Baton Bunny

Baton Bunny

Directed By: Chuck Jones Abe Levitow Produced By: John W. Burton (uncredited) Released: January 10, 1959 Series: Looney Tunes Story: Michael Maltese Animation: Ken Harris Richard Thompson Ben Washam Layouts: Maurice Noble Samuel Armstrong Backgrounds: Tom O'Loughlin Film Editor: Treg Brown Voiced By: Mel Blanc Music: Milt Franklyn Starring: Bugs Bunny Preceded By: Cat Feud Succeeded By: Mouse-Placed Kitten

Baton Bunny is a 1959 Looney Tunes short directed by Chuck Jones and Abe Levitow.

Plot

Bugs is getting ready to conduct "The Warner Bros. Symphony Orchestra" (supposedly in concert at the Hollywood Bowl) fancily. When he finishes his elaborate preparation, he starts to conduct. However, several problems plague Bugs' conduction, notably a bothersome Fly, and some awkward cuffs that keep falling off. Bugs attempts to kill the fly, crashing into the orchestra and the instruments as he does so. As the music comes to a stop, Bugs bows for the crowd, and instead of applause, hears only silence. Bugs looks around to see that the seats are empty, though he does hear some faint clapping - coming from the fly. Bugs bows to the fly.

Availability

• (1993) VHS - Authentic and Original Warner Bros. Looney Tunes Cartoons, Bugs Bunny's Hare-Brained Hits
• (1998) VHS - Looney Tunes Presents: Bugs Bunny: Big Top Bunny (1998 dubbed version)
• (1999) VHS - Looney Tunes: The Collectors Edition Volume 5: Musical Masterpieces
• (2001) DVD - I Love Tweety: Volume 2
• (2003) DVD - Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1, Disc 3
• (2003) DVD - Looney Tunes Spotlight Collection: Volume 1, Disc 1
• (2009) DVD - Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1960s Volume 2, Disc 1 (part of The Porky Pig Show, without the opening and closing titles)
• (2011) DVD - Looney Tunes Super Stars' Bugs Bunny: Wascally Wabbit (Region 4 only)

Notes

• This is the first short to be directed by Abe Levitow, as well as it being the Looney Tunes short to be directed by Abe Levitow, although it was also directed by Chuck Jones.
  • Eventually Levitow would begin directing a few Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts either by himself or with Chuck Jones, and Maurice Noble, around 1959 to 1962.
• Bugs conducts, and in part, plays the overture to "Ein Morgen, ein Mittag und ein Abend in Wien" (A Morning, Noon, and Night in Vienna)", a composition by Franz von Suppé.^[1]
• This short was used in the TV Special, Bugs Bunny's Overtures to Disaster.
• George Daugherty made use of the cartoon for his special concerts, Bugs Bunny on Broadway and Bugs Bunny at the Symphony.
• Though Mel Blanc was credited for the voices of all characters, there is no dialogue in the short. The only vocal effects made are when an audience member is heard coughing, and Bugs makes a 'shooshing' noise. This is the only Bugs Bunny short (other than "A Corny Concerto") where Bugs is silent (apart from the 'shoosh').
• Although not a direct remake, the short is similar in concept to "Rhapsody Rabbit", where it features Bugs as a concert musician (in this case as an orchestra conductor) upstaged by a pesky little creature (in this case, a fly). The fly from this short, as well as Cecil Turtle, the Gremlin from "Falling Hare", and the unnamed mouse from "Rhapsody Rabbit" are the very few characters who managed to outsmart Bugs.
• Bugs Bunny doesn't speak in this short.
• This short has been blue ribbon reissued as of 1969. However, the Color Rings were never altered, only the production code was.^{[citation needed|date=]}

Gallery

Lobby Card

Preliminary Lobby Card, signed by Willie Ito

Concept drawing by Mike Maltese

Another concept drawing by Mike Maltese

Concept sketch, signed by Willie Ito

Layout Drawing

Add a photo to this gallery

References

External Links

• Baton Bunny at SuperCartoons.net 
• Baton Bunny at B99.TV
• Baton Bunny on the SFX Resource Wiki