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My 25 Favorite Warner Bros. Cartoons from the Early 1950's

My 25 Favorite Warner Bros. Cartoons from the Early 1950's

Jonathan Adair
April 18, 2026

It’s that time once again, folks! As we are now officially through the first half of the 1950’s, here are my favorite cartoons from this half listed alphabetically:

Baby Buggy Bunny- Ingenious premise and Bugs’ heckling of Finster once he finds out his true identity is very satisfying as it is hilarious.
Boobs in the Woods- More proof that McKimson’s Daffy-Porky outings are pretty much always among his absolute best. Also love Daffy’s comeuppance here.
Bugs and Thugs- Rocky and Mugsy are such an entertaining pair and the stove gag is one of the all-time funniest gags in a Warner cartoon, period.
Bully for Bugs- Anybody who says bullfights are not funny should definitely watch this cartoon and see how wrong they are.
Chow Hound- If you love stories with an antagonist who is meant to be disliked getting a well-deserved comeuppance in the end, you will definitely love this one. “What!? No gravy!?”
Cracked Quack- Freleng may not have used Daffy a whole lot, but when he did, he would usually turn out a banger. This is a good example as it is definitely the funniest of the cartoons where Daffy finds an alternative to winter migration.
Duck Amuck- A cartoon that needs no introduction and rightfully belongs on every “best of” list in each category it falls under.
Duck Dodgers in the 24 1/2th Century- Since this is a favorite of George Lucas and is an absolute classic, anybody who enjoys Star Wars should absolutely check this one out.
Duck Rabbit Duck- Even when Daffy disposes of all visible evidence of it being duck season, he still can’t avoid the shotgun blasts.
The Ducksters- Features a radio quiz program you would not want to be a contestant on but one that is guaranteed to make you laugh.
Tie between Early to Bet and It’s Hummer Time- That bulldog sure comes up with some very inventive punishments.
Feed the Kitty- Who says heartwarming cartoons can’t be funny?
Fool Coverage- Daffy as a despicable insurance salesman= 100% hilarious.
Hare Lift- A cartoon where Bugs and Sam are both in top form and that improves upon a previous cartoon that was already funny itself (“Falling Hare”).
Hillbilly Hare- McKimson’s best cartoon hands down, thanks to the climax with the square dance.
A Mouse Divided- “A fine thing! I’ve become the father of a breakfast!”
Of Rice and Hen- Lots of funny dialogue, exceedingly catchy music, and brilliant Rod Scribner animation make this an S-tier Foghorn cartoon through and through.
Rabbit Every Monday- One of the purest Bugs and Sam cartoons ever made. Also contains Bugs’ beautiful variant of “It’s Magic”, “Carrots are Divine”.
Rabbit Fire- A perfect showcase of why Michael Maltese is one of the funniest writers to ever exist (and people in general), and why Mel Blanc is the best voice actor there ever was.
Rabbit of Seville- It’s impossible to not listen to the Barber of Seville Overture without thinking of this masterpiece.
Rabbit Seasoning- Features some of the funniest wordplay in film history.
Rabbit’s Kin- Pete Puma is a great one-off character and the “How many lumps do you want?” gag never gets old.
Thumb Fun- aka Why Hitchhiking is a Bad Idea.
Water Water Every Hare- Particularly love Bugs’ shrinking of Gossamer with “reducing oil” and the ether-drugged chase scene.
What’s Up Doc- The definitive Bugs Bunny biography cartoon.

Honorable Mentions (in chronological order):