Hare Remover

Hare Remover is a 1946 Merrie Melodies short planned by Frank Tashlin and finished by Robert McKimson.
== Title ==
The title is another obvious play on "hair", and on patent medicines that had the opposite effect of a "hair tonic".
== Plot ==
Elmer tries his best to create one of those "Jekyll and Hyde potions" that "changes a normal character into a devilish fiend", but his experiments always end in failure, causing his test animals to run for the hills and eat grass. "Experimental Dog" Rover was his last remaining victim. He decides to trap a rabbit as his next subject. Bugs is aware of Elmer planning to trap him but decides to go along with the charade. After he traps him, Elmer forcefully gives Bugs the potion, again with no success. Elmer gets upset about his failures until Bugs gives him one of the potions, causing Elmer to experience the same initial looney side effects the other animals had. Bugs comments, "I think Spencer Tracy did it much better. Don't you, folks?" while watching Elmer act funny. As Elmer experiences the looney side effects of the potion, Bugs flashes rebus picture cards at Elmer showing a "screwball," a "crackpot," a "drip," "bats in the belfry," and so on off-screen before Elmer runs outside and eats grass with Rover, himself still eating grass.
When a bear enters the lab from the nearby forest wearing Elmer's hat, Bugs thinks the potion changed him into a bear. Bugs's attempt to create an antidote proved to be unsuccessful as it only set the bear's mouth on fire. Just before the bear angrily tosses the vial of failed antidote at Bugs, the rabbit makes a run of it. Then the bear picks up Bugs's carrot and eats it to try and get the awful taste of the antidote out of his mouth. When Elmer returns to his lab, he thought Bugs had transformed into a bear and tries to make an antidote for him. However, the bear smacked the vial away from Elmer. The scientist chastises the bear until he discovers that the bear is real. The bear chases Elmer around the lab until Bugs told Elmer to play dead to fool the bear and is saved by his bad odor. Elmer thinks he's safe until he thinks he hears the bear again, but it's Bugs this time, imitating the bear. Meanwhile, the bear is standing on the side of the room watching them, convinced that both Elmer and Bugs are crazy, flashing rebus picture cards just like Bugs did earlier.
== Caricatures ==
* Spencer Tracy - mentioned by Bugs
== Availability ==
Lt bugs v elmer.jpg|(1990) VHS Cartoon Moviestars: Bugs Vs. Elmer
Bugs Bunny Collection VHS 7.jpg|(1991) VHS Bugs Bunny Collection: Here Comes Bugs 
Golden-Age-of-Looney-Tunes-2-F.jpg|(1992) LaserDisc The Golden Age of Looney Tunes, Vol. 2, Side 3: Frank Tashlin 
Golden Collection box 3.jpg|(2005) DVD Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 3, Disc One
Lt cbobb3.jpg|(2005) DVD Looney Tunes Collection Best of Bugs Bunny Volume 3
lt cv3.jpg|(2018) DVD Looney Tunes Collection Volume 3
Looney Tunes Bugs Bunny Golden Carrot Collection.png|(2020) DVD Looney Tunes Bugs Bunny Golden Carrot Collection
=== Streaming ===
Lt hbo max.jpg|HBO Max (2020 - 2023) (restored)
Lt max.jpg|Max (2023 - ) (restored)
== Notes ==
* Elmer seldom referred to his perennial co-star by name, but typically only as "that scwewy wabbit" or similar expressions. This cartoon is one of the few in which Elmer actually acknowledges the bunny's name. When he sees the bear munching a carrot and assumes that it's the rabbit transformed by his drug, Elmer cries with joy, "Bugs Bunny!" In the reverse situation, when Bugs mistakes the bear for Elmer, Bugs still calls him "Doc!"
* In the original release of this cartoon, there is an abrupt jump cut that occurs between Elmer celebrating Bugs' capture and Elmer sternly carrying Bugs to his laboratory. The missing scene is most likely to be lost, as the release on Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 3 did not restore it.http://www.intanibase.com/gac/looneytunes/censored-h.aspx Additionally, a production drawing, which is presumed to be from said scene, has been found.
* This is Frank Tashlin's last cartoon that he directed before leaving Warner Bros. Cartoons. However, as it was released after his departure, he is not credited.
** This short is also the second and last short Tashlin directed to feature Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd.
* Bugs' quip that "Spencer Tracy did it better" refers to the famed actor's role as Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Edward Hyde in the 1941 version of the movie Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde from Warner Bros. Pictures.
* The short punchline where Elmer plays dead to get a bear away from him, only for Bugs to return and pretend he is a bear while Elmer is unconscious, is similar to a sequence done in "Wabbit Twouble" (1941).
* Elmer's laboratory clothing in this cartoon is colored green, which is a reference to his "prototype" Egghead who generally wears green, as well as the clothing from his debut cartoon "Elmer's Candid Camera" (1940) where Elmer also wore Egghead's green clothing.
* The lobby card cites the title as "Elmer's Hare Remover".
== Goofs==
* When Elmer drinks the potion and turns red, the top of his hat is blown off, but when he becomes red-and-white-striped and spins, the hat reappears.
* After Bugs leaves the bear alone in the lab, the bear picks up a carrot and takes a bite off the end. But when Elmer comes in and sees the bear, he takes the carrot from the bear and the carrot is intact.
* After the bear drinks the antidote that Bugs Bunny makes him, the hat he was wearing disappears. When Elmer Fudd reappears the hat on the bear's head reappears.
* Elmer doesn't know Bugs' name, yet calls the bear he mistakes for Bugs "Bugs Bunny". Same thing with Bugs not knowing Elmer's name, yet calls the bear he mistakes for Elmer Elmer's name.
* After Elmer makes his potion for the first time, he walks off screen to the right to give it to the dog. As he walks to the right, his cel stops moving and part of his face is cut off.
* There are a couple of missing sound effects in certain scenes, such as Elmer's crying sounds when Bugs cheers him up, as well as "whooshing" sound effects at each time Bugs and Elmer disappear off the shot to create the antidote for the bear which they both mistake for transformed versions of each other.
==Gallery==
469-Credits.png
HARE REMOVER.png
HareRemover1.jpg|"I think Spencer Tracy did it much better. Don't you, folks?"
Hare-Remover-600.jpg|Lobby card
469-PD1.png|Production drawing
469-PD2.png|Production drawings
469-PD3.png|Production drawings, including a drawing that appears to be from the lost scene (in the middle).
469-PD4.png|Production drawings
==References==
Category:Bugs Bunny Cartoons
Category:Elmer Fudd Cartoons
Category:Shorts
Category:Merrie Melodies Shorts
Category:Cartoons written by Warren Foster
Category:Cartoons with characters voiced by Mel Blanc
Category:Cartoons with characters voiced by Arthur Q. Bryan
Category:Cartoons produced by Eddie Selzer
Category:Cartoons with layouts by Robert Givens
Category:Cartoons with backgrounds by Richard H. Thomas
Category:Cartoons with film editing by Treg Brown
Category:Cartoons with sound effects edited by Treg Brown
Category:Cartoons with music by Carl W. Stalling
Category:Cartoons with orchestrations by Milt Franklyn
Category:1946
Category:Cartoons in a.a.p. package
Category:Cartoons with uncredited directors