Bugs and Thugs

Bugs and Thugs is a 1954 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoon directed by Friz Freleng.^[1] The short was released on March 13, 1954, and stars Bugs Bunny, with Rocky and Mugsy.^[2] The film is a semi-remake of the 1946 cartoon Racketeer Rabbit. It is also the first Warner Bros short to feature Milt Franklyn as a musical director.

Bugs and Thugs
Lobby card
Directed by	I. Freleng
Story by	Warren Foster
Produced by	Edward Selzer
Starring	Mel Blanc
Music by	Milt Franklyn
Animation by	Manuel Perez Ken Champin Virgil Ross Arthur Davis
Layouts by	Hawley Pratt
Backgrounds by	Irv Wyner
Color process	Technicolor
Production company	Warner Bros. Cartoons
Distributed by	Warner Bros. The Vitaphone Corporation
Release date	March 13, 1954 (1954-03-13)
Running time	7 minutes
Language	English

In the film, Bugs mistakes the getaway car of a bank robber for a taxi and enters it uninvited, being taken hostage as a result.

Reception

Jerry Beck writes, "A remake of director Friz Freleng's earlier crime classic Racketeer Rabbit (1946), which featured caricatures of Edward G. Robinson and Peter Lorre as the gangsters, Bugs and Thugs is faster and funnier, has a great modern design (thanks to Hawley Pratt's layouts), and introduces two great new foils — Rocky and Mugsy — for Bugs Bunny."^[3]

Home media

Bugs and Thugs is available on the following DVDs:

• Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1
• Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 3
• Looney Tunes Centerstage: Volume 2

The short is also available to stream on Max in some territories.

The short is also part of the Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray and iTunes releases of Goodfellas as a part of a Merrie Melodies & Looney Tunes bonus features compilation that also includes Racketeer Rabbit.^[4]

Cast

• Mel Blanc as Bugs Bunny, Rocky, Mugsy and police officers

See also

• List of Bugs Bunny cartoons