2023 marks the 85th Anniversary of Bug Bunny’s first animated appearance in 1938’s “Porky’s Hare Hunt.” Debuting originally as Happy Rabbit, Bugs eventually became one of the most iconic animated characters of all time. In honor of the landmark anniversary, we’re discussing every animated appearance by Bugs Bunny. We’re big fans of Bugsy and we hope that you are, too.
Follow us on this massive journey where we discover and re-discover Every Bugs Bunny Ever.
Baseball Bugs (1946)
Directed by Chuck Jones
Written by Tedd Pierce
Music by Carl W. Stalling
Animation by Ken Harris
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The Gas House Gorillas are a bunch of no neck bullies and probably one of best from Bugs bunny’s villain gallery. Before Michael Jordan turned them in to basketball players, for years the Looney Tunes were associated with baseball and the Gashouse Gorillas were typically their enemies. The Gas House Gorillas were basically the Monstars before the Monstars ever arrived, except they didn’t get by with goofy sports steroids, they were huge lugs with the tendency to cheat and use their size to bully others.
Seemingly being played in New York City, the Gas house Gorillas are pitted against the weakling Tea Totallers, where they not only mop the floor with them but also proceed to bully the umpires and officials in to ruling the game In their favor. In spite of that Bugs bunny sits in his rabbit hole jeering the Gas House Gorillas and jeers them relentlessly until they take it upon themselves to confront him. Finding no other option, he’s put on the field to take them on single handedly.
As with a lot of the more unconventional Bugs Bunny shorts where he’s out of his element, “Baseball Bugs” manages to be one of the great shorts from the library. That’s because the writers are able to go to town with this new setting having a blast taking the baseball environment and turning it in to a madhouse. Normally Bugs often works very well when confined to the woods and his rabbit hole, but here they’re able to show his dexterity by proving he works in almost any setting.
The cast are also just wonderful here, as Mel Blanc voices many characters including Bugs, while Frank Graham is hilarious as the sportscaster. Tedd Pierce is also very entertaining as the leader of the Gas House Gorillas who garners a furious rivalry with our furry hero. I’m frankly surprised that the Gas House Gorillas weren’t in many more shorts from Bugs or other Looney Tunes characters, as they really are the perfect villain, especially for the smaller characters.
One of my favorite gags involves the Gorillas in a konga line hitting the ball with ease from the Tea Totallers, Bugs Bunny throwing his super duper slow ball, and the classic sight gag of Bugs calling the “Bat Boy” to which we’re met with a young man carrying bats while flying with a pair of bat wings. There’s even a great moment involving the scoreboard that becomes a pinball score screen, even flashing “Tilt” for the audience. I’m not even a Baseball fan and I love the whole spirit and general humor behind “Baseball Bugs.”
It’s accessible, it’s hysterical, and you don’t even have to know the rules of the game to understand he coejio It stands as one of his all time best; the writers build its entire premise on Bugs goes to a baseball game and successfully launch a barrage of hilarious gags, great switch up an infinitely quotable moments.
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