Elmer's Pet Rabbit is a 1941 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies cartoon directed by Chuck Jones .[ 1] The short was released on January 4, 1941, and features Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny .[ 2]
Plot
Bugs Bunny has a chat with Elmer
Elmer Fudd buys Bugs Bunny from a pet store and builds a pen to hold him in. Elmer gives Bugs a bowl of vegetables, which Bugs says isn't fit food for him, even as he eats it.
Bugs pretends to drown in the bathtub, Elmer pulls him out, and they continue to fight.
When Elmer is ready to go to bed, he finds Bugs already there. They fight more, and when at the end Elmer tries to go to bed, he once again finds Bugs is already there.
Production notes
This is the first cartoon in which the name Bugs Bunny is given (on a title card, edited onto the end of the opening title following the success of 1940's A Wild Hare ), but the rabbit is similar to the prototype version of him seen and heard in Elmer's Candid Camera (though his voice is different) and other prototype-Bugs Bunny shorts. This is Chuck Jones' first cartoon featuring the recognizable Bugs Bunny, and it was written by Rich Hogan. Voices are provided by Mel Blanc and Arthur Q. Bryan . It was produced by Leon Schlesinger .
Music
The music in the cartoon includes a variation on "While Strolling Through the Park One Day," arranged by Carl Stalling, performed by Elmer and the rabbit. Elmer, of course, has trouble with many of the words, due to his "rounded L and R" speech impediment.
Although the short was included on three VHS compilations in 1985, 1990 and 1999, as well as a 1992 Golden Age of Looney Tunes LaserDisc release, it was not issued again until 2020, when HBO Max included the cartoon in its collection of other Looney Tunes shorts.
It was released on the Looney Tunes Collector's Choice Volume 3 Blu-Ray disc in 2024.
References
^ Beck, Jerry; Friedwald, Will (1989). Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons . Henry Holt and Co. p. 111. ISBN 0-8050-0894-2 .
^ Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons . Checkmark Books. pp. 60– 61. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7 . Retrieved June 6, 2020 .
External links
Looney Tunes short films
1930s 1940s
Patient Porky (1940; cameo)
Porky Pig's Feat (1943; cameo)
Buckaroo Bugs (1944)
Hare Conditioned (1945)
Hare Tonic (1945)
Baseball Bugs (1946)
Acrobatty Bunny (1946)
Racketeer Rabbit (1946)
The Big Snooze (1946)
Rabbit Transit (1947)
Easter Yeggs (1947)
Gorilla My Dreams (1948)
A Feather in His Hare (1948)
Buccaneer Bunny (1948)
Haredevil Hare (1948)
A-Lad-In His Lamp (1948)
Mississippi Hare (1949)
High Diving Hare (1949)
Long-Haired Hare (1949)
The Grey Hounded Hare (1949)
The Windblown Hare (1949)
Rabbit Hood (1949)
1950s 1960s
Horse Hare (1960)
Rabbit's Feat (1960)
The Abominable Snow Rabbit (1961)
Prince Violent (1961)
Wet Hare (1962)
Shishkabugs (1962)
The Million Hare (1963)
Hare-Breadth Hurry (1963)
Dumb Patrol (1964)
The Iceman Ducketh (1964)
False Hare (1964)
1990s
Merrie Melodies short films
1930s
Prest-O Change-O (1939)
Hare-um Scare-um (1939)
1940s 1950s
Hurdy-Gurdy Hare (1950)
Homeless Hare (1950)
Hillbilly Hare (1950)
Bunker Hill Bunny (1950)
Hare We Go (1951)
Bunny Hugged (1951)
French Rarebit (1951)
Ballot Box Bunny (1951)
Big Top Bunny (1951)
Foxy by Proxy (1952)
Oily Hare (1952)
Rabbit Seasoning (1952)
Rabbit's Kin (1952)
Duck Amuck (1953; cameo)
Upswept Hare (1953)
Hare Trimmed (1953)
Duck! Rabbit, Duck! (1953)
Captain Hareblower (1954)
Baby Buggy Bunny (1954)
Beanstalk Bunny (1955)
Hare Brush (1955)
This Is a Life? (1955)
Knight-mare Hare (1955)
Bugs' Bonnets (1956)
Napoleon Bunny-Part (1956)
Half-Fare Hare (1956)
Wideo Wabbit (1956)
To Hare Is Human (1956)
Ali Baba Bunny (1957)
Bedevilled Rabbit (1957)
What's Opera, Doc? (1957)
Rabbit Romeo (1957)
Hare-Less Wolf (1958)
Hare-Abian Nights (1959)
Apes of Wrath (1959)
Backwoods Bunny (1959)
Bonanza Bunny (1959)
People Are Bunny (1959)
1960s
Person to Bunny (1960)
From Hare to Heir (1960)
Lighter Than Hare (1960)
Compressed Hare (1961)
Bill of Hare (1962)
Devil's Feud Cake (1963)
The Unmentionables (1963)
Mad as a Mars Hare (1963)
Transylvania 6-5000 (1963)
Dr. Devil and Mr. Hare (1964)
1990s
Other short films Feature films
Theatrical Direct-to-video
TV series TV specials
Short films
1930s
Little Red Walking Hood (1937; early version)
The Isle of Pingo Pongo (1938; early version)
Cinderella Meets Fella (1938; early version)
A Feud There Was (1938; early version)
Johnny Smith and Poker-Huntas (1938; early version)
Hamateur Night (1939; early version)
A Day at the Zoo (1939; early version)
Believe It or Else (1939; early version)
1940s 1950s 1960s
Person to Bunny (1960)
Dog Gone People (1960)
What's My Lion? (1961)
Crows' Feat (1962)
1970s 1990s 2010s
Feature films
Theatrical Direct-to-video
TV series TV specials
Short subjects
1930s
The Night Watchman (1938)
Dog Gone Modern (1939)
Robin Hood Makes Good (1939)
Prest-O Change-O (1939)
Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur (1939)
Naughty but Mice (1939)
Old Glory (1939)
Snowman's Land (1939)
Little Brother Rat (1939)
The Little Lion Hunter (1939)
The Good Egg (1939)
Sniffles and the Bookworm (1939)
The Curious Puppy (1939)
1940s
Mighty Hunters (1940)
Elmer's Candid Camera (1940)
Sniffles Takes a Trip (1940)
Tom Thumb in Trouble (1940)
The Egg Collector (1940)
Ghost Wanted (1940)
Stage Fright (1940)
Good Night Elmer (1940)
Bedtime for Sniffles (1940)
(1941)
Sniffles Bells the Cat (1941)
Joe Glow, the Firefly (1941)
Porky's Ant (1941)
Toy Trouble (1941)
Porky's Prize Pony (1941)
Inki and the Lion (1941)
Snow Time for Comedy (1941)
The Brave Little Bat (1941)
Saddle Silly (1941)
Porky's Midnight Matinee (1941)
The Bird Came C.O.D. (1942)
Porky's Cafe (1942)
Conrad the Sailor (1942)
Dog Tired (1942)
The Draft Horse (1942)
Hold the Lion, Please (1942)
The Squawkin' Hawk (1942)
Fox Pop (1942)
The Dover Boys at Pimento University; or, The Rivals of Roquefort Hall (1942)
My Favorite Duck (1942)
Case of the Missing Hare (1942)
To Duck or Not to Duck (1943)
Flop Goes the Weasel (1943)
Super-Rabbit (1943)
The Unbearable Bear (1943)
The Aristo-Cat (1943)
Coming!! Snafu (1943)
Wackiki Wabbit (1943)
Spies (1943)
The Infantry Blues (1943)
Fin'n Catty (1943)
Inki and the Minah Bird (1943)
Point Rationing of Foods (1943)
Tom Turk and Daffy (1944)
Bugs Bunny and the Three Bears (1944)
Private Snafu vs. Malaria Mike (1944)
The Weakly Reporter (1944)
A Lecture on Camouflage (1944)
Going Home (1944, unreleased)
Gas (1944)
Angel Puss (1944)
Outpost (1944)
From Hand to Mouse (1944)
Lost and Foundling (1944)
Hell-Bent for Election (1944)
Odor-able Kitty (1945)
Private Snafu in The Aleutians—Isles of Enchantment (Oh Brother!) (1945)
Trap Happy Porky (1945)
It's Murder She Says (1945)
Hare Conditioned (1945)
Fresh Airedale (1945)
No Buddy Atoll (1945)
Hare Tonic (1945)
Secrets of the Caribbean (1945)
Quentin Quail (1946)
Hush My Mouse (1946)
Hair-Raising Hare (1946)
Fair and Worm-er (1946)
Roughly Squeaking (1946)
Scent-imental Over You (1947)
Inki at the Circus (1947)
A Pest in the House (1947)
House Hunting Mice (1947)
Little Orphan Airedale (1947)
A Feather in His Hare (1948)
What's Brewin', Bruin? (1948)
Rabbit Punch (1948)
Haredevil Hare (1948)
You Were Never Duckier (1948)
Daffy Dilly (1948)
My Bunny Lies over the Sea (1948)
Scaredy Cat (1948)
So Much for So Little (1949)
Awful Orphan (1949)
Mississippi Hare (1949)
Mouse Wreckers (1949)
The Bee-Deviled Bruin (1949)
Long-Haired Hare (1949)
Often an Orphan (1949)
Fast and Furry-ous (1949)
Frigid Hare (1949)
For Scent-imental Reasons (1949)
Bear Feat (1949)
Rabbit Hood (1949)
1950s
The Scarlet Pumpernickel (1950)
The Ducksters (1950)
Dog Gone South (1950)
8 Ball Bunny (1950)
The Hypo-Chondri-Cat (1950)
Homeless Hare (1950)
Caveman Inki (1950)
Rabbit of Seville (1950)
Two's A Crowd (1950)
Bunny Hugged (1951)
Scent-imental Romeo (1951)
A Hound for Trouble (1951)
Rabbit Fire (1951)
Chow Hound (1951)
The Wearing of the Grin (1951)
Cheese Chasers (1951)
A Bear for Punishment (1951)
Drip-Along Daffy (1951)
Operation: Rabbit (1952)
Feed the Kitty (1952)
Little Beau Pepé (1952)
Water, Water Every Hare (1952)
Beep, Beep (1952)
The Hasty Hare (1952)
Going! Going! Gosh! (1952)
Mouse-Warming (1952)
Rabbit Seasoning (1952)
Terrier Stricken (1952)
Orange Blossoms for Violet (1952)
Don't Give Up the Sheep (1953)
Forward March Hare (1953)
Kiss Me Cat (1953)
Duck Amuck (1953)
Much Ado About Nutting (1953)
Wild Over You (1953)
Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century (1953)
Bully for Bugs (1953)
Zipping Along (1953)
Lumber Jack-Rabbit (1953)
Duck! Rabbit, Duck! (1953)
Punch Trunk (1953)
Feline Frame-Up (1954)
No Barking (1954)
The Cat's Bah (1954)
Claws for Alarm (1954)
Bewitched Bunny (1954)
Stop! Look! And Hasten! (1954)
From A to Z-Z-Z-Z (1954)
My Little Duckaroo (1954)
Sheep Ahoy (1954)
Baby Buggy Bunny (1954)
Beanstalk Bunny (1955)
Ready, Set, Zoom! (1955)
Past Perfumance (1955)
Rabbit Rampage (1955)
Double or Mutton (1955)
Jumpin' Jupiter (1955)
Knight-mare Hare (1955)
Two Scent's Worth (1955)
Guided Muscle (1955)
One Froggy Evening (1955)
90 Day Wondering (1956)
Bugs' Bonnets (1956)
Broom-Stick Bunny (1956)
Rocket Squad (1956)
Heaven Scent (1956)
Gee Whiz-z-z-z-z-z-z (1956)
Barbary Coast Bunny (1956)
Rocket-Bye Baby (1956)
Deduce, You Say! (1956)
There They Go-Go-Go! (1956)
To Hare Is Human (1956)
Scrambled Aches (1957)
Ali Baba Bunny (1957)
Go Fly a Kit (1957)
Boyhood Daze (1957)
Steal Wool (1957)
What's Opera, Doc? (1957)
Zoom and Bored (1957)
Touché and Go (1957)
Drafty, Isn't It? (1957)
Robin Hood Daffy (1958)
Hare-Way to the Stars (1958)
Whoa, Be-Gone! (1958)
To Itch His Own (1958)
Hook, Line and Stinker (1958)
Hip Hip-Hurry! (1958)
Cat Feud (1958)
Baton Bunny (1959)
Hot-Rod and Reel! (1959)
Wild About Hurry (1959)
1960s
Fastest with the Mostest (1960)
Who Scent You? (1960)
Rabbit's Feat (1960)
Ready, Woolen and Able (1960)
Hopalong Casualty (1960)
High Note (1960)
Zip 'N Snort (1961)
The Mouse on 57th Street (1961)
The Abominable Snow Rabbit (1961)
Lickety-Splat (1961)
A Scent of the Matterhorn (1961)
Compressed Hare (1961)
Beep Prepared (1961)
Nelly's Folly (1961)
A Sheep in the Deep (1962)
Zoom at the Top (1962)
Louvre Come Back to Me! (1962)
Martian Through Georgia (1962)
I Was a Teenage Thumb (1963)
Now Hear This (1963)
Hare-Breadth Hurry (1963)
Mad as a Mars Hare (1963)
Transylvania 6-5000 (1963)
To Beep or Not to Beep (1963)
Tom and Jerry (cartoon shorts, 1963–1967)
War and Pieces (1964)
Zip Zip Hooray! (1965)
Road Runner a Go-Go (1965)
The Dot and the Line: A Romance in Lower Mathematics (1965)
The Bear That Wasn't (1967)
1980s
Spaced Out Bunny (1980)
Soup or Sonic (1980)
1990s
Television specials Feature films Television series Books
Daffy Duck for President (1997)
Characters Other works
Chuck Amuck: The Movie
Chuck Jones: Extremes & Inbetweens – A Life in Animation
Related
Hare-abian Nights (1959)
Really Scent (1959)
A Witch's Tangled Hare (1959)
The Iceman Ducketh (1964)