Hurdy-Gurdy Hare
Encyclopedia
Hurdy-Gurdy Hare is a Merrie Melodies
cartoon short, copyrighted in 1948 and released in 1950, which is directed by Robert McKimson
and written by Warren Foster
. Bugs has to deal with an aggressive gorilla while trying to make some money playing a street organ.
, he looks through the wanted ads, finally focusing on a job as a Hurdy-Gurdy (actually, a street organ
), thinking at first of 'the masters - Beethoven, Brahms, Bach' , but soon thinking of all the money his monkey
assistant was able to get from the various apartments he visited. When the monkey tries to stiff Bugs, Bugs chases him off ("Ya' can't trust no one!", he sneers), suddenly thinking he can do the same job as the monkey - but quickly finds out that people willing to give a monkey money aren't willing to give Bugs anything (except a bucket of water on the head).
The monkey runs to the zoo, where he tells a gorilla about what happened (the only intelligible words being Bugs' line "What's up doc? What's up doc? What's up doc?"). The monkey dramatizes being kicked by Bugs, which sends the gorilla in a frenzy. The gorilla breaks out of his cage and confronts Bugs. Bugs is able to outwit the gorilla, causing the gorilla to fall multiple times many stories from the apartment building where he's chasing Bugs. At one point, the gorilla falls through the basement and comes up a lift, holding a newspaper and with his arm through a subway window. Bugs, acting as a conductor, orders the gorilla to "push in, plenty of room in the center of the car!", pausing to tell the audience
"I used to work on the shuttle from Times Square to Grand Central", before pushing the gorilla back underground. Then, aping Ralph Edwards
' famous declaration on Truth or Consequences
, he says to the audience, "Ain't I a devil??".
Bugs then tries getting away from the gorilla on the outside of the building by climbing up and down a ladder while the gorilla keeps pulling the ladder in the opposite direction (once using the Groucho Marx
line, "I've seen you before, I never forget a face. But in your case, I'll make an exception!"). Bugs eventually makes his way into one of the apartments. However, he's soon cornered by the gorilla, who chases him into a back room. Bugs spots a violin, and noting that "music calms the savage beast", he starts playing the violin (about as well as Jack Benny
might sound), which causes the gorilla not only to calm down, but to start dancing around. This gives Bugs an idea - he has the gorilla visiting the apartments, causing piles of cash to rain down on Bugs (the monkey from earlier is turning the wheel, playing the music, which is recognizable as "Artist's Life."). Bugs counts all the money coming, noting to the audience, "I sure hope Petrillo
doesn't hear about this!" (a then-topical gag referencing the president of the American Federation of Musicians
, which was on strike in 1948 when the short was copyrighted).
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,...
cartoon short, copyrighted in 1948 and released in 1950, which is directed by Robert McKimson
Robert McKimson
Robert "Bob" Porter McKimson, Sr. was an American animator, illustrator, and director best known for his work on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons from Warner Bros., and later DePatie-Freleng Enterprises...
and written by Warren Foster
Warren Foster
Warren Foster , was a writer, cartoonist and composer for the animation division of Warner Brothers and later with Hanna-Barbera....
. Bugs has to deal with an aggressive gorilla while trying to make some money playing a street organ.
Plot summary
While Bugs is sitting in Central ParkCentral Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
, he looks through the wanted ads, finally focusing on a job as a Hurdy-Gurdy (actually, a street organ
Street organ
A street organ is a mechanical organ designed to play in the street. The operator of a street organ is called an organ grinder. The two main types are the smaller German street organ and the larger Dutch street organ....
), thinking at first of 'the masters - Beethoven, Brahms, Bach' , but soon thinking of all the money his monkey
Monkey
A monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...
assistant was able to get from the various apartments he visited. When the monkey tries to stiff Bugs, Bugs chases him off ("Ya' can't trust no one!", he sneers), suddenly thinking he can do the same job as the monkey - but quickly finds out that people willing to give a monkey money aren't willing to give Bugs anything (except a bucket of water on the head).
The monkey runs to the zoo, where he tells a gorilla about what happened (the only intelligible words being Bugs' line "What's up doc? What's up doc? What's up doc?"). The monkey dramatizes being kicked by Bugs, which sends the gorilla in a frenzy. The gorilla breaks out of his cage and confronts Bugs. Bugs is able to outwit the gorilla, causing the gorilla to fall multiple times many stories from the apartment building where he's chasing Bugs. At one point, the gorilla falls through the basement and comes up a lift, holding a newspaper and with his arm through a subway window. Bugs, acting as a conductor, orders the gorilla to "push in, plenty of room in the center of the car!", pausing to tell the audience
Fourth wall
The fourth wall is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play...
"I used to work on the shuttle from Times Square to Grand Central", before pushing the gorilla back underground. Then, aping Ralph Edwards
Ralph Edwards
Ralph Livingstone Edwards was an American radio and television host and television producer.-Early career:Born in Merino, Colorado , Edwards worked for KROW-AM in Oakland, California while he was still in high school...
' famous declaration on Truth or Consequences
Truth or Consequences
Truth or Consequences is an American quiz show originally hosted on NBC radio by Ralph Edwards and later on television by Edwards , Jack Bailey , Bob Barker , Bob Hilton and Larry Anderson . The television show ran on CBS, NBC and also in syndication...
, he says to the audience, "Ain't I a devil??".
Bugs then tries getting away from the gorilla on the outside of the building by climbing up and down a ladder while the gorilla keeps pulling the ladder in the opposite direction (once using the Groucho Marx
Groucho Marx
Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx was an American comedian and film star famed as a master of wit. His rapid-fire delivery of innuendo-laden patter earned him many admirers. He made 13 feature films with his siblings the Marx Brothers, of whom he was the third-born...
line, "I've seen you before, I never forget a face. But in your case, I'll make an exception!"). Bugs eventually makes his way into one of the apartments. However, he's soon cornered by the gorilla, who chases him into a back room. Bugs spots a violin, and noting that "music calms the savage beast", he starts playing the violin (about as well as Jack Benny
Jack Benny
Jack Benny was an American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film...
might sound), which causes the gorilla not only to calm down, but to start dancing around. This gives Bugs an idea - he has the gorilla visiting the apartments, causing piles of cash to rain down on Bugs (the monkey from earlier is turning the wheel, playing the music, which is recognizable as "Artist's Life."). Bugs counts all the money coming, noting to the audience, "I sure hope Petrillo
James Petrillo
James Caesar Petrillo was the prominent leader of the American Federation of Musicians, a trade union of professional musicians in the United States and Canada.-Biography:Petrillo was born in Chicago, Illinois...
doesn't hear about this!" (a then-topical gag referencing the president of the American Federation of Musicians
American Federation of Musicians
The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada is a labor union of professional musicians in the United States and Canada...
, which was on strike in 1948 when the short was copyrighted).