Show Biz Bugs (1957)

Bugs and Daffy are vaudevillians competing for praise from the audience. They love Bugs no matter what; just the opposite for Daffy.

Director:

Friz Freleng

Writer:

Warren Foster (story)

Star:

Mel Blanc

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Mel Blanc	...	Bugs Bunny / Daffy Duck / Cab Driver / Theatre Manager (voice)

Storyline

Daffy Duck arrives at his vaudeville theatre to learn that Bugs Bunny has been given top billing over him. A competition ensues with Daffy out to get the top billing he deserves to prove that he is the star of the show. However, Bugs seems to be the crowd favorite as Daffy can't seem to best him in dancing, a magic act, juggling or playing musical instruments. This pushes Daffy to extreme measures as he performs a deadly stunt in his final attempt to impress the audience. He drinks some gasoline, some nitroglycerin, some gunpowder, some Uranium-238, lights up and swallows a match, causing him to explode. The audience gives him the acclaim he deserves for his performance, but Daffy (now an angel rising to heaven) "can only do it once".

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Plot Keywords:

daffy duck character | nitroglycerin | bugs bunny character | animal character name in title | competition | 

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Genres:

Animation | Family | Short | Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 November 1957 (USA)

Also Known As:

Die prominente Ente

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

7 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to the DVD audio commentary, the song "The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady" was intended to be used during the sequence where Daffy showcases some trained birds. A pre-score recording was produced, but not was not used in the final cartoon. Other pre-score music included slightly longer versions of "Tea for Two" and "Jeepers Creepers".

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Quotes

[first lines]
Daffy Duck: [a taxi pulls up to a theatre and Daffy steps out] How much, my good man?
Taxi Driver: Uh, one block, 25 cents.
Daffy Duck: 25 cents? It's robbery, but I'll pay it.

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Alternate Versions

On Nickelodeon, the climax involving Daffy's fatal stunt mixture was edited thus: Daffy swallows all of the explosives and then "shakes well", but blows up before he can light and swallow the match (which is what ultimately blows him up in the short's unedited form).

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Connections

Referenced in Behind the Tunes: Hard Luck Duck (2003)

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Soundtracks

Jeepers Creepers
(uncredited)
Music by Harry Warren
[Tap-danced by Daffy.]

User Reviews

A Subdued Bugs Makes Daffy Self-Destruct

It's the battle of egos and who is the real show business star: Bugs Bunny or Daffy Duck. The marquee bills Bugs as the star but Daffy will have none of that. He confronts the manager, who says Bugs has "more drawing power." Daffy replies, "Oh, yeah? That rabbit couldn't draw flies if he was covered with syrup. Okay, this performance will show I am the star!"

With that, the two go on stage with their vaudeville act, beginning with the tap dance duo number, complete with the top hat, tails and canes. By the way, the artwork in this cartoon is exceptional: great drawings and startling color.

Daffy's solo tap dance is terrific and I also laughed at his trained "pigeon act." Mostly though, it's just the duck's comments that evoke the most laughter. I was amazed how straight Bugs played it in this cartoon. It's really not his but Daffy's cartoon. Bugs actually plays a low-key, nice guy. I think this would have been better had Bugs had a little more of his spark to him, although obviously it was smarter to just say little and let the egotist duck make a fool of himself.