What's Up Doc?

[cpmusic]

Originally Posted by buddyhu

Bugs Bunny's first line in the cartoon, when he meets Elmer Fudd, is, "What's up, doc?" It was a phrase that one of the writers remembered people saying where he grew up in Texas.

That was Tex Avery, who directed "A Wild Hare" and later moved to MGM. Avery was known as the master of the gag, eventually working out exactly how many frames were needed for the gag to have its maximum impact. He's not my favorite Looney Tunes director (Bob Clampett gets my vote) but his influence cannot be overestimated.

[cpmusic]

Originally Posted by dirkronk

It had words? I thought it was instrumental only. And alas, that's all that YouTube offers...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jTHNBKjMBU

That link actually has the themes for Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes. Neither song was used originally, but each has become synonymous with its Warner Bros series, with iconic arrangements by Carl Stalling.

The Merrie Melodies theme is "Merrily We Roll Along," which appeared with lyrics in the cartoon "Billboard Frolics" and was recorded around the same time by Eddie Cantor. Here's a link to the latter, about 1/3 down the page at the Soundcloud graphic: http://cartoonresearch.com/index.php...we-roll-along/. Further down the page you can view "Billboard Frolics."

The Looney Tunes theme is "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down," a novelty song which appeared in the cartoons "Daffy Duck and Egghead" and "Boobs in the Woods," both sung by Daffy Duck with modified lyrics. Another modified version was sung (spoken, actually) by Bob Hoskins as Eddie Valiant in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. The original song has been posted to YouTube as a piano roll video with the lyrics written at the side of the roll: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n73lXCzJUZ4

If it sounds to you like I spend too much time on the subject, you're probably right, but I figure there are worse vices.

[M19]

One mouse: "I know Speedy Gonzales, heee's a friend of my seeester"

Other mouse: "Speedy Gonzales is a friend of EVERYBODY'S seeester!"