Release Date:

June 7, 1941

Main Character(s):

Bugs Bunny

Summary:

Little Hiawatha goes hunting for Bugs Bunny.

That’s Not All, Folks:

The cartoon was given a Blue Ribbon reissue. When it was restored for the Academy Awards Animation Collection DVD set in 2008, the original titles were put back in. This and “A Wild Hare” were the only two Bugs Bunny cartoons to have been reissued with their credits removed and thankfully both have been restored with their original titles intact. And since Bugs Bunny cartoons were often excluded from being reissued, this also means that every single Bugs Bunny cartoon survives with their original opening credits intact.

This cartoon was nominated for an Academy Award.

This is Freleng’s first Bugs Bunny cartoon.

Hiawatha is a caricature of Disney animator Ward Kimball.

What I Like About This One:

Bugs’ reaction to finding out that he is the “forest rabbit” Hiawatha is hunting (animated by Richard Bickenbach).

Hiawatha repeatedly tripping whenever a drum roll is heard (animated by Bickenbach).

Bugs taking a bath in Hiawatha’s cooking pot and then helping him put a log on the fire, thinking that Hiawatha is planning a hot bath for him. After reacting to how hot the water is, he adjusts to it and relaxes, before eating one of the carrots Hiawatha was cutting and upon smelling something good, asks Hiawatha what he’s cooking (Gil Turner animated this whole scene up to here). When Hiawatha answers rabbit stew, Bugs comments that “I sure do love rabbit! RABBIT!?” and leaps out of the pot (animated by Manuel Perez).

After tripping to drum rolls again, Hiawatha shoots an arrow into one of several holes, all of which light up like a pinball machine. Bugs then comes out of the hole he entered in with a “TILTED” sign. He then attempts to dive into his hole but misses before embarrassingly crawling in (animated by Perez).

Next, Bugs finds Hiawatha tying knots in a rope. When Hiawatha tells Bugs, he intends to tie him up, Bugs laughs at this before Hiawatha starts attacking him (animated by Perez). When the smoke clears, it’s revealed that Bugs tied Hiawatha up. Bugs then does a war dance before dancing off into the distance (animated by Cal Dalton).

After misleading Hiawatha by disguising as a fellow Indian, Bugs tells us, “Imagine a jerk like that trying to catch a smart guy like me!” only to find Hiawatha pointing his arrow at him. Bugs then tricks Hiawatha into hopping off a cliff (animated by Herman Cohen). When Hiawatha realizes he is in mid-air, Bugs calls him “SUCKER!” to which Hiawatha briefly morphs into a lollipop (animated by Gerry Chiniquy).

In the end, Bugs recites the last lines of “Little Hiawatha” as Hiawatha sails off into the sunset, only for Hiawatha to suddenly come back and give Bugs a wacky kiss before sailing off again (animated by Bickenbach).

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕