leslie carbaga excellent book on the fleishers tell the whole story of the fleischer big move of their entire animation unit to florida and and their subsequent ejection by paramount . mr. bug go to town do not destroy the animation pioneer credit with paramount and although it often tell that way and and this be paramount favorite version of the story . accord to carbaga and the big studio and more than anything and want to get their mitt on the animation studio and ease the famously bicker brother out of the picture altogether . mr. bug provide them the pretext to do just that . the sad closing of a great quirky and innovative chapter in american animation . i want to comment and also and that the film actually debut december 4 and 1941 and not december 7. that may have be close enough to do the trick and anyway and in term of national mood damage the film success . but another part of the legend of this troubled little film be that it be kill by have the bad luck to be in the theater at the same time dumbo ( release october 23 and 1941 ) be still do very brisk holiday business . i haven not do the research into box office number and but i would say that dumbo concurrent presence in theater likely have an impact on mr. bug . movie go be at an all time high at this period and and successful film could go strong in theater for month . something unimaginable in these typically short run and quick to dvd day .