Ballot Box Bunny
Encyclopedia
Ballot Box Bunny is a 1950 animated Warner Bros.
Merrie Melodies
theatrical cartoon short released in 1951, directed by Friz Freleng
and written by Warren Foster
.
is running
for mayor
of a small town, declaring such empty promises as, "There's enough fresh air and sunshine in this great country of ours for everybody- and I'll see to it, that you'll get your share!". Bugs Bunny
is underneath the podium drinking carrot juice when Sam makes a pledge to make good on his previous promise to rid the town "of every last rabbit" if elected. Bugs then decides he needs to fight against Sam by running against him for mayor.
Bugs proceeds to quickly try and win the townspeople over (including referencing Theodore Roosevelt
's famous "I speak softly, but carry a BIG stick!" quote). However, Sam, declaring that he speaks loud and carries "a bigger stick, and I use it too!" has more than a few tricks up his sleeve. He steals Bugs' cigar
stand, sends a boxful of army ants to steal all of Bugs' food, and rigs explosives (in, for instance, a piano
and by the front door of Bugs' campaign
office a cannon), all of which backfire on him (Bugs switches his "SMELLO" cigars with five-cent ATOM Explosive Cigars {"You Will Get A BANG Out Of This"}, hides a dynamite
stick in a watermelon
, pretends that a pretty girl called Emma who loves Sam is at his door, and misplays the piano
tune on purpose to infuriate Sam, who plays it right and falls for his trap).
A quick chase through the streets leads the pair to the parade for the newly elected mayor, a literal "dark horse
" candidate — a chestnut-coloured mare
, whose car bears a sign reading "Our New Mare". Oddly, Bugs suggests a game of Russian Roulette
and hands Sam a gun. Sam agrees, points the gun at his head, closes his eyes and pulls the trigger, and gets the click of an empty barrel. He then hands the gun to Bugs, who points the gun to his head, closes his eyes, and pulls the trigger as the "camera" irises into black in the center of the screen to the sound of a gunshot. An iris opens up on Bugs to the left, holding a smoking gun as he proclaims "I missed!". The right side of the screen irises open to reveal a scorched, hatless Sam shot in the head by Bugs' wayward blast, and Sam says "I hate that rabbit!" (see "Censorship" note below for more information about the ending).
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies is the name of a series of animated cartoons distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures between 1931 and 1969.Originally produced by Harman-Ising Pictures, Merrie Melodies were produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions from 1933 to 1944. Schlesinger sold his studio to Warner Bros. in 1944,...
theatrical cartoon short released in 1951, directed by Friz Freleng
Friz Freleng
Isadore "Friz" Freleng was an animator, cartoonist, director, and producer best known for his work on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons from Warner Bros....
and written by Warren Foster
Warren Foster
Warren Foster , was a writer, cartoonist and composer for the animation division of Warner Brothers and later with Hanna-Barbera....
.
Plot
Yosemite SamYosemite Sam
Yosemite Sam is an American animated cartoon character in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons produced by Warner Bros. Animation. The name is somewhat alliterative and is inspired by Yosemite National Park...
is running
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
for mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of a small town, declaring such empty promises as, "There's enough fresh air and sunshine in this great country of ours for everybody- and I'll see to it, that you'll get your share!". Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
is underneath the podium drinking carrot juice when Sam makes a pledge to make good on his previous promise to rid the town "of every last rabbit" if elected. Bugs then decides he needs to fight against Sam by running against him for mayor.
Bugs proceeds to quickly try and win the townspeople over (including referencing Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
's famous "I speak softly, but carry a BIG stick!" quote). However, Sam, declaring that he speaks loud and carries "a bigger stick, and I use it too!" has more than a few tricks up his sleeve. He steals Bugs' cigar
Cigar
A cigar is a tightly-rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco that is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the mouth. Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities in Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Philippines, and the Eastern...
stand, sends a boxful of army ants to steal all of Bugs' food, and rigs explosives (in, for instance, a piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and by the front door of Bugs' campaign
Political campaign
A political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific group. In democracies, political campaigns often refer to electoral campaigns, wherein representatives are chosen or referendums are decided...
office a cannon), all of which backfire on him (Bugs switches his "SMELLO" cigars with five-cent ATOM Explosive Cigars {"You Will Get A BANG Out Of This"}, hides a dynamite
Dynamite
Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...
stick in a watermelon
Watermelon
Watermelon is a vine-like flowering plant originally from southern Africa. Its fruit, which is also called watermelon, is a special kind referred to by botanists as a pepo, a berry which has a thick rind and fleshy center...
, pretends that a pretty girl called Emma who loves Sam is at his door, and misplays the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
tune on purpose to infuriate Sam, who plays it right and falls for his trap).
A quick chase through the streets leads the pair to the parade for the newly elected mayor, a literal "dark horse
Dark horse
Dark horse is a term used to describe a little-known person or thing that emerges to prominence, especially in a competition of some sort.-Origin:The term began as horse racing parlance...
" candidate — a chestnut-coloured mare
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
, whose car bears a sign reading "Our New Mare". Oddly, Bugs suggests a game of Russian Roulette
Russian roulette
Russian roulette is a potentially lethal game of chance in which participants place a single round in a revolver, spin the cylinder, place the muzzle against their head and pull the trigger...
and hands Sam a gun. Sam agrees, points the gun at his head, closes his eyes and pulls the trigger, and gets the click of an empty barrel. He then hands the gun to Bugs, who points the gun to his head, closes his eyes, and pulls the trigger as the "camera" irises into black in the center of the screen to the sound of a gunshot. An iris opens up on Bugs to the left, holding a smoking gun as he proclaims "I missed!". The right side of the screen irises open to reveal a scorched, hatless Sam shot in the head by Bugs' wayward blast, and Sam says "I hate that rabbit!" (see "Censorship" note below for more information about the ending).
Censorship
- The ending scene where Bugs and Sam play Russian Roulette after both losing the mayoral race to an actual "dark horse" is deleted with a fake iris-out after Bugs says, "Dark horse?" and Sam says, "Mayor?" http://looney.goldenagecartoons.com/ltcuts/b on most American TV stations, particularly Cartoon Network, WB!, FOX, the syndicated version of The Merrie Melodies Show, and Nickelodeon. This gag aired unedited on a June 29, 2011 airing on Cartoon Network. This was the first time this gag was seen unedited on any network.
- In addition to the above, the part in which Bugs plays his "jukeyboxJukeboxA jukebox is a partially automated music-playing device, usually a coin-operated machine, that will play a patron's selection from self-contained media...
" (read: Bugs' marching one-man band) and Sam shoots him is altered on Nickelodeon so that way Bugs's marching is played in a loop and Sam is merely heard saying, "Shut off that jukeybox! I can't hear myself a-speechin'," followed by a cut to Sam saying, "Now, where was I?", making it seem that Bugs merely listened to what Sam told him to do.
Availability
- Ballot Box Bunny is available, uncensored and uncut, on Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1 is a DVD box set that was released by Warner Home Video on October 28, 2003. It contains 56 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons and numerous supplements...
, Disc 1.
External links
- Ballot Box Bunny at AOL Video uncensored