart Me” under the opening credits.

Elmer is first seen with a radar device called a “Wabbit Detector” while singing “A-Hunting I Will Go” and adding a lyric, “To catch a wong-eared wabbit”. The radar picks up something, but the viewer only reveals a caterpillar marching across in time to a drum roll. Shortly, the radar picks up something else (animated by Virgil Ross), and the viewer shows Bugs chomping a carrot (animated by Manuel Perez). Seeing “that’s the cawwot-chewing wascal”, Elmer starts toward him. Suddenly, Bugs has taken control of the radar to play “Hot and Cold” with him. This leads to Elmer walking off a cliff and with Bugs confirming, “Ah, you’re red hot, doc!” Just before he falls, Elmer gives the audience a sad “uh oh” expression (animated by Ross).

After Elmer hits the ground, Bugs comes out and asks him, “Eh, what’s up, doc?” Elmer answers with a gunshot and a chase (animated by Ross). Bugs runs out and hitchhikes for a vehicle. Getting in, Bugs laughs, “What a knucklehead. You gotta get up early in the morning to outsmart this rabbit!” Elmer is revealed to be the driver and he responds, “I got up at a quarter to five”. Bugs reacts to this with a take and a verbal “Boing!” and gets out at the movie theater with Elmer following (animated by Perez).

Getting to the 15th balcony (animated by Perez), Bugs has to make his way past several patrons sitting down while saying stuff like “Pardon me”, “Excuse me”, “I beg your pardon”, etc. Upon sitting down, he realizes he forgot something, and goes through the patrons again (animated by Ross) to go down to the vending machine that tells one all of the options to insert 20 cents: 2 dimes, 1 dime and 2 nickels, 4 nickels, 1 dime and 10 pennies, 1 nickel and 15 pennies, 2 nickels and 10 pennies, 3 nickels and 5 pennies, or 20 pennies. Naturally, Bugs buys a carrot from the machine (animated by Perez).

Bugs goes through the patrons once more and sits down but finds himself too high to view the show. Using binoculars, he finds Elmer standing in front of him, so he pulls down two shades over the lenses which read “Closed” and “Back Soon” respectively before honking Elmer’s nose. This time, Bugs goes through the patrons quickly. Elmer also goes through them and gets bodily shaken by Bugs disguised as an old lady who scolds: “Oh, no ya don’t! I’m gettin’ sick and tired of this!” and whacks him with an umbrella. Elmer realizes this is Bugs and starts attacking him, so Bugs calls for the usher and still in his grandma voice, tells the usher, “This man’s annoying me!” The usher tells Elmer, “Alright, you masher! Out ya go!” (animated by Ross up to here) and throws him out, with Elmer landing on his head against a telephone pole outside (animated by Gerry Chiniquy).

Removing his disguise, Bugs decides, “Well, now maybe I can settle down and enjoy this picture in peace”. The patron next to him is wearing an enormous hat so he politely asks “her” to “remove your chapeau”. It’s Elmer in disguise (animated by Ken Champin). Bugs goes down to the first floor from the balcony and to the theater on the first floor with Elmer following (animated by Perez). A card then appears on the movie screen, “Attention! Will Mr. Elmer Fudd Please Report to the Box Office. Management”. Elmer does so (animated by Champin), and asks whoever it is at the box office, “Do you have a message for Mr. Fudd?” The individual there turns out to be Bugs, who pies him in the face (animated by Perez). Elmer then chases Bugs into the men’s bathroom but Bugs comes out and puts the “Ladies” sign on the women’s bathroom over the men’s sign, and calls the usher to make it look like Elmer’s been snooping around in the women’s bathroom! (animated by Champin) Elmer is thrown out the same way as before (animated by Chiniquy).

The ticket guy attempts to stop Elmer from reentering but Elmer accidentally opens his outfit like a door, and finds himself face to face with him! (animated by Chiniquy)

Elmer gets back in via the exit but before he can enter the theater, the sign above it flashes “Intermission” causing him to get trampled by the crowd. The sign then flashes “Curtain” and the crowd tramples over Elmer again, going back in to the theater (animated by Champin). Bugs is revealed to be controlling the switch and constantly changing it back and forth to “intermission” and “curtain” (animated by Perez). To the tune of the William Tell Overture, Elmer gets trampled with each switch (animated by Champin). Bugs laughs, “I have more fun than people! You know that zany’s never gonna catch me!” Elmer runs up to him and says, “On the contwawy, Mr. Wabbit”, forcing Bugs to run off again (animated by Perez).

Bugs runs into another theater and in the darkness, poses as an usher to guide Elmer up to a specific spot. When the lights come on, Bugs is dressed as a showman with Elmer atop a platform wearing dark glasses and sitting on a unicycle near a wire where Bugs is presenting an act where his partner will ride the unicycle down the wire and into the jaws of a lion. Unaware that he’s the partner in question, Elmer figures that this should be good and wishes he could see it. After the lion eats Elmer offscreen, Bugs takes a bow and then opens the lion’s mouth to hear Elmer asking from inside the lion’s mouth, “Gee, I wonder if he made it”. Bugs confides, “Eh, yep. He made it” and slyly flutters his eyebrows at the audience before closing the lion’s mouth (animated by Chiniquy).

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕 ½