Baton Bunny
Encyclopedia
Baton Bunny is a Bugs Bunny
cartoon of the Looney Tunes
series, produced in 1958 and released in January 1959. It shows Bugs conducting an orchestra
- with a fly
bothering him. Bugs conducts, and in part, plays the overture to "Ein Morgen, ein Mittag und ein Abend in Wien" (A Morning, Noon, and Night in Vienna)", a composition by Franz von Suppé
. Though Mel Blanc was credited for vocal characterizations, there is no dialogue in the short; the only vocal effect made was when an audience member is heard coughing. This is the second and last Bugs Bunny
cartoon (the first being A Corny Concerto
) where Bugs is silent. Or, nearly silent; at one point, he 'shushes' the brass.
) fancily. When he finishes his elaborate preparation, he starts to conduct
. However, several problems plague Bugs' conducting, notably a bothersome fly, and some awkward cuffs that keep falling off. Bugs attempts to kill the fly, crashing into the orchestra and the instruments as he does so. As the music comes to a stop, Bugs bows for the crowd, and instead of applause, hears only silence and cricket
s chirping. Bugs looks around to see that the seats are empty and the crowd has gone, though he does hear some faint clapping - coming from the fly. Bugs bows to the fly and the episode ends.
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...
cartoon of the Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
series, produced in 1958 and released in January 1959. It shows Bugs conducting an orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
- with a fly
Fly
True flies are insects of the order Diptera . They possess a pair of wings on the mesothorax and a pair of halteres, derived from the hind wings, on the metathorax...
bothering him. Bugs conducts, and in part, plays the overture to "Ein Morgen, ein Mittag und ein Abend in Wien" (A Morning, Noon, and Night in Vienna)", a composition by Franz von Suppé
Franz von Suppé
Franz von Suppé or Francesco Suppé Demelli was an Austrian composer of light operas who was born in what is now Croatia during the time his father was working in this outpost of the Austro-Hungarian Empire...
. Though Mel Blanc was credited for vocal characterizations, there is no dialogue in the short; the only vocal effect made was when an audience member is heard coughing. This is the second and last 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...
cartoon (the first being A Corny Concerto
A Corny Concerto
A Corny Concerto is an American animated cartoon short produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions and distributed by Warner Bros. It was directed by Bob Clampett, written by Frank Tashlin, animated by Robert McKimson and released as part of the Merrie Melodies series on September 25, 1943...
) where Bugs is silent. Or, nearly silent; at one point, he 'shushes' the brass.
Plot
Bugs is getting ready to conduct "The Warner Bros. Symphony Orchestra" (supposedly in concert at the Hollywood BowlHollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, United States that is used primarily for music performances...
) fancily. When he finishes his elaborate preparation, he starts to conduct
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
. However, several problems plague Bugs' conducting, notably a bothersome fly, and some awkward cuffs that keep falling off. Bugs attempts to kill the fly, crashing into the orchestra and the instruments as he does so. As the music comes to a stop, Bugs bows for the crowd, and instead of applause, hears only silence and cricket
Cricket (insect)
Crickets, family Gryllidae , are insects somewhat related to grasshoppers, and more closely related to katydids or bush crickets . They have somewhat flattened bodies and long antennae. There are about 900 species of crickets...
s chirping. Bugs looks around to see that the seats are empty and the crowd has gone, though he does hear some faint clapping - coming from the fly. Bugs bows to the fly and the episode ends.
See also
- Bugs BunnyBugs BunnyBugs 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...
- List of Bugs Bunny cartoons