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Horse Hare is a 1960 Looney Tunes short directed by Friz Freleng.
Plot[]
The year is 1886, and Sergeant Bugs is assigned to protect a U.S. Calvary outpost, Fort Lariat, from invaders as the cavalry leaves. Renegade Sam, accompanied by local Indians, attempts to invade the fort as he sees the cavalry gone, and they attempt to run into the fort, haphazardly shooting arrows throughout. Bugs locks up the door of the fort, causing Sam to crash into it. Meanwhile, Bugs eliminates most of Sam's troops, ranging from replacing an arrow with dynamite, and attacking directly.
Sam's gun begins to malfunction as well, only shooting anywhere except at Bugs. Sam calls Geronimo to break down the gate, but Sam gets hit by the battering log in the process and is flattened. Sam attempts to launch himself over the wall using a crossbow, but Bugs activates a switch to lift up the wall to hit Sam. As Sam tries to shoot after Bugs by stealing a native's rifle, Bugs hides from behind to hit rocks at the native, making the native think Sam is shooting at him. Eventually, Sam is too late to catch Bugs, as the cavalry arrives back and he is smashed in the crossfire between them and his own troops. Sam declares that he hates Bugs, the mule says it hates Sam, and Bugs states he loves everybody.
Availability[]
The Looney Tunes Video Show Volume 12
Censorship[]
- On the syndicated version of Merrie Melodies Starring Bugs Bunny & Friends, the scene where Bugs Bunny shoots the Indians attacking the fort was cut.[1]
- Nickelodeon's version, in contrast, left in the "Ten Little Indians" scene but cut Bugs' comment, "Oops. Sorry, that one was a half-breed" and the rest of the song, with the edited version having Bugs go up to "six little Injuns" before cutting to the Native Americans firing arrows at the fort.[1]
- This cartoon was part of the "Twelve Missing Hares" that were barred from airing on Cartoon Network's June 2001 Bugs marathon due to featuring Native American stereotypes. As with the other shorts of the group, it was originally intended to air in the marathon but was pulled due to executive backlash from AOL Time Warner. Despite being banned from the 2001 June Bugs, "Horse Hare" aired on June Bugs marathons in 1997, 1999, and 2000. The last known airing of the short on Cartoon Network (and, by proxy, American television) was on 17 August 2002.
- As of June 2025, Horse Hare is one of seven Bugs Bunny cartoons currently unavailable on an any official Looney Tunes DVD or Blu-Ray set; along with All This and Rabbit Stew (1941), Fresh Hare (1942), Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips (1944), A Feather in His Hare (1948), A-Lad-In His Lamp (1948) and Which Is Witch (1949).
Notes[]
- The premise of this cartoon would be used again in a 1971 Roland and Rattfink short, "Trick or Retreat", as happened often with the DePatie-Freleng cartoons.
- The "10 Little Injuns" scene has since became an internet meme, from at least 2023.
Gallery[]
References[]