Yosemite Sam forces Bugs Bunny into an old oven to cook him. The tricky rabbit manages to convince Sam there’s a party with “goils asking for you” inside. He helps the enthusiastic Sam into the oven and slams the door shut. See the glee on Bugs’ face.
“Imagine him fallin’ for a gag like that,” Bugs remarks to us cartoon-watchers.
But then is overcome with regret, which he also tells us. Note the expressions again.
Bugs tells Sam to come out, that the party is only a gag. A balloon floats out of the oven. See the anticipation then the extreme.
Cut to the “inside” of the oven.
Take.
More delight from Bugs, this time as he dives into the party.
Bugs emerges to talk to us one last time in an attempt to explain how his made-up party became the real thing. He indulges in the old Jerry Colonna catchphrase from the Bob Hope radio show: “I don’t ask questions. I just have fun.” And we get more expressions, a wink and a laugh as he goes back into the oven and the iris closes.
The credited animators are Manny Perez, Ken Champin, Virgil Ross and Art Davis. Who isn’t credited is the writer.
The Warner Club News of December 1948 announced Bugs Hardaway’s hiring as a writer for Freleng. E.O. Costello's research has found Hardaway was "laid off" in April 1949. Then the News of May 1949 reported Freleng and Bob McKimson had switched writers, with Warren Foster going to the Freleng unit and McKimson being given Tedd Pierce. This and another cartoon made at this time have no story credit. Afterwards, one Freleng short gave a co-credit to Cal Howard and another had a credit to Hardaway before Foster appears regularly on the Freleng cartoons. (The 1950 Census has no occupation for Hardaway; his wife ran a restaurant).
The story is a little unusual. Someone will correct me, but I think this is the only short where Sam behaves like Elmer Fudd, in that he wants to hunt and eat the rabbit.
Paul Julian painted the backgrounds from Hawley Pratt’s layouts.
For the record, Thad says that this and Stooge for a Mouse were written by Friz Freleng, not Ben or Cal.
ReplyDeleteI pulled my copy of Apatoons that had Hardaway's CV. According to Bugs himself, he worked for WB in his second go-round between November, 1948 and April, 1949 at $135/week, ending because he was laid off.
ReplyDeleteThis one was renamed OZARK SAM when it first appeared on ABC's BUGS BUNNY SHOW, missing the gag about Sam and the audience member.
ReplyDeleteThe definitive cartoon statement: whatever gets the laugh; it doesn't have to make sense.
ReplyDeleteWhat was the source of the live action footage?
ReplyDeleteA Western.
DeleteActually, I have no idea. Someone researched the footage in "Daffy Duck in Hollywood" but I don't know if anyone did this one.
It’s an alternate shot from Romance on the High Seas.
DeleteYears ago I swear I saw the 1979 disco live-action party version of Rabbit Every Monday on the Internet of , but since then,...zilch.
ReplyDeleteAnyone heard of this?