The Grey Hounded Hare is a 1948-produced, 1949-released Looney Tunes (reissued as a Blue Ribbon Merrie Melodie) short film made by Warner Bros. Pictures and starring the voice talent of Mel Blanc. It was directed by Robert McKimson, and animated by John Carey, Phil DeLara, Manny Gould and Charles McKimson, with music scored by Carl Stalling. The title refers to the greyhounds of the plot as well as "hounded" meaning pestered or pursued relentlessly.
Along with Tugboat Granny and Guided Muscle, The Grey Hounded Hare was featured on the final episode of The Bugs Bunny & Tweety Show, which aired on ABC on September 2, 2000.
Plot[]
Bugs Bunny pops out of a hole, wondering what all the 'racket' is. He quickly finds out that he is at a greyhound track. Bugs decides to check out the dogs, commenting positively on dog #7, a large grey greyhound named Gnawbone, then angering him.
After this, Bugs goes outside to see the race from the sides. Before the race begins, the announcer announces some of the dogs that are racing, including "Bill's Bunion", "Pneumatic Tire", "Father's Moustache", "Motorman's Glove", "Bride's Biscuit" and "Grandpa's Folly", the latter of which has been "scratched" from the race (as in uncontrolable itching).
Bugs watches as a rabbit lure is led out. Not realizing the rabbit is a mechanical fake, Bugs instantly falls in love with it ("Wow! What a hunk of feminine pulchritoodee!"). Upon seeing the dogs being released from their starting boxes, declaring that "chivalry is notdead", Bugs decides to "rescue" the lure and jumps into the track ("What?! Dogs chasing that cute, little bunny?! They can't do this! Chivalry is not dead! I'll save you, sweetheart"), taking down some of the dogs one at a time. During this sequence, the announcer, shocked at what he sees, kills himself off-screen. Bugs eventually teases the dogs enough that they start chasing him out of the track and into a taxi, which speeds off towards the Dog Pound. However, dog #7 was not fooled and is waiting for Bugs.
Bugs then faces off with dog #7 through trickery, first using a balloon decoy, then using a dynamite stick. Finally, dog #7 has had it and starts to charge at Bugs "like a bull" in attempt to kill the rabbit once and for all, but Bugs plays matador and causes dog #7 to charge into a fire hydrant, putting the dog out of commission.
After defeating dog #7, now free to pursue "Dreamboat" unhindered, Bugs gives the lure a kiss, getting a large shock, just before the lure goes back into its starting box. He goes for another kiss and gets electrocuted again.