Release Date:

August 27, 1955

Main Character(s):

Bugs Bunny

Summary:

Park resident Bugs Bunny gets a meek, kindly man who has been feeding him carrots every day to adopt him as a pet. This man turns out to be Dr. Jekyll, who gives into the temptation to drink his “failing of mine” potion. He periodically turns into a homicidal, green-skinned fiend who tries to kill Bugs, who in turn never figures out that the monster is Jekyll transformed.

That’s Not All, Folks:

The production number is 1339 and was released as a Looney Tune.

This is the second of Freleng’s three Jekyll and Hyde parodies.

The title is a play on words for the phrase “neither hide nor hair”.

Notably, Bugs is rather cowardly in this cartoon as he becomes very panicked-sounding whenever he encounters Jekyll turned into Hyde (to make it easier, I’m referring to Jekyll in his monster form as “Hyde”), making this one stand out among most of Freleng’s Bugs cartoons, where his portrayal of Bugs is usually the most unflappable.

Bugs uses one of Jackie Gleason’s frequently used phrases when he first sees Jekyll as Hyde, “You are a mental case!”

This is the last Freleng cartoon until 1961’s “Prince Violent” to have more than three animators.

Carl Stalling scored this one.

When Bugs carries Jekyll by the hand to see Hyde, initially oblivious to the fact that he’s turned into Hyde a second time, a painting with the name “Irv W.” can be seen on the wall, referring to Irv Wyner.

Favorite Scene:

Bugs gets Jekyll to hide with him in a closet, only for Jekyll to transform in the dark, with only his and Bugs’ eyes being shown in the darkness.

What Happens in This One:

On a beautiful day at the park, some elderly people are sitting on a bench feeding the pigeons as Bugs emerges out of his hole and observes, “Well, there they are again. The little old ladies with their bags of popcorn and bread crumbs for the pigeons. Speaking of pigeons, the little guy who feeds me carrots every morning is about due”, as he checks his watch. The man in question then enters with a bag of carrots, much to Bugs’ delight, “Ah, there he is now. My little benefactor. Well, here I go again with the timid little rabbit routine. It’s shameful but uh, eh, it’s a living” (animated by Arthur Davis).

Sitting down on a separate bench, the man beckons Bugs while waving a carrot, “Come, little rabbit. Come and get your carrot. Come on, bunny. Don’t be frightened, little bunny”. Bugs imitates an actual rabbit by hopping up on all four’s and sniffing as the man continues, “Come, little bunny rabbit. Come on. Come”. He then confides, “Rabbits are such timid creatures”. Bugs then jumps into the man’s arms and reveals he can talk by telling him, “Eh, uh, look, doc. We go through this every day. Gets ME up early, gets YOU up early. What do ya say you adopt me as a pet? You could feed me in bed. What do ya say, doc? Is it a deal? Huh?” The man happily agrees, “Oh, that would make me very happy”. He then takes Bugs by the hand, “Come. I’ll show you your new home”. On the way, Bugs again jumps into his arms and asks, “Carry me?” Eventually, they come to the man’s apartment as he says, “It’s strange that you should call me ‘doc’. I happen to BE a doctor”. The camera pans upward to the name above his door, revealing that the man is Dr. Jekyll, appropriated with an ominous musical sting (animated by Davis).

Bugs looks around the interior and comments, “Say! This is some layout we got here, doc!” Jekyll tells him as he walks into his lab, “Just make yourself at home, Mr. Bunny Rabbit, while I try to find a carrot for you” (animated by Ted Bonnicksen). Walking around, Bugs observes, “Hmm. Oak paneling, wall-to-wall carpeting. Hey, I’m gonna like this!” He then comes up to the piano and sees the sheet music for Chopin’s “Minute Waltz” and mispronounces it as “My-noot Waltz by Chop-in” before sitting down. Meanwhile, Jekyll stops upon passing a certain formula as he becomes fearful, “Oh, my. There’s that concoction. Oh, that failing of mine”. He seemingly resists as he walks away, “No. No. I won’t weaken”, only to immediately zoom back to drink it as he sadly laments, “Oh, I’m so ashamed”. After consuming it, Jekyll turns into the red-eyed, green-skinned Hyde (animated by Virgil Ross).

Placing a candelabra on the piano, Bugs does an imitation of Liberace, “I wish my brother George was here!” before playing the Minute Waltz. Hyde then comes out of the lab and stops behind Bugs, whose playing begins to sound distorted when he senses Hyde’s presence. Bugs stops playing and turns around telling Hyde, “You are a mental case! You don’t look good. It’s about time you came to see the doctor. Here, you better sit down. I’ll go get the doc”, shoving Hyde onto an armchair. Bugs begins to call for Jekyll, “Hey, doc, there’s-”, only to narrowly miss an ax being swung at him, which ends up chopping the pole of a lamp like a tree. He turns around to see Hyde giving an evil chuckle while wielding the ax, revealing it was his doing. Bugs runs off (animated by Ross) and yells, “Hey, doc! Quick, doc! Hey, doc! Emergency!” In the midst of the chase, Hyde turns back into Jekyll, who is shocked to see he was holding an ax. “Oh, my. I hope I didn’t hurt anyone” (animated by Davis).

Bugs is seen running down the hall, “Hey, doc! Oh, doc! Doc-!”, before noticing Jekyll, “Oh, there you are! Hey, doc, there’s a guy out there who’s flipped his lid! A-and he looks like this-” He does an imitation of Hyde before giving Jekyll the ax and taking him by the hand, “Here, you better take this. He might give us trouble. You better take a look at him”. Jekyll then turns back into Hyde as Bugs continues, “He needs a doctor. Green complexion, red eyes, long green hands-”. Bugs then feels this very skin type and turns around to find himself holding hands with Hyde as he drops his hand and exclaims in disgusted horror before running off. Hyde grabs Bugs by the tail as Bugs screams, “Hey, doc! Oh, doc! Doc! Come here! Doc! Doc!” Hyde is reverted back to Jekyll, before Bugs turns around and is relieved, “Oh, it’s you. Where have you been? That screwball’s loose! Quick!” Taking him by the hand again, Bugs runs with Jekyll (animated by Davis up to here) into the store room, “Get in here!” He then gives Jekyll a rifle and instructs, “Here. Keep me covered”, while he begins to nail several boards in front of the door so Hyde can’t enter. Realizing what’s about to happen, Jekyll fearfully says, “Oh, my, I wish he hadn’t given me this”. About to turn into Hyde a third time, Jekyll realizes, “Oh dear! Here it goes again!” before he becomes Hyde (animated by Ross). Still nailing the boards, Bugs says to himself, “I’d like to see him get in here now”. Seeing the gun barrel aimed at the back of his head, Bugs shoves it aside, thinking it’s still Jekyll, “Watch where you’re pointing that gun!”, only to duck a shot that creates a hole in one of the boards. Turning around to see Hyde holding the rifle, Bugs rips the boards off the door and runs out yelling a long and loud “DOC!” (animated by Davis)

In mid-run, Hyde becomes Jekyll again (animated by Davis). About to run into an open closet, Bugs sees Jekyll approaching and tells him, “Quick! Quick! Get in here, doc!” Once he does, Bugs shuts the door with them both inside. With only their respective eyes seen in the dark, Bugs pants, “Boy, that was a close one, wasn’t it?” Jekyll turns into Hyde once more so Bugs bursts out of the closet and runs into the lab. Reverting back into his usual self offscreen, Jekyll walks out of the closet, “Oh, my. I hope I didn’t frighten the little bunny away. They’re such timid creatures”. He enters the lab and calls for Bugs, “Oh, little bunny. Little bunny rabbit. Where are you?” Bugs is revealed to have been hiding in a cabinet before he runs up to Jekyll, who’s still calling, “Little bunny rabbit! Here, bunny! Here, bunny rabbit! Here!” Bugs comes up to him and informs, “Eh, that crackpot is gonna hurt someone! I’m gettin’ out of here!” Not wanting him to leave, Jekyll promises, “Oh, please don’t leave. If you stay, you’ll never be bothered by that monster again. I’m going to pour the whole formula down the drain” (animated by Bonnicksen).

However, the formula turns out to be completely gone, except for one small drop, much to Jekyll’s shock. He asks a reasonable question, “Oh, my! Did you drink THIS!?” Offended, Bugs fumes, “ME!? Why, I’ve never been so insulted in all my life! This, sir, puts an end to our friendship!” (animated by Bonnicksen) He storms out, “I am going back to the park! There is no question of my integrity there!” (animated by Gerry Chiniquy)

By the time he gets back to the park, Bugs obliviously transforms into a shaggy, green Hyde-like monster, revealing that he DID drink the formula. The elderly people and the pigeons all run away in fear upon seeing him much to Bugs’ confusion. Still keeping his normal persona in monster form, Bugs asks, “Now, what’s eatin’ THEM? Huh. You’d think they never saw a rabbit before!” (animated by Chiniquy)

Where Can I Watch It?

At toontales.net!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕 ½