Publicity departments came up with press kits for all features. They included print ads, ideas for theatre lobby displays, promotional tie-ins, newspaper copy, phots and even 24 sheets (not the actual billboard ad, but a picture of one that could be ordered).
Here are a few things about the eventual-Oscar-winning rabbit contained in promotional items sent to theatres.
This was a lobby display used by a theatre in Philadelphia.
This is fairly self-explanatory.
Tie-ups? Promotions? How about this? A Bugs doll. Coincidentally, just like the one in the movie.
And a little something for the newspaper comic section.
And those poor newspaper entertainment writers! They need help—and Warners gave it to them with copy they could drop into their columns. It’s a shame there’s no reference to director Friz Freleng, who was responsible for the animation portion.
If you want to see the full press kit, check it out here.
I like how two of the promos have art copied (badly) from Bob McKimson--The Bugs in the second piece is lifted from the leaning-on-a-tree publicity drawing, and the one on the coloring page is from the 1943 model sheet. With all the swipes, McKimp must have been the Preston Blair of his day.
ReplyDeleteI remember one of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection DVDs had the Bugs segments from "My Dream Is Yours" and "Two Guys From Texas" as a bonus feature.
ReplyDeleteI always liked the caricature of Jack Carson in the animated sequence of "Two Guys From Texas." (They didn't quite nail Dennis Morgan, though.) Maybe likewise he and Doris Day should have changed to cartoons for the "My Dream is Yours" sequence, which as is is a little too cute for comfort. At least they shouldn't have been wearing those silly bunny costumes.
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