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Dumb Patrol

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Dumb Patrol
Title card (unrestored)
Directed byGerry Chiniquy
Story byJohn Dunn
StarringMel Blanc
(all voices)[1]
Edited byTreg Brown
Music byBill Lava
Animation byVirgil Ross
Bob Matz
Lee Halpern
Art Leonardi
Layouts byBob Givens
Backgrounds byTom O'Loughlin
Color processTechnicolor[1]
Production
company
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
Vitaphone[1]
Release date
  • January 18, 1964 (1964-01-18)
Running time
6 minutes[1]
LanguageEnglish

Dumb Patrol is a 1964 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoon short directed by Gerry Chiniquy.[2] It was released on January 18, 1964, and stars Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam.[3] Director Gerry Chiniquy was a longtime animator in Friz Freleng's unit; Freleng helped animate a short of the same name starring Bosko three decades prior. The cartoon is set during World War I opening 'somewhere in France' in 1917, and it also commemorates the 50th anniversary of the war.[4]

Plot

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Set amidst the backdrop of World War I in France in 1917, the French Air Force convenes to address the threat posed by the formidable German pilot, Baron Sam Von Shpamm. A decision is made through the drawing of straws, with Captain Smedley emerging as the chosen aviator tasked with confronting the enemy. Things take an unexpected turn when Bugs Bunny, disguised as Captain Smedley, incapacitates the real pilot, Captain Smedley, to assume his identity. This subterfuge is driven by Bugs' concern for Smedley's familial responsibilities.

Meanwhile, in Germany, Baron Sam Von Shpamm expresses disillusionment with his military accolades and yearns for respite. He receives a taunting message from Bugs, further provoking his ire.

As aerial confrontations ensue, Baron Sam's ineptitude is highlighted through a series of mishaps, including failed attempts to engage his aircraft and futile pursuits of Bugs. Despite his persistent efforts, Baron Sam's endeavors are consistently thwarted by Bugs' cunning evasion tactics. Baron Sam ultimately resorts to increasingly desperate measures, culminating in his demise amidst a calamitous explosion.

Reception

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Animation historian Jerry Beck considers Dumb Patrol to be among the worst Bugs Bunny cartoons.[5][6]

Home media

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The film is available on the Looney Tunes Collector's Choice: Volume 3 Blu-ray.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 Webb, Graham (2011). The Animated Film Encyclopedia: A Complete Guide to American Shorts, Features and Sequences (1900–1999). McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 100. ISBN 978-0-7864-4985-9.
  2. ↑ Beck, Jerry; Friedwald, Will (1989). Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons. Henry Holt and Co. p. 346. ISBN 0-8050-0894-2.
  3. ↑ Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 60-62. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  4. ↑ Flights of Fancy (Part 22): Here, There, In the Air
  5. ↑ Herald, Brian (January 18, 2024). "DUMB PATROL". Facebook. Meta Platforms, Inc. Retrieved January 19, 2024. One of the few truly awful Bugs Bunny shorts.
  6. ↑ Beck, Jerry (April 12, 2021). "My Least Favorite Warner Bros. Cartoons". Cartoon Research. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Looney Tunes Collector's Choice: Volume 3 Blu-ray". www.blu-ray.com. Retrieved July 17, 2026.
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