''Dog Gone People'' is a 1960
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
''
Merrie Melodies
''Merrie Melodies'' is an American animation, animated series of comedy short films produced by Warner Bros. starting in 1931, during the golden age of American animation, and ending in 1969. Then some new cartoons were produced from the late 197 ...
'' cartoon animated short directed by
Robert McKimson
Robert Porter McKimson Sr. (October 13, 1910 – September 29, 1977) was an American animator and illustrator, best known for his work on the ''Looney Tunes'' and '' Merrie Melodies'' series of cartoons from Warner Bros. Cartoons and later DePa ...
.
The short was released on November 12, 1960 and features
Elmer Fudd
Elmer J.''Hare Brush'' (1956) Fudd is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. '' Looney Tunes''/'' Merrie Melodies'' series and the archenemy of Bugs Bunny. He has one of the more disputed origins in the Warner Bros. cartoon pantheo ...
.
Elmer is voiced by
Hal Smith, as
Arthur Q. Bryan had died the previous year.
The main plot revolves around Elmer doing a favor to his boss by watching his dog, Rupert, during an out-of-town trip ... the catch being that Rupert behaves as though he is a human and expects to be treated accordingly, and that Elmer must do everything he can to not offend his guest or risk losing out on more than just a work promotion.
Summary
Elmer receives a phone call from his demanding boss, Mr. Crabtree, asking him to watch his dog, Rupert, while he goes on vacation. Crabtree admonishes Fudd that Rupert thinks he's human and expects to be treated like one, then informs him that there are two ways to go in the company -- "up (clears his throat) ... or down!" If Fudd does a good job, there may be a vice presidency available at the company for him, Crabtree continues.
Elmer does everything he can to not offend Rupert, but unwittingly fails at the simplest, seemingly banal tasks. First, Fudd turns on the TV so the two of them can watch ''
Classie'', with Fudd stopping Rupert only after reminding him that humans also enjoy watching an adventure series about a dog. Later, Fudd—fixing himself a steak—feeds Rupert dog food, prompting the irritated mutt to once again walk out; Fudd appeases his guest only after eating the dog food himself! That night, when Rupert tries to sleep on the bed, Fudd tries to shoo him out, only for the dog to call his boss to report the offense; a frustrated Fudd, reminded of the consequences of doing an unacceptable job caring for Rupert, winds up sleeping in the dog bed.
The next morning, as Elmer is fixing breakfast, Rupert gets into the medicine cabinet and drinks
bay rum
Bay rum is a type of cologne and aftershave lotion.
Other uses include as under-arm deodorant and as a fragrance for shaving soap, as well as a general astringent.
Origins
It is a distillate that was originally made in Saint Thomas "and probably ...
(because he saw Fudd gargling mouthwash and does the same thing). When Elmer sees that Rupert is drunk, he takes him out for a ride to sober him up. However, Rupert gets control of the car and speeds through town, terrifying Fudd as Rupert drives through stores and causes a major accident. In the end, a motorcycle cop pulls Rupert over and both the dog and Elmer are charged with
driving while intoxicated
Driving under the influence (DUI)—also called driving while impaired, impaired driving, driving while intoxicated (DWI), drunk driving, operating while intoxicated (OWI), operating under the influence (OUI), operating vehicle under the infl ...
.
When Crabtree posts bail for Elmer and Rupert, he tells Fudd that he will be moving up ... "up, up, up, up" in the company. Elmer indeed does move up—to the top of the flag pole atop the E.J. Crabtree office skyscraper. As Elmer bitterly muses that he thought he was going to be vice president, the appointee for the position—none other than Rupert—is sitting comfortably at his new desk.
References
External links
*
{{Robert McKimson
Elmer Fudd films
Merrie Melodies short films
Films directed by Robert McKimson
1960 animated films
1960 short films
1960 films
Films scored by Milt Franklyn
Animated films about dogs
1960s Warner Bros. animated short films
1960s English-language films