The Bugs Bunny Mystery Special

The Bugs Bunny Mystery Special is an animated television special that was broadcast on CBS October 26, 1980. Presented as an Alfred Hitchcock-style whodunit, the plot is modeled after those of North by Northwest and The Fugitive. Like most Looney Tunes specials of the time, this program consists of clips from classic cartoons with some original animation holding them together.

Plot synopsis
A mysterious “Tall, Dark Stranger” robs a bank, and Bugs Bunny is mistakenly arrested and convicted for the crime. Escaping from jail, Bugs sets out to prove his innocence while evading his pursuers, which include Elmer Fudd, the arresting officer; Yosemite Sam, the jail guard; and Wile E. Coyote, who wants to collect the bounty.

After some chases and a side story involving Sylvester and Tweety Bird, Bugs ends up dangling from the beak of a Mount Rushmore-sized sculpture of Foghorn Leghorn; he’s rescued by the Tall, Dark Stranger, who turns out to be Porky Pig (he was trying to keep the story going). Porky concludes the special from inside his jail cell.

Cast

 * Mel Blanc as Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, Tweety, Sylvester, Wile E. Coyote and Porky Pig.

Credits
Directed by Gerry Chiniquy, Friz Freleng and Chuck Jones.

Cartoons Featured

 * Big House Bunny
 * Baby Buggy Bunny
 * Bugs and Thugs
 * Hare Lift
 * Operation: Rabbit
 * Compressed Hare
 * All Abir-r-r-d!
 * Catty Cornered

Censorship

 * See Big House Bunny for information on cut scenes.

Availability
This special has been released on VHS, videocassette, but not on DVD.