Elmer's Pet Rabbit Elmer's Pet Rabbit Elmer's Pet Rabbit is a 1941 Merrie Melodies cartoon. The short was released on January 4, 1941. Starring Elmer Fudd and, ostensibly, Bugs Bunny, it is the first cartoon in which the name Bugs Bunny is given (on a title card, edited onto the end of the opening title following the success of "A Wild Hare"), but the rabbit is also somewhat the same as the one seen and heard in "Elmer's Candid Camera" and other pre-Bugs shorts. It was directed by Chuck Jones (his first cartoon featuring Bugs Bunny) and written by Rich Hogan. Voices are
Crusader Rabbit Roy Whaley. The success of "Crusader Rabbit" inspired many more television cartoon character packages. Jay Ward would later produce "The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show". In 1985, Rhino Entertainment released the first two volumes of "Crusader Rabbit" in a planned home-video release of all the original episodes. However, 20th Century Fox claimed the distribution rights by their acquisition of previous owner Metromedia Producers Corporation. No further video releases of "Crusader Rabbit" have been produced. The first series aired in syndication, with production of 195 episodes ending in 1951. The second series premiered in 1956 syndication with 260 episodes produced, 20 "chapters"