Bugs Bunny Rides Again Bugs Bunny Rides Again Bugs Bunny Rides Again is a 1948 Warner Bros. "Merrie Melodies" short, released in 1948, directed by Friz Freleng, and written by Tedd Pierce and Michael Maltese. The short is both part of the Western and a parody of the genre's conventions. Voice characterizations are performed by Mel Blanc. The cartoon features Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam. It is the second cartoon to pair them, after their first encounter in 1945's "Hare Trigger". The title is a typical Western reference, as in "The Lone Ranger rides again", and also suggests a reference to the 1940 Jack
Development of Bugs Bunny mouth, and his ears were changed slightly as well. It is worth noting, however, that "Patient Porky" (September 14, 1940) featured a cameo by this prototype Bugs Bunny. The cartoon was so successful that WB decided to keep him on as a recurring character, eventually becoming the studio's most popular cartoon character. The character's name, previously only used on model sheets, became the official all-purpose name as well, with one modification: the apostrophe was dropped from his first name (now pronounced "bugs" rather than "bugs-es"). A title card saying "featuring Bugs Bunny" was slapped onto "Elmer's Pet Rabbit" after initial