Unnatural History is a 1959 Merrie Melodies short directed by Abe Levitow.
Plot[]
Professor Beest Lee narrates clips of animals and their quirky behavior. Scenes include:
- An ant running around in circles above and below the ground with a crumb
- Kissing porcupines
- A Bugs Bunny-like rabbit sent into space and returning with an alien wife and kids
- An orangutan that saws a hole in the ceiling to pull down a fridge
- A beaver literally damning a river after a piece breaks off
- A man who proclaims his dog can talk (where all the dog's responses are barks, although it is revealed to be true when he mentions that he probably should have said "DiMaggio" after they were thrown out of a talent agency office)
- Another man doing a pigeon act, but the pigeons fly out the window (a gag previously used in cartoons "Curtain Razor" and "Show Biz Bugs")
- A groundhog who uses advanced technology to predict the weather
- A mouse that scares an elephant but is scared by a tiny elephant (in a throwback to "Punch Trunk")
- A hospital room with a dog who has a cat latched onto his leg and refuses to let go
- A chameleon named Cal that can blend into different color screens until he encounters a plaid screen, breaking down and exclaiming "I just can't do it!"
- A dog patiently waiting on the front porch for his master, who has not been home in years; his master is revealed to be Professor Beest Lee.
Notes[]
- Working Title: "Is Zat Zoo?"
- The rabbit couple's names, Martian and John, are a reference to the 1951 Stan Freberg song "John and Marsha". "Wild Wife", "Punch Trunk", and "The Unexpected Pest" also reference this record.
- Pepe Le Pew makes a cameo appearance during the porcupine kiss scene.
- MeTV aired this short 14 July 2021 on Toon In with Me; however, this airing appears unrestored.
Gallery[]