Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Baby Buggy Bunny (1954)

Posted on May 21, 2025 by Phil Hall

Baby Buggy Bunny (1954)
Directed by Charles M. Jones
Story by Michael Maltese
Animation by Ken Harris, Abe Levitow, Lloyd Vaughan, Ben Washam
Music by Milt Franklyn

Of all the adversaries who challenged Bugs Bunny, Baby Face Finster was arguably the most inventive concept of a villain. The idea of an adult (and rather butch) midget disguising himself as a baby was pure genius, and Finster’s fracas with Bugs was among the most original and invigorating in the history of the character’s films.
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Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Yankee Doodle Bugs (1954)

Posted on May 14, 2025 by Phil Hall

Yankee Doodle Bugs (1954)
Directed by Friz Freleng
Story by Warren Foster
Animation by Arthur Davis, Manuel Perez, Virgil Ross
Music by Milt Franklyn

While few animation scholars would cite “Yankee Doodle Bugs” as being among the finest of the Warner Bros. output, I freely admit this is one of my favorite cartoons in the Bugs Bunny series. Yeah, it is not an artistic classic, but it is a cute film that has good-natured fun with Colonial American history.
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Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Bewitched Bunny (1954)

Posted on May 7, 2025 by Phil Hall

Bewitched Bunny (1954)
Directed by Chuck Jones
Story by Michael Maltese
Animation by Lloyd Vaughan, Ken Harris, Ben Washam
Music by Carl Stalling

“Bewitched Bunny” is notable for introducing Witch Hazel as Bugs Bunny’s first female adversary. A large, lumpy, green-hued character, she levitates to click her heels in merriment over her sorcery, cackling with glee over what she perceives to be a superiority over her long-eared foe.
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Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Devil May Hare (1954)

Posted on April 30, 2025 by Phil Hall

Devil May Hare (1954)
Directed by Robert McKimson
Story by Sid Marcus
Animation by Herman Cohen, Phil DeLara, Charles McKimson, Rod Scribner
Music by Milt Franklyn

Jack L. Warner rarely interfered with his studio’s animation unit, but on one notable occasion he pressured producer Edward Selzer to make cartoons with a character that Selzer disliked – the Tasmanian Devil, which debuted in the 1954 “Devil May Hare” but was shelved from future appearances at Selzer’s command. Warner had the character brought back after the studio received significant mail from moviegoers that loved the Tasmanian Devil and wanted to see it in more cartoons.
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Every Bugs Bunny Ever: No Parking Hare (1954)

Posted on April 23, 2025 by Phil Hall

No Parking Hare (1954)
Directed by Robert McKimson
Story by Sid Marcus
Animation by Charles McKimson, Phil DeLara, Rod Scribner, Herman Cohen
Music by Carl Stalling

Robert McKimson’s “No Parking Hare” is a reworking of Chuck Jones’ 1950 “Homeless Hare,” with Bugs Bunny pitted against a burly and surly construction worker trying to evict the rabbit from his subterranean residence so he can complete a major construction project. Jones’ film takes place in a urban setting, with Bugs being removed from a high-rise development site, while McKimson’s film takes place in an open environment where a freeway is being built.

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Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Bugs and Thugs (1954)

Posted on April 16, 2025 by Phil Hall

Bugs and Thugs (1954)
Directed by Friz Freleng
Story by Warren Foster
Music by Milt Franklyn
Animation by Manuel Perez, Ken Champin, Virgil Ross, Arthur Davis

Friz Freleng’s “Bugs and Thugs” is a reworking of his 1946 “Racketeer Rabbit” that pitted Bugs Bunny against the bank robbers Rocky and Hugo, which were caricatures of Edward G. Robinson and Peter Lorre. In this 1954 film, the criminals are originals – Rocky, a diminutive, stone-faced tough guy with a cigarette hanging from his lower lip and an outrageously oversized vertical fedora that obscured his eyes, and his large oafish partner Mugsy. Rocky had previously been used in Daffy Duck’s “Golden Yeggs” (1950) and the Sylvester and Tweety “Catty Cornered” (1953) with different (and more competent) oversized sidekicks.
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Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Captain Hareblower (1954)

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Phil Hall

Captain Hareblower (1954)
Directed by Friz Freleng
Story by Warren Foster
Animation by Manuel Perez, Ken Champin, Virgil Ross, Arthur Davis
Music by Carl W. Stalling

Yosemite Sam returns to 18th century oceanic miscreancy, this time as Pirate Sam with a schooner that he sails all by himself. Just the thought of encountering him creates panic on well-manned ship – the crew abandons their vessel when Sam approaches, leaving only Bugs Bunny, a stowaway in a carrot crate who never heard of Pirate Sam and has no fear of what he can create. Sam bellows for Bugs to surrender, reminding him that “I’ve got you outnumbered one to one.” However, Sam quickly discovers his new long-eared foe is no pushover.
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