A Wild Hare is an animated short film directed by Tex Avery and released in 1940. Part of the Merrie Melodies series of animated cartoons, it is a key film in the development of the characters of Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd.
Various directors at the Warner Bros. cartoon studio had been experimenting with cartoons focussed on a hunter pursuing a rabbit since 1938, with varied approaches to the characters of both rabbit and hunter. (For more on the early development of the character, see Bugs Bunny). A Wild Hare is noteworthy as the first appearance of a rabbit that is a clearly recognisable as Bugs Bunny, as well as for settling on the classic voice and appearance of the hunter, Elmer Fudd. The design and character of Bugs Bunny would continue to be refined over the subsequent years, but the general appearance, voice, and personality of the character was established in this cartoon. The opening lines of both characters - "Be vewy, vewy quiet, I'm hunting wabbits" for Elmer, and "Eh, What's up Doc?" for Bugs - would become catchphrases throughout their subsequent films.
The basic plot of A Wild Hare, which centers on Elmer Fudd's hopeless pursuit of the much smarter Bugs, would serve as a template for many subsequent cartoons. In addition, many of the specific gags and plot devices in this cartoon became part of the template for later Bugs / Elmer confrontations, with subsequent shorts repeating them or varying them for comic effect. Examples include Elmer failing to recognise Bugs as a rabbit, Bugs kissing Elmer, and Bugs feigning death.
Rich Hawkins is credited with the story, Virgil Ross with the animation, Mel Blanc with the voice characterisations (although Arthur Q. Bryan voiced Elmer Fudd), and Carl Stalling with the musical score. The short was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Short Subject (Cartoon) in 1940.
Many re-release prints of this cartoon retitle it "The Wild Hare."
