This is the cartoon that brought you “Rabbititus.” Bugs (disguised as the brilliantly-named “Doctor Kilpatient”) convinces Elmer he has it. When he “weal-wizes” he’s been had, Fudd gets taken in again again by Bugs, who convinces him the theatre audience watching the cartoon has it. “The lady there with the long ears. They’re getting longer all the time! And the guy back there in the 17th row with the cute tomato. He’s getting all fuzzy!”
Bugs screams. Anticipation drawing, then the extreme.
Elmer turns around and runs back into his house. I wish Jones had moved the camera back a bit.
The cartoon ends with Bugs having a little fun with the audience, trying to convince THEM they have Rabbititus.
Tedd Pierce is credited with the story. Ken Harris, Lloyd Vaughan, Ben Washam and Basil Davidovich are the credited animators.
And everybody says the postwar Warner cartoons are the best of breed. It takes frames like these to appreciate how much was lost when Bugs stopped being a rabbit (immune to rabbititus), and zaniness was to be avoided because UPA did not approve.
ReplyDeleteThe game Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem has included some pretty deep dives into the WB back catalog. Kilpatient is there too, and his attack makes you see red and yellow spots (!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hpydyskdm0
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