"Rebel Rabbit" with Bugs Bunny (1949)

In this 1947 Bugs Bunny cartoon, our hero finds that the bounty offered for other animals far exceeds the price paid for rabbits. Outraged, he sets off for Washington, D.C., where he encounters government bureaucracy for the first time. When he lodges his complaint about the low bounty paid for rabbits, he is told that the reason is due to the fact that other animals are peskier than rabbits. Infuriated, he sets out to prove the government wrong.  Sparks fly, as Bugs discovers that being undervalued can sometimes be a blessing! As usual, Mel Blanc provides all the voice overs.

"A Day At the Zoo" - Merrie Melodies (1939)

This cartoon is a delightful series of puns, with a bit of social satire thrown in. The cartoons of the 1930's and 40's still fascinate me. They are, at once, entertainment for children, even as they address some of the larger social issues. Look close enough and you may even find yourself!

"Carrot Blanca" with Bugs Bunny (1945)

This Warner Brothers cartoon from 1945 is a comedic send-up of the 1943 film "Casablanca". The plot is pretty much true to the movie, with a little bit of fun thrown in. With Bugs Bunny playing Rick; Daffy Duck as Sam the piano player; Tweety taking on the Peter Lorre role as Ugarte, and Sylvester Cat as Victor Lazlo, this is a very clever satire of the film. Even Dooley Wilson singing "Knock on Wood" is covered in this 8 minute cartoon.

Rounding out the cast of characters is Porky Pig as Signor Ferrari; the owner of Rick's rival cafe, The Blue Parrot; along with Pepe Le Pew as the suave Captain Renault. And, of course, Yosemite Sam plays Major Strasser, the Nazi in search of "stolen documents." It's amazing at how much of the movie is captured in this cartoon, which is actually featured with the bonus materials on the DVD of the original film.

There are many of these classic cartoon send-ups of some very famous movies. The studios, like Warners, who originally released the films, also owned the rights to them, and were determined to make every last buck off of them. Hence the cartoon versions. Amazingly, they are all equally good, and entertaining as well. Below is the trailer for the original film, just for a little comparison.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

In this holiday feautre from Warner brothers, "The Wearing of the Grin", Porky Pig gets stranded in the rain, and then takes refuge in a castle said to be inhabited by leprechauns. This is a funny cartoon, which still makes me laugh each time I see it. As usual, Mel Blanc does all the voices, showcasing once again his genius at inhabiting multiple characters. He must have been a scream to hang around with. And probably a lot of fun if you were one of his kids!

Take a few minutes and watch this cartoon. Let the leprechauns work some magic on you and make you laugh. You will feel the luck of the Irish if you do. Happy Saint Patrick’s Day, and may all your leprechauns bring you luck!

And for the older folks looking at this site today; here are The Irish Rovers singing their famous hit song, "The Unicorn", from 1967. The Rovers perform the song here live at Waterfront Hall in Belfast in 2010. By the way; Canada has been their home since they were little kids; their mother and father, who were themselves musical, emigrated to Canada from Ireland in the late 1950's. The children had already been performing in Ireland.



The original recording, released in late 1967, worked its way up the charts to number 7 in early 1968. It was written by Shel Silverstein, the iconic cartoonist and writer for Playboy magazine, who gave us such treasures as "The Giving Tree", "A Boy Named Sue", and a host of other hit songs and children's books of poetry.

The band was named after a traditional Irish song, "The Irish Rover". George and Will Millar were the two brothers, both born in Ballymena, in the North of Ireland, near Belfast, who founded the band. Their mother and father were both musically inclined, with their father, Bob Millar, playing a "button-key" accordion in several bands even before settling in Toronto. A cousin, Joe Millar, sang along with Bob in the family kitchen, adding his harmonica to the mix. George and Will sang with their sister, Sandra, under the name "The Millar Kids" before the family moved to Canada.

The unicorn is of course, a mythical beast. Still, this song does offer a sentimental reason for why we never see one anymore. You know, free spirits often pay a high price for their freedom...