"The Heckling Hare" (1941 Original Ending)

The Heckling Hare is a 1941 Merrie Melodies cartoon, and the last to be directed by Tex Avery, however it originally had a different ending than the "safe landing" one you see on TV today.



The cartoon originally ended with Bugs and Willoughby, the dog in the short, plummeting endlessly from hole to hole. Bugs then said, "Hold on to your hats, folks! Here we go again!"

It's not known what's the exact reason for Leon Schelesinger cutting this out, but a reason might be that it was a risque joke, or it meant that Bugs, who was fairly new and popular at that time, died.

The ending that you normally see was edited so that Bugs and Willoughby only fall off the cliff one time, rather then three. Then they safely land on the ground, feet-first. Bugs says, "Heh-heh. Fooled ya, hadn't we?"

Tex was so outraged by this cut he walked out of the studio, and Leon soon suspended him. Tex then went on to work for MGM.