Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Knight-Mare Hare (1955)

Posted on July 9, 2025 by Phil Hall

Knight-Mare Hare (1955)
Directed by Chuck Jones
Story by Tedd Pierce
Animation by Ken Harris, Ben Washam, Abe Levitow, Richard Thompson
Music by Milt Franklyn

Bugs Bunny is sitting outside of his hole-in-the-ground residence under a hair drying bonnet – as he explains to the viewer, “I just washed my ears and can’t do thing with them.” He is reading a book on medieval times when an apple falls from a tree and bangs on the hair drying bonnet, which falls over Bugs’ head. He suddenly finds himself back in the medieval era where he is assaulted by a knight, a fire-breathing dragon and an aged sorcerer wearing a propeller beanie.
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Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Beanstalk Bunny (1955)

Posted on May 28, 2025 by Phil Hall

Beanstalk Bunny (1955)
Directed by Chuck Jones
Story by Michael Maltese
Animation by Ken Harris, Richard Thompson, Abe Levitow, Keith Darling
Music by Carl Stalling

A cute idea with a meh execution, “Beanstalk Bunny” reimagines the fairy tale with Daffy Duck as Jack, Elmer Fudd as the giant, and Bugs Bunny as an interloper who joins in the mayhem. Bugs went up the beanstalk before with “Jack-Wabbit and the Beanstalk” (1943) and found himself in a land of giants when he challenged Paul Bunyan’s dog in “Lumber Jack-Rabbit” (1953), so it was a bit strange to have him back for a third time in this type of a setting.
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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: 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: Duck! Rabbit! Duck! (1953)

Posted on March 26, 2025 by Phil Hall

Duck! Rabbit! Duck! (1953)
Directed by Charles M. Jones
Story by Michael Maltese
Animation by Ken Harris, Abe Levitow, Richard Thompson, Lloyd Vaughan, Ben Washam
Music by Carl Stalling and Milt Franklyn

The final entry in the “Hunting Trilogy” that pits Bugs Bunny against Daffy Duck against Elmer Fudd, “Duck! Rabbit! Duck!” is the weakest of the three films due to joke repetition and an uneven balance among the characters.
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Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Lumber Jack-Rabbit (1953)

Posted on March 19, 2025 by Phil Hall

Lumber Jack-Rabbit (1953)
Directed by Charles M. Jones
Story by Michael Maltese
Animation by Abe Levitow, Ken Harris, Richard Thompson, Lloyd Vaughan, Ben Washam
Music by Carl Stalling

Notable as the only Bugs Bunny cartoon shot in the 3D process, “Lumber Jack-Rabbit” gets off to an amusing start when a wandering Bugs sings “Jimmy Crack Corn” while journeying into Paul Bunyan’s garden. Unaware that he is in a giant’s domain – he mistakes the asparagus for “funny looking trees” – he becomes ecstatic at discovering gigantic carrots. Bugs sets up mining equipment to cull his harvest, but is interrupted by Paul Bunyan’s equally massive Smidgen.
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Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Bully for Bugs (1953)

Posted on March 12, 2025 by Phil Hall

Bully for Bugs (1953)
Directed by Charles M. Jones
Story by Michael Maltese
Animation by Ben Washam, Lloyd Vaughan, Ken Harris
Music by Carl Stalling

According to Chuck Jones, “Bully for Bugs” came about because of an unexpected declaration made by producer Edward Selzer didn’t want any films related to bullfighting because he felt that bullfights aren’t funny. If Selzer was commenting on comedy films with a bullfighting theme, he was most correct – those films relied heavily on stock footage, trick editing, the obvious use of stunt doubles and connect-the-dots comedy with the funnymen supposedly being chased around a bullring.
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