#slick hare

With today being the anniversary of the death of Humphrey Bogart aka Bogie, I was thinking back to when I probably first heard or saw Bogart. As a kid of the 1970s and 1980s, I would think that the first time I saw him was in the Merry Melodies cartoon entitled Slick Hare. 

This episode has Bogart at the restaurant Mocrumbo and he orders a fried rabbit from waiter Elmer Fudd. Fudd is desperate since the restaurant is fresh out of rabbit but luckily for him (or us) Fudd comes across Bugs Bunny chomping away at a case of carrots in the kitchen. The madcap adventures ensue. 

Unbeknownst to me at the time of my childhood, the 1947 cartoon has a number of cultural references and Hollywood cameos.  

Mocambo (known as Mocrumbo in the cartoon) was a Hollywood nightclub and restaurant located at 8588 Sunset Boulevard that was frequented often by some of the biggest names in the business. The restaurant was in operation from 1941 to 1958. 

Frank Sinatra would make his solo debut here in 1943 and the restaurant was also the scene of Marilyn Monroe defending Ella Fitzgerald when Lady Ella was barred from playing Mocambo due to her race. Marilyn called owner and pledged her commitment to Mocambo if Fitzgerald was booked. 

Fitzgerald always maintained that she owed a debt of gratitude to Marilyn for her career taking off. She is quoted in the article How Marilyn Monroe changed Ella Fitzgerald's life by Kevin Kniestedt from the KNKX.org website dated March 22, 2012:

“I owe Marilyn Monroe a real debt … she personally called the owner of the Mocambo, and told him she wanted me booked immediately, and if he would do it, she would take a front table every night. She told him – and it was true, due to Marilyn’s superstar status – that the press would go wild.

“The owner said yes, and Marilyn was there, front table, every night. The press went overboard. After that, I never had to play a small jazz club again. She was an unusual woman – a little ahead of her times. And she didn’t know it."

There are other references to the 1940′s in the cartoon. 

From left to right (starting at the top): Gregory Peck, Ray Milland, Carmen Miranda and Frank Sinatra. 

You also have the Marx Brothers (from left to right): Chico, Groucho and Zeppo. Bugs plays Groucho in both panels while Elmer doffs the wig as Chico in the second panel.

Actor Sydney Greenstreet who acted alongside Humphrey Bogart in the classic films The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca.

Last but certainly not least, you have Bogie himself 

And “Baby” Lauren Bacall. 

For Further Reading:

Saturday Morning Cartoons: Baby and Bogie and Bugs Bunny, Too  By Brandie Ashe from the RetroSet.com dated August 16, 2014

#ToonJune Day #4 - PIE

I pay tribute to Carmen Miranda (1909-1955), who died 70 years ago, with this art inspired by her caricature in Slick Hare, a Merrie Melodies cartoon directed by Friz Freleng starring Bugs Bunny in 1947.

Carmen was someone who died very young, at the age of only 46, and it was a big loss for Brazilian music.

Je rend hommage à Carmen Miranda (1909-1955), décédée il y a 70 ans, avec ce dessin inspiré de sa caricature dans le cartoon Slick Hare de la série Merrie Melodies, réalisé en 1947 par Friz Freleng avec Bugs Bunny.

A thought in drawing to the Brazilian actress and singer Carmen Miranda (1909-1955), born February 9, 1909.

I drew Carmen Miranda based on Slick Hare, a Bugs Bunny cartoon from the Merrie Melodies series, directed in 1947 by Friz Freleng.

In this short film, she appears with a yellow ruffled dress.

I hope you love it!

Une pensée en dessin à l'actrice et chanteuse brésilienne Carmen Miranda (1909-1955), née le 9 février 1909.

J'ai dessiné Carmen Miranda d'après Ruse de lapin (Slick Hare), un cartoon de Bugs Bunny de la série Merrie Melodies, réalisé en 1947 par Friz Freleng.

Dans ce court métrage, elle apparait avec une robe à volants jaune.