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9 knockout facts you may not have known about ''Bunny Hugged''
Nine grapplin' facts for you to wrestle with.
LOONEY TUNES and all related characters and elements are ™ of & © WBEI
Who knew Bugs Bunny could be a prized pugilist in addition to being our favorite carrot-chomping wise-cracker? It seems there's nothing that hilarious hare can't do. That is until he finds himself toe-to-toe with World Heavyweight Champion, The Crusher. What holds and maneuvers could the outmatched Bugs Bunny possibly deploy to pin the gigantic Crusher?
Whether you're a lifelong fan of Bunny Hugged or if this is your first viewing, here are some facts you might not have known! What else is interesting to you about this cartoon? Make sure to let us know in the comments!
1. Directed by Charles M. Jones
LOONEY TUNES and all related characters and elements are ™ of & © WBEI
Chuck Jones was Bugs' most prolific director by a long shot. Bunny Hugged marked the 103rd short Jones directed under the Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies banner.
2. Announcer
LOONEY TUNES and all related characters and elements are ™ of & © WBEI
The Announcer character, who opens this cartoon, is based on real-life announcer Dan Tobey. In addition to his career as the voice of boxing matches, Tobey had a pretty prolific career in Hollywood. He racked up 15 credits in as many years — in each of them, he is credited as "Announcer." Now here's a guy not afraid of typecasting!
3. The Crusher
LOONEY TUNES and all related characters and elements are ™ of & © WBEI
This is the second appearance of Bugs' foe, The Crusher. The character debuted in 1948's Rabbit Punch, where he was voiced by Billy Bletcher. Here, The Crusher is voiced by Don T. Smith, another voiceover artist who made a few bucks filling in Mel Blanc's blanks. The Crusher would later appear in Tiny Toon Adventures in an episode soundtracked by They Might Be Giants!
4. "De-Natured Boy" Ravishing Ronald
LOONEY TUNES and all related characters and elements are ™ of & © WBEI
The Crusher's opponent (and Bugs' meal ticket) is announced as the "De-Natured" Boy, Ravishing Ronald. This is a parody of two real-life professional wrestlers. Ronald's blond locks and aloof mannerisms are a parody of big-time heel Gorgeous George. His nickname is an homage to the original Nature Boy, Buddy Rogers. Of course, the "Nature Boy" nickname would be taken to even greater heights in the '80s by Ric Flair. Woooooo!
5. Gong Show
LOONEY TUNES and all related characters and elements are ™ of & © WBEI
The gong noise marking Ravishing Ronald's entrance is a "stock sound," an archival recording used over and over again in many different productions. Cartoon fans in the UK might recognize the noise from the Rank Organization. The British company uses that same sound to accompany its logo.
6. It's a Living!
LOONEY TUNES and all related characters and elements are ™ of & © WBEI
Flintstones fans are in for some Deja-vu, even the ones who didn't live through the stone age. In his grand reveal, Bugs Bunny utters "It's a living," the oft-repeated catchphrase of many a Bedrock household appliance.
7. Long in the tooth (and in the ears)
LOONEY TUNES and all related characters and elements are ™ of & © WBEI
There are two ways to count the number of cartoons Bugs Bunny appears in. Some include the shorts featuring an unnamed rabbit exhibiting some of Bugs' characteristics. Some only count the ones where he's officially credited as "Bugs Bunny." Either way, Bunny Hugged comes pretty far into Bugs' career. Depending on who's counting, this is either Bugs' 79th appearance or his 83rd.
8. The "real" Masked Terror
LOONEY TUNES and all related characters and elements are ™ of & © WBEI
Before debuting in the American Wrestling Alliance, real-life wrestler Scott Irwin borrowed Bugs' grappling moniker, coming to the ring as The Masked Terror. The AWA is famous as the territory that launched the career of wrestling icon Hulk Hogan.
9. The "real" Crusher
LOONEY TUNES and all related characters and elements are ™ of & © WBEI
The Crusher, too, may have been an inspiration to a real-life grappler. The Crusher, sometimes known as Crusher Lisowski, was the most famous of a series of Crusher-named wrestlers. Crusher Blackwell shared the moniker, though there is no official indication that either bruiser was a Looney Tunes fan.
