What's Up Doc?

Plot synopsis:
While relaxing at his luxury home in Hollywood, Bugs is telephoned by the Disassociated Press and asked about his life story. He begins to recount it to the caller, starting with his birth. We see Bugs is born as "a rabbit in a human world", and grows up to attend dancing school.Bugs decides to enter acting after graduating, and is quickly inundated with offers, most of which he rejects, including a script for "Life with Father", saying, "This will never be a hit." He finally accepts roles in three major plays-- all as a chorus boy. One day, though, he is given the opportunity to have a starring role when the original actor falls ill. Bugs does his best to entertain, but his routine completely dies in front of the audience, forcing him back to the role of a chorus boy. As a result of this, Bugs takes a sabbatical from acting until he can find a decent part.One day, Elmer Fudd, a major vaudeville star, comes through a park filled with out of work actors, including Bugs. All of them try to impress Elmer, to no avail. Elmer suddenly spots Bugs, and encourages him to be his co-star. Bugs instantly accepts. The role he receives is being on the receiving end of humiliation in a vaudeville show, being hit with pies and sprayed with seltzer by Elmer while he's telling the punchline to a lame joke. The two perform this show in Peoria and Buffalo to moderate success.On the way to New York, however, Bugs decides to add variety to the act. On stage, he pies Elmer, sprays him with seltzer, and hits him with a mallet while telling the punchline to a lame joke. Elmer then pulls a rifle on Bugs in front of the audience, prompting him to nervously ad-lib, "Eh, what's up, doc?" This line receives rapturous applause. The two realize they have a successful routine, so they repeat it and receive rapturous applause again. They bow and dance off the stage.Bugs takes a job at Warner Bros, shooting a screen test with Elmer that goes over very well. This brings Bugs to the end of his story, and he tells the caller he's due to begin shooting his first major film, noting that the part was written specifically for him. He lets the caller go after realizing he's due on set.The picture is called "What's Up Doc?", and the first scene is about to begin shooting. It takes place on a massive stage, and the curtain opens. Bugs comes onto the stage performing the same role he started with-- a chorus boy, much to his frustration. Iris out.

Tags: psychedelic

Review:
Robert McKimson wasn't all bad as a director: here's a delightful short highlighted by a swinging title song number.
The Disassociated Press wants Bugs Bunny's life story.
"First," says Bugs, "I was born." He quickly learns he is different from the other children: he's a "rabbit in a human world." He grows up to accept repetitive chorus boy jobs in such Broadway revues as "Girl of the Golden Vest," "Wearing of the Grin" and "Rosie's Cheeks." His career hits the skids and he's living on a park bench before he's discovered by that great vaudeville star, Elmer Fudd.
Their dual comedy act is a hit, which leads to film roles.
Will Bugs Bunny ever have to look back?The director of this picture, Robert McKimson, is rated low among cartoon fans, and I think rightly so.
But this film is a delight, especially Bugs's and Elmer's swinging musical number, "What's Up, Doc?" Here is McKimson at his rare best.Other treats include caricatures of Al Jolson, Jack Benny, Eddie Cantor and Bing Crosby, (and Elmer's crack at their expense); and funny bits from Bugs's and Elmer's comedy act.This cartoon is included in the "Looney Tunes Golden Collection, Volume One," Disc 1..
One of Robert McKimson's best efforts.
Robert McKimson is one of the "other" Warner Brothers directors, after the Big Four-Tex Avery, Chuck Jones, Friz Freleng and Bob Clampett.
While nowhere near as innovative, with work that varied sometimes wildly in quality, he was probably the most solid of the other directors and this was one of his best efforts and an excellent addition to the Bugs Bunny efforts.
Wonderful short that deserves to be seen.
The Interesting-But Not-That-Funny History Of Bugs Bunny.
This is a bit different from most Bugs Bunny cartoons: the life story of Bugs, from when he knew he was "a bit different" (the rest of the babies were humans and he was a rabbit) to his beginnings in the world of show business.However, the latter doesn't pan out.
Bugs is down on his luck and moping around on a park bench, when Elmer Fudd passes by and says, "Why are you hanging around with these guys?
They'll never amount to anything." (They are Al Jolson, Jack Benny, Eddie Cantor and Bing Crosby!) Elmer gets him a job back in the theater.
It travels on to Buffalo and then New York City, but Bugs is getting bugged.
He's tired of being Elmer's foil and getting pies shoved in his face, etc.
He reverses the act and finishes with "What's up, doc?" It's a smash!
Offers come in from everywhere and the two head off to Hollywood and Warner Brothers.
The rest is history.There are not a lot of laughs in here: very few, in fact, but it's fairly interesting.
This is good for one viewing only, unless you're a big fan or a collector of BB cartoons, then it might be of historical significance..
just like Hollywood.
Before Hollywood biographies centered on drug abuse and such things, "What's Up Doc?" portrayed Bugs Bunny telling his life story from childhood - "I knew I was different, and then it hit me: I was a rabbit in a human world." - up to his career in entertainment.
However, it seems like there's a little less in this cartoon than the Looney Tunes cartoons usually showed.
But I'd say that it's strength lies in its portrayal of the lack of employment in Hollywood (which I've heard is actually around 95%), and how it forces individuals into self-degrading work.
Maybe I can't prove that, but I just get that feeling.So, it's not the greatest cartoon, but worth seeing.
For my money, the penultimate of Bugs Bunny's career.Bugs tells his life story over the phone to the Disassociated Press (a clue for what we're in for.)  We follow the trace of his career from dancing school, vaudeville, unemployment, a break from "big vaudeville star" Elmer Fudd (!), a twist in the act that's a hit with the audience and puts them in the big time.And finally, Hollywood.
The bit where they sing the title song does it for me.
An upbeat Bugs Bunny episode.
I thought it good that after less than ten years of Bugs Bunny, the WB studios were ready to make a history episode of Bugs Bunny's life.
It may not be how other people see it, but it's just a cartoon.
"What's Up Doc" may not have the humour right for everybody, but it can appeal to a wide range of people, many who might even say they do not like Looney Tunes.
This is one of my favourite Bugs Bunny shorts and there are many other people out there with similar tastes as me, who will enjoy it even more, or just as much.In this episode, Bugs Bunny, sunbathing beside his swimming pool, receives a call from a reporter who wants to know about his life.
Bugs gives an account of his days from babyhood to the now and we see him performing in familiar and unfamiliar episodes and it is a delight to watch...I recommend this to anybody who is bored of the slapstick and farce in Looney Tunes and prefers different sorts of this WB cartoon series.
Enjoy "What's Up Doc?" :-).
Okay, now, I'm sick of hearing about how Robert McKimson doesn't match up with against the "great" Looney Tunes directors like Chuck Jones, Friz Freleng, Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, and I've even read in a book written by one of the foremost cartoon critics, Leonard Maltin, that he doesn't even compare well against Art Davis!
I'm not going to denigrate those other directors (well, maybe Davis), we come here to praise McKimson.
When anyone says he's not in the the same league as these others, just remember that those four are a few of the greatest names in cartoon history.
How about the creation of such characters as Foghorn Leghorn, Henery Hawk, Hippety Hopper, Sylvester Jr., Speedy Gonzales, and the Tasmanian Devil, amongst others.In What's Up Doc?
(yes, my little rant is over) we have another of those wonderful devices where a cartoon character tells us about his rise to stardom, and it's never been done better.
The vaudeville scenes are highlighted by the duo of Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd singing "What's Up Doc?".
Although I'll admit that the joke at the end is a little tame, overall this is one of those memorable Warner Bros.
cartoon from their golden age.
Oh, and did I mention that this is directed by Robert McKimson?.
In this short, Bugs tells the story of his life from the day he was born right up until his discovery in Hollywood and subsequent stardom.
It isn't really funny as Bugs doesn't have anyone to work with for most of the cartoon.
There are a couple of scenes with Elmer Fudd but he doesn't do or say much.
And the running joke with the chorus dancers in the tuxedos wasn't all that amusing.
I was also a bit annoyed at the end because not only is it not funny but it isn't true.
I've seen better Bugs cartoons than this.
Though I must say the title song is very cool (used in many of 'Rabbit/Duck season' cartoons with Bugs, Daffy and Elmer).
Bugs in Chorus.
What's Up Doc has Bugs Bunny in Hollywood.
Well, Bugs himself refers to this in the beginning, while he is conversing on the telephone with the press.
He narrates his life story by saying how 'different' he was from others when he was born.
Not only was he a bunny, but he was also a prodigy, playing the toddler piano like Mozart and then stepping it to Broadway.
His 'meteoric' rise involves repetition of performances in various shows, which brings him fame and the moment he tries a one-act performance, his career takes a wrong turn.
He becomes depressed and aloof till Elmer Fudd notices him and the two form an alliance.'What's Up Doc?' has some sparkling moments- the 'talk, it's your nickel' joke, the 'first I was born' opening, the desperate attempts made the other struggling actors when Elmer enters and the ironic ending.
'Singin' in the Rain' may have been inspired by this short- however the film is a masterpiece.
This short's main problem is that it's a short, so it does not really justify its title to a great extent.
It tries to cover too much in its short run length- which proves to be a double edged sword for WUD?.The animation however is quite superior, and the production is commendable.
'Duck Amuck's' animation is comparatively inferior, however the plot was apt for a short.
A thirty minute film for What's up Doc?
would do it more justice.I read a number of reviews that found the film to be boring and unfunny; I found the film to be a brave and somewhat visionary attempt considering the year it was made.
And Bugs Bunny is just adorable.
Short but very interesting and handsomely mounted Bugs Bunny cartoon.
While the cartoon feels rather short and the story on the standard side, it is a interesting, memorable and handsomely mounted Bugs Bunny cartoon.
Nothing here is remarkably funny, but there are some effective scenes like the scene in the park and the repeat of "What's Up Doc?" The cartoon also begins and ends in a very cute fashion, and throughout there is handsome animation, lovely vaudeville-like music and excellent voices from Mel Blanc and Arthur Q.Bryan as Bugs and Elmer who make a great double act if I must say so.
Bugs is great here, he's been better, but I like his somewhat subdued side here, and Elmer is fine.Overall, memorable and interesting, not the best but a cartoon worth watching.
8/10 Bethany Cox. A nice cartoon that falls short of its premises potential.
Robert McKimson's 'What's Up, Doc' is a witty take on Bugs Bunny's rise to fame.
Relating his life story to a reporter over the phone, Bugs tells of his birth, his early experiences with showbiz and his big break when he was discovered by "big vaudeville star" Elmer Fudd.
Although it feels vaguely like a one joke picture which spends it whole time building to a funny but slightly non-sensical punchline, 'What's Up, Doc' has some great moments such as its take on the origins of the titular catchphrase and even a musical number.
While the laughs are a little thin on the ground, 'What's Up, Doc' is still a handsome and decently paced film.
It's a minor but reasonably memorable cartoon..
True to life, if performing.
Bugs Bunny performs in what today may be coined as a 'reality TV' manner, so the form of jokes in this episode are more in tune of observational humor from the audience point of view as opposed to Bugs delivering a punchline.
(In many WB cartoons, the biggest punchline is often choreographed far beforehand and there is a tremendous buildup towards it as if creating a 'money' shot to laugh at) As this is unlike those more directionally forward comedic episodes, the plot line for this episode is much more structured and balanced to contain a stronger sense of realism.
Or at least one that portrays Bugs Bunny is a real character trying to survive in a real world where he is a bunny entertainer.This is a very fitting tribute to stage performances and the jokes are true to life to anyone who performs live entertainment.
(Similiariily as Dilbert mirrors office humor, the jokes effectiveness is based on these "true to life" moments) It is quite possible that this episode was created with that in mind and meant more for the entertainers of that era as the target audience.
A nice vaudeville twist to the standard hunter/rabbit story.
"What's Up Doc?" is a very clever Bugs Bunny/Elmer Fudd cartoon directed by Robert McKimson.
In this film, Bugs is a full-fledged dancer, singer, and all-around entertainer who struggles for his big break in show business.
He teams up with fellow vaudevillian Elmer Fudd and, after upstaging & infuriating him, stumbles upon the catchphrase "Eh, what's up, Doc?" and the crowd goes wild!
Highlights: Bugs as a toddler is given a toy piano by his parents, so he immediately bangs away at one of Franz Liszt's famous Hungarian Rhapsodies!
It's pure vaudeville when Bugs & Elmer swap one-liners, pies, seltzer bottles, mallets, and yuk-yuk-yuks.
At a Warner Bros.
screen test, Bugs & Elmer sing "What's Up Doc?" together on stage while Bugs pulls a few of his tricks on Elmer.
Bugs as a hobo sits on a park bench next to fellow hoboes Al Jolson, Jack Benny, Eddie Cantor, and Bing Crosby (all very nicely caricatured).
And finally, "Oh, we're the boys in the chorus, / We hope you like our show.
/ We know you're rootin' for us, / But now we have to gooooooo." "What's Up Doc?" is an enjoyable cartoon that I had never seen until I obtained the DVD (Disc 1 of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 1), and I believe it is definitely worth seeing.
Bugs Bunny goes through a fair amount of adventure (and misadventure) as he climbs up (and down) the hierarchal ladder of show business..
The film begins with Bugs at his palatial mansion being interviewed by a Hollywood columnist.
She asks him to recall his rise to stardom from his earliest days on Vaudeville (when he was continually pelted with pies by his partner Elmer) to the accidental switching of roles to Bugs' attempt to make it on Broadway singing in the chorus.
It's all cute fun and leads up the the cartoon's conclusion when Bugs shows that he's finally made it on screen and begins acting his big scene---an exact duplicate of his chorus days on Broadway.
I liked this cute ending but doubt if the average kid would really understand the joke.As always, the production values are tops and this is a highly entertaining film..
is an amusing show biz parody cartoon from Bugs Bunny.
What's Up Doc?
What's Up Doc?
is a pretty amusing, if not hilarious, cartoon from director Robert McKimson about Bugs Bunny's rise in show biz.
Then as an adult, he starts in the chorus in various musical revues.
Bugs blows his big chance, however, when his solo act only gets crickets chirping (a familiar cartoon gag for when a performer bombs).
Down on his luck, he sits on a park bench with Al Jolson, Jack Benny, Eddie Cantor, and Bing Crosby when headliner Elmer Fudd walks by.
Fudd rejects everybody as they do their trademark cues except Bugs.
Bugs is basically a stooge to Elmer so he switches punchlines in New York which causes an angry Fudd to get a rifle in the wabbit's face making Bugs say, "What's Up Doc?" for the first time.
As he notices the audience eat it up, he tells Elmer to say it again.
That leads to their first screen test at Warner Bros.
where Bugs sings "What's Up Doc?" with Elmer singing and dancing along at the end.
Having told all this to a female reporter, Bugs looks at his watch and says he's due on the set for his next starring role.
As the curtain with his initials goes up, we see him singing and dancing with...those same chorus boys he performed earlier with in his career!
Like I said mostly amusing if not hilarious though I loved many of the jokes that Elmer and Bugs did in the vaudeville segments.
Anyone who saw the live-action What's Up, Doc?
that starred Barbra Streisand and Ryan O'Neal should be very familiar with the "What's Up Doc?" number since that sequence appeared at the end of that movie.
This short is part of Volume one of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection..
Bugs - the early years.
"What's Up Doc?" is a fairly known quote from all these Bugs Bunny short films that comes up again and again and here we have the short film with the same title that shows us how it was created.
This cartoons runs for 7 minutes and has McKimson, Foster and Blanc work on it, some of Warner Bros' most known and most prolific.
It depicts the early days of Bugs' life and career as we see him as a baby rabbit (cute!) and as an aspiring artist with a rocky road to stardom as well as the crowd did not love him initially.
But Elmer makes him a star and this short film tells us that all the Bugs Bunny cartoons we watch are actually show and acted by everybody we see in there, not real life.
As a whole, this was an okay short film, the highlight was certainly the scene with the caricatures of famous (actually existing) actors who lost their fame and I like it in particular because it was also a bit critical about the industry.
Luckily, Bugs managed to get back and really launch his big career unlike the others.
Good cartoon, I recommend the watch..
In the Looney Tunes Universe, "Tools of Ignorance" invariably denotes firearms, from Yosemite Sam's pistols to Elmer Fudd's long guns.
Mr. Fudd is depicted as a patronizing bully to Bugs Bunny as soon as the former makes an appearance in WHAT'S UP, DOC?
But as a Wealthy One Per Center, normal folks such as Bugs have to Kow-Tow to Fudd's every perverse whim.
However, sensing that he could lose his status as Top Dog in the Looney Tunes Animated Shorts Universe to the more talented Bugs, Elmer introduces a shooting iron on the WHAT'S UP, DOC?
scene 5 minutes, 21 seconds into this story.
As soon as Mr. Fudd resorts to such a False Security Blanket, Bugs has the upper hand.
It's now Elmer who's second fiddling for the remainder of this tale, forced to wield his "tool of ignorance" as a perpetual reminder that careers that live by the gun, die by gun.
Move over Jesse James, John Dillinger, and Wild Bill: make room for Elmer Fudd!