A Wild Hare

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A Wild Hare
A Wild Hare Lobby Card.png
Lobby card.
Production company Leon Schlesinger Productions
Distributor Warner Bros. Pictures
The Vitaphone Corporation
Release date July 27, 1940
Run time 8:15
Starring Mel Blanc
Arthur Q. Bryan
Music composed by Carl W. Stalling
Story by Rich Hogan
Director(s) Tex Avery
Animation director(s) Tex Avery
Art director(s) Tex Avery
Series navigation
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Title card
File:A wild hare title card.png
Second title card
A Wild Hare Blue Ribbon Title Card.png

A Wild Hare, also known as The Wild Hare, is the hundred and fifty-fourth Merrie Melodies theatrical short. It was distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and The Vitaphone Corporation on July 27, 1940. It was written by Rich Hogan, animated by Virgil Ross, produced by Leon Schlesinger, and directed by Tex Avery.

Elmer encounters a mischievous rabbit while hunting.

Detailed summary

Memorable quotes

Elmer: Shh... Be vewy, vewy quiet. I'm hunting wabbits!


Bugs: What's up, Doc?
Elmer: Shh! Thewe's a wabbit down thewe, and I'm twying to catch him.


Elmer: Pawdon me, but you wook just wike a wabbit!
Bugs: C'mere... Listen, Doc. Now, don't spread dis around, but, um... confidentially... I AM A RABBIT!!!


Bugs: Can ya imagine anybody actin' like dat? Y'know, I think da poor guy's screwy!

Characters

Legend
Character debut Speaking debut Ep. debut No lines Mentioned

In order of appearance:

Character Actor
Elmer Fudd Arthur Q. Bryan
Bugs Bunny Mel Blanc
Hedy Lamarr
Carole Lombard
Rosemary Lane
Olivia de Havilland
Skunk Mel Blanc


Locations

Objects

  • Elmer's rifle

Production

Development

Filming

Music

The music was composed by Carl W. Stalling.

In instrumental form, "The Fountain in the Park" plays when a hidden Bugs uses his two fingers to search for the carrot.

Release

Dates are in order of release:

  • United States: July 27, 1940 in theatres

Behind the scenes

  • This marks as the first official appearance of Bugs Bunny, although a prototype of the character had appeared several times before, beginning with Porky's Hare Hunt.
  • Bugs' catchphrase, "What's up, Doc?", makes its debut. It was written by Tex Avery, who later explained that it was a common expression used in his home state of Texas and did not think much of it.[1]
  • Elmer's catchphrase, "Be vewy vewy quiet, I'm hunting wabbits", makes a debut in this cartoon.

Errors

Legacy

  • While Bugs is unnamed in this short, his name would officially be addressed in a title card for his next theatrical entry, Elmer's Pet Rabbit.

Critical reception

In other languages

Language Name Meaning
Brazilian Portuguese O Coelho Selvagem The Wild Rabbit
Finnish Ovela Väiski Cunning Bugs
French Un chasseur sachant chasser A hunter who knows how to hunt
Spanish La liebre salvaje The Wild Hare

Home availability

  • In the United States:

References

  1. Adamson, Joe (1975). Tex Avery: King of Cartoons. New York City: Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-306-80248-1.