Early to Bet
Encyclopedia
Early to Bet is a Warner Bros.
Merrie Melodies
theatrical cartoon short released on May 12, 1951 starring The Gambling Bug. The Gambling Bug is a small character who infects others with the desire to gamble. He wears a green tie, a red jacket, a brown hat, and a white tuxedo. Early to Bet is the only appearance of this character. The Gambling Bug's history is unknown, but he was probably created by Robert McKimson, the director of the short.
The cartoon is a sequel to the 1950 short It's Hummer Time, which featured the same bulldog giving the same cat elaborate punishments (in that case, it was for disturbing the dog; the cat was after a hummingbird).
"The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down
" (the theme for Looney Tunes
) is featured in this cartoon.
It is available on DVD as part of Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1
After that introductory segment, the bug goes on vacation hoping to leave his victims alone today. Suddenly, he sees a dog asking a black and white cat if he'd like to play Gin Rummy for Penalties. The cat disagrees and says he's through playing cards with the dog. The Gambling Bug can't resist to bite the cat's ear. All of a sudden, the cat goes berserk and starts repeating "Deal the Cards, Deal the Cards, Deal the Cards" to the dog. He promptly loses. The cat spins the Wheel of Penalties, and his penalty is Number 14: "The Gesundheit
". He is forced to blow bubble gum as the dog puts sneezing powder in his nose, causing him to sneeze and the bubble gum covers him. The cat then refuses to play cards with the dog again, but the bug makes the cat bet again. The cat loses yet again, and gets number 75 on the wheel: "The William Tell
". The penalty is that the dog shoots a toilet plunger at the apple on the cats head, but the dog aims it into the cat's face. This time the cat swears off gambling for sure, but the bug bites him again. The same thing happens, the cat loses, and receives number 36 on the wheel, appropriately christened "Roll Out the Barrel". The penalty is to roll out a barrel of gunpowder. The dog then puts a quick lit match on the gunpowder and the cat blows up and flies back onto the ground.
While influenced with yet another bite, the cat tries to play again but now the dog refuses for the sake of the cat's health, wanting to stop before the cat kills himself. The bug comes in and agrees to play one with the cat, he decides to cut for the highest card with the cat. The cat cuts a three of hearts, to which the gambling bug says "not so good cat, watch!" proud of having a good chance at winning; but only to draw a 2 of diamonds. The gambling bug gets the penalty of being whacked by a Post Newspaper.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies is the name of a series of animated cartoons distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures between 1931 and 1969.Originally produced by Harman-Ising Pictures, Merrie Melodies were produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions from 1933 to 1944. Schlesinger sold his studio to Warner Bros. in 1944,...
theatrical cartoon short released on May 12, 1951 starring The Gambling Bug. The Gambling Bug is a small character who infects others with the desire to gamble. He wears a green tie, a red jacket, a brown hat, and a white tuxedo. Early to Bet is the only appearance of this character. The Gambling Bug's history is unknown, but he was probably created by Robert McKimson, the director of the short.
The cartoon is a sequel to the 1950 short It's Hummer Time, which featured the same bulldog giving the same cat elaborate punishments (in that case, it was for disturbing the dog; the cat was after a hummingbird).
"The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down
The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down
"The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down" is a song written in 1937 by Cliff Friend and Dave Franklin. It is best known as the theme tune for the Looney Tunes cartoon series produced by Warner Bros...
" (the theme for Looney Tunes
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...
) is featured in this cartoon.
It is available on DVD as part of Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1
Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1
Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1 is a DVD box set that was released by Warner Home Video on October 28, 2003. It contains 56 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons and numerous supplements...
Plot synopsis
The narrator describes what happens when the Gambling Bug is around. First the Gambling Bug gets a client to flip a coin against a waiter. Next the Gambling Bug has Two men are sitting at a bar bet 5 the fly will land on one side of the beer mug first. Then a man who puts a coin in a casino slot machine. He watches the wheels spin around until three oranges appear. He jumps for joy until the payout from the machine is actually 3 oranges instead of the jackpot. He gets enraged and starts punching the slot machine.After that introductory segment, the bug goes on vacation hoping to leave his victims alone today. Suddenly, he sees a dog asking a black and white cat if he'd like to play Gin Rummy for Penalties. The cat disagrees and says he's through playing cards with the dog. The Gambling Bug can't resist to bite the cat's ear. All of a sudden, the cat goes berserk and starts repeating "Deal the Cards, Deal the Cards, Deal the Cards" to the dog. He promptly loses. The cat spins the Wheel of Penalties, and his penalty is Number 14: "The Gesundheit
Gesundheit
Gesundheit may refer to:* A response to sneezing in German which is sometimes used in the United States * Gesundheit! Institute, American health project*Focus Gesundheit, German tv channel...
". He is forced to blow bubble gum as the dog puts sneezing powder in his nose, causing him to sneeze and the bubble gum covers him. The cat then refuses to play cards with the dog again, but the bug makes the cat bet again. The cat loses yet again, and gets number 75 on the wheel: "The William Tell
William Tell
William Tell is a folk hero of Switzerland. His legend is recorded in a late 15th century Swiss chronicle....
". The penalty is that the dog shoots a toilet plunger at the apple on the cats head, but the dog aims it into the cat's face. This time the cat swears off gambling for sure, but the bug bites him again. The same thing happens, the cat loses, and receives number 36 on the wheel, appropriately christened "Roll Out the Barrel". The penalty is to roll out a barrel of gunpowder. The dog then puts a quick lit match on the gunpowder and the cat blows up and flies back onto the ground.
While influenced with yet another bite, the cat tries to play again but now the dog refuses for the sake of the cat's health, wanting to stop before the cat kills himself. The bug comes in and agrees to play one with the cat, he decides to cut for the highest card with the cat. The cat cuts a three of hearts, to which the gambling bug says "not so good cat, watch!" proud of having a good chance at winning; but only to draw a 2 of diamonds. The gambling bug gets the penalty of being whacked by a Post Newspaper.
Other appearances
- The Gambling Bug makes a brief cameo at the basketball game in Space JamSpace JamAside from Jordan, a number of NBA players and coaches appeared in the film. Larry Bird portrays a friend of Jordan who joins him for a game of golf. When the Monstars steal the NBA players' talent, they invade a game between the Phoenix Suns and the New York Knicks, causing the Knicks' Patrick...
. - The dog makes another appearance in It's Hummer Time.
- The cat made his fourth appearance in a Robert McKimson short and would make his final one later in 1951 in Leghorn Swoggled, but was never given a name