Anvils

[Cartman]

I know a lot of people today associate the LT/MM cartoons with anvils even though there were very few vintage WB cartoons that had anvil gags. What are some examples of older WB cartoons that did use an anvil gag?

Some I can think of are:

Big Top Bunny
Beep Beep
Buccaneer Bunny

[Kevin McCorry]

"Hare Splitter"
"Home Tweet Home"
"Going! Going! Gosh!"
"Bully For Bugs"

[Duck Dodgers]

The oldest example I can think as now is " A Tale of Two Kitties". ( But I could be wrong, You know ! )

[BloodyChamp]

"Duck Amuck" includes quite possibly the funniest anvil gag...when a mind boggled Daffy hammers it and turns into a bullet then explodes :daffy:

[Daffysleftfoot]

Another great anvil gag was the one in Scrambled Aches (by Chuck Jones c. 1957). Wile E.'s paniced face when the anvil is bounced back high in the air is nothing short of amazing. :coyote: :cool:

[David Gerstein]

The earliest anvil gag I know isn't even in a WB cartoon— it's Pegleg Pete being smacked with one in Disney's BUILDING A BUILDING (1933). Not much is made of the incident, but it's obviously the worst blow Pete takes in the cartoon.

[Jaime_Weinman]

"Scaredy Cat" has one too ("And j-j-just what were you g-g-going to do with that anvil?")

The interesting question is why anvils are so associated with cartoon violence. I think it's because of the incongruity of characters having instant access to something that no one would ever, under any circumstances, carry around with them, and that you're not likely to see in everyday life. (What's hilarious about the "Duck Amuck" bit is that after he's on the receiving end of a violent anvil gag, Daffy starts using the anvil for its actual purpose -- blacksmithing, or blacksmithery, or whatever it's called.) It's just the nuttiest thing to use as a weapon, which is why it's funny.

[Daffysleftfoot]

In Battling Bosko (by Hugh Harman c. 1932), Bosko's opponent practiced by punching an anvil.

[Sogturtle]

"Scaredy Cat" has one too ("And j-j-just what were you g-g-going to do with that anvil?")

The interesting question is why anvils are so associated with cartoon violence. I think it's because of the incongruity of characters having instant access to something that no one would ever, under any circumstances, carry around with them, and that you're not likely to see in everyday life. (What's hilarious about the "Duck Amuck" bit is that after he's on the receiving end of a violent anvil gag, Daffy starts using the anvil for its actual purpose -- blacksmithing, or blacksmithery, or whatever it's called.) It's just the nuttiest thing to use as a weapon, which is why it's funny.

Jaime_Weinman~

Annnnnnnd strange as it may sound I DO happen to have an anvil on my back porch!!! (My father and grandfather used to do their own horse-shoeing).

Sooooo if I ever need a weapon of cartoon-choice, look out!:D :D :p

[JDWeil]

I can't think of the title but there's a Foghorn Leghorn short that had a Rube Goldberg device with a falling anvil in it.

[Daffysleftfoot]

Lovelorn Leghorn (by Robert McKimson c. 1951) :cool: :foggy:

[Mac]

Wasn't there one in "Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips"? It's been a long time since I've seen that cartoon.

[Duck Dodgers]

Wasn't there one in "Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips"? It's been a long time since I've seen that cartoon.

Sure!

" Here's Some Scrap Iron for Japan , Moto ! "

[gilligan fanati]

here is a list of shorts with them in them http://home.nc.rr.com/tuco/looney/lists/anvils.html