What's up, Doc?

July 23, 2010

When I was a child, I remember watching the antics of a certain “wascally wabbit” and his friends.  Naturally, I had no idea that I was watching some of the same cartoons that my mother watched as a child.  I bring this up because this year Bugs Bunny turns 70 years old.  The first official Bugs Bunny cartoon was called A Wild Hare.  It premiered on July 27, 1940, and was directed by Tex Avery.  I say this is the first official cartoon because, while there had been a sort of Bugs Bunny prototype in the late 1930’s, this is the first cartoon in which he was drawn in the form we all recognize today.  For any trivia buffs, this form was created by Robert McKimson.  Still, it wasn’t until Bugs Bunny’s second cartoon, Elmer’s Pet Rabbit, that his name was first mentioned.

Recently, Warner Bros. released a collection of animated shorts that were nominated for, or won, an Academy Award.  On this collection is A Wild Hare, with an optional commentary by filmmaker Greg Ford.  This collection, which can be found in the MCPL catalog, is called Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Academy Awards Animation Collection: 15 winners - 26 Nominees. 

Submitted by Andea L.