Bugs's Bunny

[W. Gray]

Someone mentioned Bugs Bunny and What's Up Doc, so I could not resist.

Bugs Bunny does not have the pedigree of the Disney characters. In fact, he has no family.

He was a Warner Brothers character that was "stolen" in the 1930s from Walt Disney via his Oswald Rabbit.

The Warner Brothers creator said it was a wonder they had not been sued. Bugs morphed into his own distinctive drawing over a two or three year period.

Bugs initially had no name but his creator in the Warner Brothers cartoon crew had the nickname of Bugs.

When first drawn the character was labeled as Bugs's Bunny awaiting the time he could be inserted into a cartoon and given a real name. When that time came, someone suggested going with what they had and so they dropped the possessive.

Bugs starred in many Merry Melodies and Looney Tunes cartoons. His behavior in eating and holding a carrot is modeled after Groucho Marx as is his saying "Of Course This Means War." The phrase "What's up Doc?" came from a producer who grew up in Texas and said it was a common phrase from where he came from. Bugs is also famous for the phrase "Left toin at Albakourkee."

As I was putting this together, I wondered if any of the older forum members had ever complained to Warner Brothers about their misspelling of the word loony.

[dnalexander]

I would have to say Bugs Bunny is probably my favorite cartoon. They just don't make 'em like that any more. My favorite one was a take off on the opera "Barber of Seville" starring Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd. I remember Elmer Fudd singing "Kill the rabbit, kill the rabbit..." to the music from the opera. Very funny. Also, the sophisticated and often adult humor contained in Bugs Bunny is missing from today's cartoons.

David

[Wilma]

Waldo, no, I never considered the word "loony" as being misspelled.  In fact, I had never associated it with the word "luny".  But now that you mention it, I can see the connection.  My dictionary doesn't list the word luny, but rather lunacy, which wouldn't sound right anyway.  Lunacy Tunes?  Doesn't have the same ring, does it?

David, you are right about today's cartoons.  I have tried watching some of them and I find nothing but noise and fast actions, with no story line.  Even today's Winnie, the Pooh isn't the same as it used to be a few short years ago.

"Kill the rabbit, kill the rabbit..." has probably been dropped as being too suggestive or violent for today's children.

[dnalexander]

Actually I should have written "Kiwl da wabbit, Kill da wabbit. Hey I don't think it hurt us?

David

[dnalexander]

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/looney

Main Entry:
    loo•ny
Variant(s):
    also loo•ney  \ˈlü-nē\
Function:
    adjective
Inflected Form(s):
    loo•ni•er; loo•ni•est
Etymology:
    by shortening & alteration from lunatic
Date:
    1872

: crazy, foolish
— loo•ni•ness noun
— loony noun

[W. Gray]

Actually I was referring to Looney and Loony. Some dictionaries accept Looney as an alternative and some don't.  But, I would think with Looney Tunes as being so prevalent, it would be accepted as a standard usage. As I type on this forum, the spell checker wants to change it to Loony.

Ted Turner owns most of the WB Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons.

He originally withdrew all of the Speedy Gonzales cartoons from television because he did not want Hispanics offended. He eventually relented.

There are eleven WB cartoons that have been permanently banned because they are too racial or show Germans  or Japanese in a bad light.

Lately, the WB cartoons have not been shown anywhere except on the Turner Movie Classics as a fill between movies. They once had a Saturday morning 30-minute showing but I think they might have dropped it.

When WB made a cartoon they categorized the cartoon as either a Looney Tunes or a Merrie Melodies depending on the content. According to one web site, a Looney Tunes cartoon featured a continuing character and a Merrie Melodies cartoon featured a one time character. Off the top of my head, I think I would disagree with that but I would have to look at some to determine exactly what they are driving at.

All of those Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies were made for adults, back when adults did not have a lot to do but go to the movies.

Most kids nowadays seem to like Tom and Jerry but do not care about Bugs Bunny and friends.

[Catwoman]

Actually, when I watch those golden moldies, I am constantly amazed at how adult the humor was in those cartoons...the beauty of it is, all of that goes right over the little ones' heads and they just think it's all just so funny!

[Wilma]

Who would've thunk that loony or looney was an actual word other than the name of a cartoon series.  I sure didn't.  I thought it was just something someone came up with to identify the series.

[Diane Amberg]

Did the term  "looney bin" come from the cartoon?

[dnalexander]

(From websters) They peg the use of looney bin at 1919. But I best leave it to our resident historian.


loony bin


Main Entry:
    loony bin
Function:
    noun
Date:
    1919

: a psychiatric hospital : madhouse