No Skunk For Bunny

Tex Avery was known for outrageous cartoon takes but he didn’t use them all the time.

In Little ‘Tinker (released 1948), the lovelorn skunk stops in mid-air when he sees a female squirrel.



Gag: eyelash beckons the skunk to “come hither.”



As Cartoon Rule 514 states that skunks must smell at all times, the skunk’s floral gift wilts and then the girl squirrel sniffs and reacts.



You can see the first “smell” take is pretty mild. Avery’s building things up, which makes things funnier. He’ll get more outrageous later in the cartoon.

Now the gag.



Bill Shull, Grant Simmons, Walt Clinton and Bob Bentley are the credited animators. Ex Disney artist Louie Schmitt designed the characters.