Bugs Bunny's Overtures to Disaster
Encyclopedia
Bugs Bunny's Overtures to Disaster is a 1991 Looney Tunes
Television special directed by Greg Ford and Terry Lennon. In new animation, Jeff Bergman
voiced Bugs, Daffy, Porky, Elmer and Sylvester.
After a clip from Rabbit of Seville
of the audience walking in, Bugs Bunny
emerges from his dressing room and begins to conduct. In the audience, the fly lands on Papa Bear's head; Baby Bear tries to squash it with his toy wagon, but only succeeds in knocking Papa unconscious. The fly flies up to Bugs, whose conducting is ruined.
Porky Pig
starts playing the William Tell Overture
before Daffy Duck
. Daffy is angered, and a fight ensues. The Lone Ranger and his horse Silver come in when the music is over.
Elmer Fudd
is up, and Sylvester
starts singing. In effect, Elmer decides to throw Sylvester out. Elmer starts to conduct Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
when Sylvester runs up and down the stairs singing Hungarian Rhapsody. Elmer beats up Sylvester and walks back in, but sees that the audience loved Sylvester's act. Elmer quits, declaring that he has been "humiwiated fow the wast time."
Bugs introduces The Barber of Seville
when Porky informs him that Elmer quit. Bugs goes to get him back and tricks him back onto set, performing Rabbit of Seville
. Bugs then tells him how they loved it and changes him into his Wagnerian warrior costume. Bugs tells him he'll like the next one because he gets to kill Bugs. They perform What's Opera Doc?.
Bugs then takes another shot at conducting, unaware that the fly has driven the audience away. The fly claps, Bugs shrugs and finally bows.
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
Television special directed by Greg Ford and Terry Lennon. In new animation, Jeff Bergman
Jeff Bergman
Jeff Allen Bergman is an American voice actor, who provides the modern day voices of various classic cartoon characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, George Jetson, Fred Flintstone, Yogi Bear, and Huckleberry Hound.-Life and career:Originally from Philadelphia,...
voiced Bugs, Daffy, Porky, Elmer and Sylvester.
Shorts used
- Baton BunnyBaton BunnyBaton Bunny is a Bugs Bunny cartoon of the Looney Tunes series, produced in 1958 and released in January 1959. It shows Bugs conducting an orchestra - with a fly bothering him. Bugs conducts, and in part, plays the overture to "Ein Morgen, ein Mittag und ein Abend in Wien" ", a composition by Franz...
(the first event; retried again as the last event which was ruined by a fly) - Daffy DuckDaffy DuckDaffy Duck is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons, often running the gamut between being the best friend and sometimes arch-rival of Bugs Bunny...
and Porky PigPorky PigPorky Pig is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. He was the first character created by the studio to draw audiences based on his star power, and the animators created many critically acclaimed shorts using the fat little pig...
in The William Tell Overture (the second event) - Back Alley OproarBack Alley OproarBack Alley Oproar is a Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies animated short originally released in theaters on March 27, 1948. The short features Sylvester and Elmer Fudd as its main characters, voiced by Mel Blanc and Arthur Q. Bryan respectively...
(used when Sylvester tried to ruin Elmer's Hungarian Rhapsody) - Rabbit of SevilleRabbit of SevilleRabbit of Seville is a 1949 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes theatrical cartoon short released in 1950. It was directed by Chuck Jones and written by Michael Maltese....
(the Fourth Event) - What's Opera Doc? (the last event on the agenda but Bugs tried Baton Bunny again after)
Plot
While reading the newspaper, The Three Bears decide to go to the opera. Also seen in the paper is the headline Experimental Fly escapes, cannot be killed.After a clip from Rabbit of Seville
Rabbit of Seville
Rabbit of Seville is a 1949 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes theatrical cartoon short released in 1950. It was directed by Chuck Jones and written by Michael Maltese....
of the audience walking in, Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
emerges from his dressing room and begins to conduct. In the audience, the fly lands on Papa Bear's head; Baby Bear tries to squash it with his toy wagon, but only succeeds in knocking Papa unconscious. The fly flies up to Bugs, whose conducting is ruined.
Porky Pig
Porky Pig
Porky Pig is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. He was the first character created by the studio to draw audiences based on his star power, and the animators created many critically acclaimed shorts using the fat little pig...
starts playing the William Tell Overture
William Tell Overture
The William Tell Overture is the instrumental introduction to the opera Guillaume Tell by Gioachino Rossini. William Tell premiered in 1829 and was the last of Rossini's 39 operas, after which he went into semi-retirement, although he continued to compose cantatas, sacred music and secular vocal...
before Daffy Duck
Daffy Duck
Daffy Duck is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons, often running the gamut between being the best friend and sometimes arch-rival of Bugs Bunny...
. Daffy is angered, and a fight ensues. The Lone Ranger and his horse Silver come in when the music is over.
Elmer Fudd
Elmer Fudd
Elmer J. Fudd/Egghead is a fictional cartoon character and one of the most famous Looney Tunes characters, and the de facto archenemy of Bugs Bunny. He has one of the more disputed origins in the Warner Bros. cartoon pantheon . His aim is to hunt Bugs, but he usually ends up seriously injuring...
is up, and Sylvester
Sylvester (Looney Tunes)
Sylvester J. Pussycat, Sr., Sylvester the Cat or simply Sylvester, is a fictional character, a three-time Academy Award-winning anthropomorphic Tuxedo cat in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies repertory, often chasing Tweety Bird, Speedy Gonzales, or Hippety Hopper...
starts singing. In effect, Elmer decides to throw Sylvester out. Elmer starts to conduct Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, S.244/2, is the second in a set of 19 Hungarian Rhapsodies by composer Franz Liszt, and is by far the most famous of the set. Few other piano solos have achieved such widespread popularity, offering the pianist the opportunity to reveal exceptional skill as a virtuoso,...
when Sylvester runs up and down the stairs singing Hungarian Rhapsody. Elmer beats up Sylvester and walks back in, but sees that the audience loved Sylvester's act. Elmer quits, declaring that he has been "humiwiated fow the wast time."
Bugs introduces The Barber of Seville
The Barber of Seville
The Barber of Seville, or The Futile Precaution is an opera buffa in two acts by Gioachino Rossini with a libretto by Cesare Sterbini. The libretto was based on Pierre Beaumarchais's comedy Le Barbier de Séville , which was originally an opéra comique, or a mixture of spoken play with music...
when Porky informs him that Elmer quit. Bugs goes to get him back and tricks him back onto set, performing Rabbit of Seville
Rabbit of Seville
Rabbit of Seville is a 1949 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes theatrical cartoon short released in 1950. It was directed by Chuck Jones and written by Michael Maltese....
. Bugs then tells him how they loved it and changes him into his Wagnerian warrior costume. Bugs tells him he'll like the next one because he gets to kill Bugs. They perform What's Opera Doc?.
Bugs then takes another shot at conducting, unaware that the fly has driven the audience away. The fly claps, Bugs shrugs and finally bows.
Trivia
- Sylvester's Hungarian Rhapsody from Back Alley OproarBack Alley OproarBack Alley Oproar is a Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies animated short originally released in theaters on March 27, 1948. The short features Sylvester and Elmer Fudd as its main characters, voiced by Mel Blanc and Arthur Q. Bryan respectively...
is reused here, with new animation because while Warner/Chappell MusicWarner/Chappell MusicWarner/Chappell Music, Inc. is an American music publishing company, and a division of the Warner Music Group. The company traces its origins back to 1811 and the founding of Chappell & Company, a music publishing company and instrument shop on London’s Bond Street that, in 1929, began a rapid...
held the rights to the music in the cartoon, Turner EntertainmentTurner EntertainmentTurner Entertainment Company, Inc. is an American media company founded by Ted Turner. Now owned by Time Warner, the company is largely responsible for overseeing its library for worldwide distribution Turner Entertainment Company, Inc. (commonly known as Turner Entertainment Co.) is an American...
(through the 1956 a.a.p. sale and various mergers) owned the rights to the footage at the time (Warner would not regain the rights until 1996). - In the audience, you see cameos of Mr. Meek from "The Wise Quacking DuckThe Wise Quacking DuckThe Wise Quacking Duck is a 1943 Looney Tunes cartoon in Technicolor, Released by Warner Bros. on May 1, 1943. It stars Daffy Duck.-Plot Summary:...
", the two stranded men from "Wackiki WabbitWackiki WabbitWackiki Wabbit is a 1943 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies cartoon, starring Bugs Bunny. It was written by Tedd Pierce and directed by Chuck Jones. Voices were provided by Mel Blanc , Tedd Pierce , and Michael Maltese...
", and Granny and Sam from "Hare TrimmedHare TrimmedHare Trimmed is a 1953 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies short directed by Friz Freleng and written by Warren Foster, which features Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam, voiced by Mel Blanc, and Granny voiced by uncredited Bea Benaderet.- Plot :...
".