Wabbit Twouble
Encyclopedia
Wabbit Twouble is a Merrie Melodies
cartoon
starring Bugs Bunny
, produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions
and released on December 20, 1941 by Warner Bros. Pictures. The title is the first of several Bugs Bunny
cartoon titles that refer to Elmer Fudd
's speech impediment; as such, the names of Robert Clampett
, Sid Sutherland, and Carl Stalling
as well as the roles of Story, Supervision, and Musical Direction are intentionally misspelled in the credits to match Elmer's speech impediment.
In the cartoon, Elmer expects to find rest and relaxation at Jellostone National Park, but he mistakenly sets camp in the neighborhood of Bugs' rabbit hole, and Bugs (and a neighboring bear
) don't have much leisure in mind. It was the first Bugs Bunny cartoon directed
by Robert Clampett
, with a story by Dave Monahan and musical direction by Carl Stalling
. Sid Sutherland is the only credited animator
, although Bill Meléndez
(who had just arrived at Schlesinger following the 1941 Disney strike
), Rod Scribner
, and Robert McKimson
also animated the short. Mel Blanc
provided the voices for Bugs and the bear
, and Arthur Q. Bryan
provided the voice for Elmer.
"kick" and beat), makes his way to Jello
stone National Park (a clear reference to Yellowstone National Park
), where the sign by the entrance promises "Rest and Relaxation" and "a Restful Retreat" (or, in Elmer's usual diction, "West and Wewaxation" and "a Westful Wetweat"). Elmer pitches a tent (near Bugs Bunny's rabbit hole), and sets up camp by putting a fire stove, a mirror and a table to wash his face, and a hammock. However, he gets annoyed when Bugs unpitches and takes his tent, but gets it back, tied up in knots. Bugs welcomes Elmer to Jellostone (confiding to us "Oh, brother!") Then he pulls Elmer's hat over his eyes. When Elmer reaches into the hole to grab Bugs, Bugs ties up his fingers. He tries to prevent Bugs from getting out of his hole by hammering a board, saying that he can't get out of that. However, Bugs does get out of that, and mimics Elmer's weight and what he previously said, labeling it "phooey". Elmer lies down in his hammock and soon falls fast asleep, muttering to himself.
Bugs then appears from the rabbit hole by Elmer's campsite. He takes a pair of glasses, paints them black, puts them on Elmer's face and sets Elmer's alarm clock to go off. Elmer now thinks it's night (since everything seems so dark), so he goes to his tent, gets undressed and goes to bed. Bugs then takes the glasses off and crows like a rooster
, making Elmer think that it's the next morning ("How time fwies!").
When Elmer goes to wash his face, Bugs keeps the towel at a distance with a branch, causing Elmer to blindly follow the towel. (As Bugs tells the audience, "I do this kind of stuff to him all through the picture.") Elmer then almost falls off a cliff. He then, looks at the miraculous view of the Grand Canyon
, but then realises he's in mid air and runs back to safety as he holds on to Bugs for dear life. Bugs tells Elmer that was a close call and Elmer tells Bugs "Yeah, i think somebody twicked me". Bugs then admits he's the one pulling these gags and runs off, with a furious Elmer giving chase after retrieving a gun from his tent.
However, when he tries running after Bugs with his rifle, he winds up running into a black bear
instead. The bear starts growling, and so Elmer turns to a wildlife handbook for advice, which states (letters Elmer substitutes for W are italicized):
"When confronted by a grizzly bear, lie flat on the ground and play dead. Above all, remain absolutely motionless!"
The bear soon gives up (after sniffing Elmer's "B.O.
" - his feet), but Bugs has more fun with Elmer when he climbs on Elmer and starts growling exactly like the bear (“Funny situation, ain’t it?”). Just as Bugs starts biting Elmer's foot, Elmer sees what's going on and grabs his rifle. Bugs runs away when the bear returns and Elmer ends up hitting the bear instead. After Elmer realizes he's hit the wrong animal, a chase then ensues with Elmer and the bear running through the trees to the chase sequence of the lively instrumental of the William Tell Overture
. Both Elmer and the bear show their heads from different sides of the tree they're hiding behind, and finally, the bear freaks Elmer out when he rides on top of him.
Eventually, Elmer gives up and quickly packs everything back into his car (including, at first, the tree that was next to his tent). On his way out, he stops back at the sign and reads it again. This makes him think that it's "bawoney", and to teach the park not to give false advertisement he starts chopping the sign to bits and then stomps on the destroyed sign while calling the park's "west and wewaxation" promises "wubbish!". The park ranger
(along with Bugs who is smiling) then appears, with a stern look on his face to which Elmer nervously says "Hewo". Elmer is then shown in prison for destruction of government property and for accusing the park of lying, where he's thankful that he's finally "wid of that gwizzwy bear and scwewy wabbit! West and wewaxation at wast!" But he turns to find out that somehow he's sharing his cell with both Bugs and the black bear. (Each of them chews a carrot and asks, "Eh, pardon me, but ... um, how long are ya in for, Doc?")
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,...
cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
starring 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...
, produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions
Warner Bros. Cartoons
Warner Bros. Cartoons, Inc. was the in-house division of Warner Bros. Pictures during the Golden Age of American animation. One of the most successful animation studios in American media history, Warner Bros. Cartoons was primarily responsible for the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies theatrical...
and released on December 20, 1941 by Warner Bros. Pictures. The title is the first of several 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 titles that refer to Elmer Fudd
Elmer Fudd
Elmer J. Fudd/Egghead is a fictional cartoon character and one of the most famous Looney Tunes characters, and the de facto archenemy of Bugs Bunny. He has one of the more disputed origins in the Warner Bros. cartoon pantheon . His aim is to hunt Bugs, but he usually ends up seriously injuring...
's speech impediment; as such, the names of Robert Clampett
Bob Clampett
Robert Emerson "Bob" Clampett was an American animator, producer, director, and puppeteer best known for his work on the Looney Tunes animated series from Warner Bros., and the television shows Time for Beany and Beany and Cecil...
, Sid Sutherland, and Carl Stalling
Carl Stalling
Carl W. Stalling was an American composer and arranger for music in animated films. He is most closely associated with the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts produced by Warner Bros., where he averaged one complete score each week, for 22 years.-Biography:Stalling was born to Ernest and...
as well as the roles of Story, Supervision, and Musical Direction are intentionally misspelled in the credits to match Elmer's speech impediment.
In the cartoon, Elmer expects to find rest and relaxation at Jellostone National Park, but he mistakenly sets camp in the neighborhood of Bugs' rabbit hole, and Bugs (and a neighboring bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
) don't have much leisure in mind. It was the first Bugs Bunny cartoon directed
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
by Robert Clampett
Bob Clampett
Robert Emerson "Bob" Clampett was an American animator, producer, director, and puppeteer best known for his work on the Looney Tunes animated series from Warner Bros., and the television shows Time for Beany and Beany and Cecil...
, with a story by Dave Monahan and musical direction by Carl Stalling
Carl Stalling
Carl W. Stalling was an American composer and arranger for music in animated films. He is most closely associated with the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts produced by Warner Bros., where he averaged one complete score each week, for 22 years.-Biography:Stalling was born to Ernest and...
. Sid Sutherland is the only credited animator
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
, although Bill Meléndez
Bill Melendez
José Cuauhtémoc "Bill" Meléndez was a Mexican-American character animator, film director, voice artist and producer, known for his cartoons for Warner Brothers, UPA and the Peanuts series...
(who had just arrived at Schlesinger following the 1941 Disney strike
Disney animators' strike
The Disney animators' strike was a labor strike by the animators of Walt Disney Studios in 1941.-History:The 1930s led to a rise of labor unions in motion pictures as in other industries such as The Screen Actors Guild which was formed in 1933. Animators of Fleischer Studios went on strike in 1937...
), Rod Scribner
Rod Scribner
Roderick H. "Rod" Scribner was an American animator best known for his work on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons from Warner Bros.. His animation was one of the wildest things ever seen on screen during The Golden Age of American animation. He started as an animator for Ben...
, and Robert McKimson
Robert McKimson
Robert "Bob" Porter McKimson, Sr. was an American animator, illustrator, and director best known for his work on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons from Warner Bros., and later DePatie-Freleng Enterprises...
also animated the short. Mel Blanc
Mel Blanc
Melvin Jerome "Mel" Blanc was an American voice actor and comedian. Although he began his nearly six-decade-long career performing in radio commercials, Blanc is best remembered for his work with Warner Bros...
provided the voices for Bugs and the bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
, and Arthur Q. Bryan
Arthur Q. Bryan
Arthur Quirk Bryan was a United States comedian and voice actor, remembered best for his longtime recurring role as well-spoken, wisecracking Dr...
provided the voice for Elmer.
Plot
Elmer, riding in his old jalopy (whose eccentric rear axle and wheel do the CongaConga Line
The conga line is a Cuban carnival march that was first developed in Cuba and became popular in the United States in the 1930s and 1950s. The dancers form a long, processing line. It has three shuffle steps on the beat, followed by a kick that is slightly ahead of the fourth beat...
"kick" and beat), makes his way to Jello
Gelatin dessert
Gelatin desserts are desserts made with sweetened and flavored gelatin. They can be made by combining plain gelatin with other ingredients or by using a premixed blend of gelatin with additives...
stone National Park (a clear reference to Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872, is a national park located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, although it also extends into Montana and Idaho...
), where the sign by the entrance promises "Rest and Relaxation" and "a Restful Retreat" (or, in Elmer's usual diction, "West and Wewaxation" and "a Westful Wetweat"). Elmer pitches a tent (near Bugs Bunny's rabbit hole), and sets up camp by putting a fire stove, a mirror and a table to wash his face, and a hammock. However, he gets annoyed when Bugs unpitches and takes his tent, but gets it back, tied up in knots. Bugs welcomes Elmer to Jellostone (confiding to us "Oh, brother!") Then he pulls Elmer's hat over his eyes. When Elmer reaches into the hole to grab Bugs, Bugs ties up his fingers. He tries to prevent Bugs from getting out of his hole by hammering a board, saying that he can't get out of that. However, Bugs does get out of that, and mimics Elmer's weight and what he previously said, labeling it "phooey". Elmer lies down in his hammock and soon falls fast asleep, muttering to himself.
Bugs then appears from the rabbit hole by Elmer's campsite. He takes a pair of glasses, paints them black, puts them on Elmer's face and sets Elmer's alarm clock to go off. Elmer now thinks it's night (since everything seems so dark), so he goes to his tent, gets undressed and goes to bed. Bugs then takes the glasses off and crows like a rooster
Rooster
A rooster, also known as a cockerel, cock or chanticleer, is a male chicken with the female being called a hen. Immature male chickens of less than a year's age are called cockerels...
, making Elmer think that it's the next morning ("How time fwies!").
When Elmer goes to wash his face, Bugs keeps the towel at a distance with a branch, causing Elmer to blindly follow the towel. (As Bugs tells the audience, "I do this kind of stuff to him all through the picture.") Elmer then almost falls off a cliff. He then, looks at the miraculous view of the Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, the 15th national park in the United States...
, but then realises he's in mid air and runs back to safety as he holds on to Bugs for dear life. Bugs tells Elmer that was a close call and Elmer tells Bugs "Yeah, i think somebody twicked me". Bugs then admits he's the one pulling these gags and runs off, with a furious Elmer giving chase after retrieving a gun from his tent.
However, when he tries running after Bugs with his rifle, he winds up running into a black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
instead. The bear starts growling, and so Elmer turns to a wildlife handbook for advice, which states (letters Elmer substitutes for W are italicized):
"When confronted by a grizzly bear, lie flat on the ground and play dead. Above all, remain absolutely motionless!"
The bear soon gives up (after sniffing Elmer's "B.O.
Body odor
Body odor or body odour, sometimes colloquially abbreviated as B.O., is the smell of bacteria growing on the body. The bacteria multiply rapidly in the presence of sweat, but sweat itself is almost completely odorless to humans....
" - his feet), but Bugs has more fun with Elmer when he climbs on Elmer and starts growling exactly like the bear (“Funny situation, ain’t it?”). Just as Bugs starts biting Elmer's foot, Elmer sees what's going on and grabs his rifle. Bugs runs away when the bear returns and Elmer ends up hitting the bear instead. After Elmer realizes he's hit the wrong animal, a chase then ensues with Elmer and the bear running through the trees to the chase sequence of the lively instrumental of the William Tell Overture
William Tell Overture
The William Tell Overture is the instrumental introduction to the opera Guillaume Tell by Gioachino Rossini. William Tell premiered in 1829 and was the last of Rossini's 39 operas, after which he went into semi-retirement, although he continued to compose cantatas, sacred music and secular vocal...
. Both Elmer and the bear show their heads from different sides of the tree they're hiding behind, and finally, the bear freaks Elmer out when he rides on top of him.
Eventually, Elmer gives up and quickly packs everything back into his car (including, at first, the tree that was next to his tent). On his way out, he stops back at the sign and reads it again. This makes him think that it's "bawoney", and to teach the park not to give false advertisement he starts chopping the sign to bits and then stomps on the destroyed sign while calling the park's "west and wewaxation" promises "wubbish!". The park ranger
Park ranger
A park ranger or forest ranger is a person entrusted with protecting and preserving parklands – national, state, provincial, or local parks. Different countries use different names for the position. Ranger is the favored term in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Within the United...
(along with Bugs who is smiling) then appears, with a stern look on his face to which Elmer nervously says "Hewo". Elmer is then shown in prison for destruction of government property and for accusing the park of lying, where he's thankful that he's finally "wid of that gwizzwy bear and scwewy wabbit! West and wewaxation at wast!" But he turns to find out that somehow he's sharing his cell with both Bugs and the black bear. (Each of them chews a carrot and asks, "Eh, pardon me, but ... um, how long are ya in for, Doc?")
Production
- For this cartoon, Elmer was redesigned as a fat man (based on voice actor Arthur Q.Bryan's own physique) in an attempt to make him funnier. The "fat Elmer" would only make four more appearances - The Wabbit Who Came to SupperThe Wabbit Who Came to SupperThe Wabbit Who Came to Supper is a 1942 American Warner Brothers Merrie Melodies cartoon featuring early appearances by Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd...
, The Wacky WabbitThe Wacky WabbitThe Wacky Wabbit is a Warner Bros. cartoon in the Merrie Melodies series. It was released on May 2, 1942. It was directed by Robert Clampett. It stars Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd The Wacky Wabbit is a Warner Bros. cartoon in the Merrie Melodies series. It was released on May 2, 1942. It was directed...
, Fresh HareFresh HareFresh Hare is a Warner Bros. theatrical Merrie Melodies cartoon. It was directed by Isadore "Friz" Freleng, written by Michael Maltese, and produced by Leon Schlesinger...
, and Any Bonds Today?Any Bonds Today?"Any Bonds Today?" is a song written by Irving Berlin, featured in a 1942 animated propaganda film starring Bugs Bunny. Both were used to sell war bonds during World War II.-The song:...
- before returning to the slimmer form by which he is better known, for The Hare-Brained HypnotistThe Hare-Brained HypnotistThe Hare-Brained Hypnotist is a Bugs Bunny cartoon in the Merrie Melodies series, released on October 31, 1942. The cartoon stars Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd...
. This cartoon was the only time, though, that the Fat Elmer also had a red nose. - Bugs would show up in a prison two more times: in Rebel RabbitRebel RabbitRebel Rabbit is a 1949 animated short starring Bugs Bunny. It is an anomaly in the Bugs Bunny cartoons — in this one, Bugs is the aggressor, and he ends up losing the fight. Having found out that the bounty for rabbits is only 2 cents, Bugs intends to prove that rabbits are tough — even...
(1949) and Big House BunnyBig House BunnyBig House Bunny is a 1948 Looney Tunes Bugs Bunny cartoon, released in 1950 and directed by Friz Freleng.-Plot:Needing to get away from hunters, Bugs digs a tunnel and accidentally winds up in Sing Song Prison...
(1950). Whereas at the ends of Rabbit Transit (1947) and Hare BrushHare BrushHare Brush is a 1955 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies animated short, featuring Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd. But unlike previous shorts which had them paired together, this one serves as a complete role-reversal...
(1955) he is arrested, he is not actually shown in prison therein. - As is clearly seen in the beginning, the letters in the words "BUGS BUNNY IN" are made out of carrot slices.
- The voice used by Mel Blanc for the bear (who only has one line, at the end of the film, "Yeh, how long ya in for, Doc?") is a softer version of the voice characterization he would later use for Cecil Turtle and eventually Barney RubbleBarney RubbleBernard "Barney" Rubble is the deuteragonist of the television animated series The Flintstones. He is the diminutive blonde-haired caveman husband of Betty Rubble and father of Bamm-Bamm Rubble...
. - This is the first Bugs Bunny cartoon directed by Bob ClampettBob ClampettRobert Emerson "Bob" Clampett was an American animator, producer, director, and puppeteer best known for his work on the Looney Tunes animated series from Warner Bros., and the television shows Time for Beany and Beany and Cecil...
. - This is also the only cartoon with the "fat" version of Elmer made and released in 1941, the other "fat Elmer" cartoons are all made and released in 1942.