{"id":44689,"date":"2024-08-01T00:03:12","date_gmt":"2024-08-01T04:03:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/?p=44689"},"modified":"2024-07-31T21:24:22","modified_gmt":"2024-08-01T01:24:22","slug":"every-bugs-bunny-ever-whats-up-doc-1950","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/2024\/08\/01\/every-bugs-bunny-ever-whats-up-doc-1950\/","title":{"rendered":"Every Bugs Bunny Ever: What’s Up, Doc? (1950)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>What’s Up Doc? (1950)
\n<\/sup><\/strong>Directed by Bob McKimson
\nWritten by William Foster
\nAnimation by JC Melendez
\nMusic by Carl Stalling\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

And so it was: the birth of \u201cWhat\u2019s up, Doc?\u201d<\/p>\n

At least that\u2019s how Bugs Bunny sees it. Although we know better, the big star known as Bugs prefers to think of it as a fluke that turned in to a successful shtick for a young Bugs Bunny. \u201cWhat\u2019s up, Doc?\u201d is a pretty important short in the Bugs Bunny library even though pretty much all of his are just self contained stories with loose continuity. For example, the set up here is similar to \u201cA Hare Grows in Manhattan\u201d where Bugs even tells a different story of how he grew up and became a performer. Like Vaudeville, they all work within the confines of their frame work, and they\u2019re just there as a reason to tell jokes and deliver some great gags.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

But \u201cWhat\u2019s up Doc?\u201d does have a good time trying to lend some reasoning to not only Bugs Bunny\u2019s whole personality, but also tries to define his relationship with Elmer Fudd–voiced yet again by Arthur Q. Bryan. As explained in \u201cWhat\u2019s Up, Doc?\u201d we learn that Bugs was once an up and comer who struggled to make it on stage, constantly performing in opening an opening chorus that sets the stage for the show. This is a recurring gag that shockingly never gets old. The writers decide to use it at least four times and it\u2019s hysterical every time. For every show, Bugs pops up with other chorus singers belting \u201cOh we’re the boys of the chorus\/We hope you like our show\/We know you’re rooting for us\/but now we have to go!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Again, it\u2019s repeated a few times ad hilarity before Bugs decides he\u2019s had enough and quits the game. That is until he\u2019s discovered by the famous comedian Elmer Fudd in a park. This is the set up for yet another hilarious gag as the writers perfectly lampoon the likes of Al Jolson, Jack Benny, Eddie Cantor, and Bing Crosby. Voiced brilliantly by Dave Barry and Richard Bickenbach, not only is the set up hysterical, but the way Fudd brushes past them dismissively is downright brilliant. Fudd eventually draws interest in Bugs begging him to be in his act, and this is the set up for another great repetitive gag. Except this gag sets the stage for the initial conflict.<\/p>\n

Bugs becomes the butt of Fudd\u2019s act which involves him coming on stage, telling a joke and hitting him with a pie. Eventually Bugs becomes tired of the act, and retaliates prompting revenge from Elmer who chases Bugs around with his rifle eliciting the classic \u201cWhat\u2019s Up, Doc?\u201d which becomes an instant hit with the crowds.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Eventually Bugs breaks in to the song \u201cWhat\u2019s Up, Doc?\u201d a song that I almost always sing along to whenever Bugs breaks in to the song and dance!<\/p>\n

\u201cE h h h h h . . .
\nWhat’s up, Doc? What’s cookin’?
\nWhat’s up, Doc? Are you’re lookin’
\nFor Bugs Bunny bunting…
\nElmer’s gone a-hunting
\nJust to get a rabbit skin…
\nBut now the rabbit’s gone again!
\nWhat’s up, Doc? What’s cookin’?
\nHey!…Look out!…Stop!
\nYou’re gonna hurt someone
\nWith that old shot-gun!
\nE h h h h . . . What’s up, Doc?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Yes, \u201cWhat\u2019s Up, Doc!\u201d has an origin as well as actual lyrics. I must have spent so many years singing along with Bugs and Elmer whenever they eventually got to this point of \u201cStage Door Cartoon\u201d and it\u2019s a neat addition. Not only does it lend a lot more substance to Bugs simple catchphrase, but it\u2019s a great summary of Bugs and Elmer\u2019s whole relationship and rivalry. Bugs has always been so much more than his catchphrases, and his song \u201cWhat\u2019s Up, Doc?\u201d cements that idea. Bugs never really sang it again in full, but \u201cWhat\u2019s Up Doc?\u201d is an interesting milestone in the series of shorts as the song is an interesting summary of Bugs the feels like it\u2019s channeling Broadway.<\/p>\n

Mainly though it hearkens to its Vaudevillian roots. \u201cWhat\u2019s Up, Doc?\u201d is something different. It\u2019s hysterical, it is quotable, and a very interesting turning point with the whole dynamic between Bugs and Elmer.<\/p>\n

Be Sure to Purchase Some Classic Bugs Bunny<\/a>!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Find out what we think are the BEST<\/a> and WORST<\/a> Bugs Bunny shorts of all time!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What’s Up Doc? (1950) Directed by Bob McKimson Written by William Foster Animation by JC Melendez Music by Carl Stalling\u00a0 And so it was: the birth of \u201cWhat\u2019s up, Doc?\u201d At least that\u2019s how Bugs Bunny sees it. Although we know better, the big star known as Bugs prefers to think of it as a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3068],"tags":[71,99,167,219,610,3069,698,1175],"class_list":["post-44689","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bugs-bunny-ever","tag-adventure","tag-animation","tag-bugs-bunny","tag-comedy","tag-looney-tunes","tag-merrie-melodies","tag-music","tag-warner-bros"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44689","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44689"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44689\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":44691,"href":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44689\/revisions\/44691"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44689"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44689"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44689"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}