''Rugged Bear'' is a 1953 American animated
short film
A short film is a film with a low running time. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of not more than 40 minutes including all credits". Other film o ...
produced by
Walt Disney Productions
The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16 ...
and released by
RKO Radio Pictures
RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, is an American film production and distribution company, historically one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Kei ...
. The cartoon follows
Humphrey the Bear (in his 2nd appearance) as he takes refuge in
Donald Duck's cabin during
hunting season by disguising himself as a bearskin rug. The film was directed by
Jack Hannah and features the voices of
Clarence Nash as Donald,
Jimmy MacDonald as Humphrey, and an uncredited narrator.
''Rugged Bear'' was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at the
26th Academy Awards in 1954, but lost to another Disney film, ''
Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom''. This was the eighth of nine nominations received by the ''Donald Duck'' film series.
Plot
Humphrey the Bear oversleeps through the opening of
hunting season one year. While the other bears flee to the safety of their cave, Humphrey is left outside and is forced to hide in a nearby cabin instead. Once inside the cabin, Humphrey is horrified to learn that it is a hunting lodge, made evident by the many guns and
hunting trophies hanging on the walls. As he starts to leave, he sees
Donald Duck
Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created by the Walt Disney Company. Donald is an Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit, sailor shirt and cap with ...
coming toward the cabin carrying a rifle. Humphrey desperately looks for a hiding place inside the cabin, and finally notices a large bear skin rug in front of the fireplace. He quickly rolls up the rug, stows it in an empty trunk, and lays out flat on the floor in the rug's place. Just then, Donald enters unaware that his rug has been replaced, or that it is alive. Humphrey nervously endures several uncomfortable and painful experiences, all the while being very careful not to let Donald know that he is a real bear. These include hiccups, a burning ember from the fireplace falling on his fur, going through Donald's washer-dryer, and being mowed with a reel mower, among other things.
Off screen Humphrey spends the rest of hunting season in Donald's cabin carrying on his rug masquerade. When hunting season is over, Donald finally leaves and Humphrey breaths a sigh of relief. Just then, he hears a sound from the trunk in the corner and learns, much to his surprise, that the bearskin rug which he had rolled up and stowed earlier is actually another bear who had also masqueraded as a rug. The film ends with the other bear leaving and thanking Humphrey for taking his place.
Voice cast
* Humphrey the Bear:
James MacDonald
* Donald Duck:
Clarence Nash
Releases
* 1953 - theatrical release
* 1959 - ''
Walt Disney Presents'', episode #5.18: "Duck Flies Coop" (TV)
* 1961 - ''
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color'', episode #8.5: "The Hunting Instinct" (TV)
* 1968 - ''
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color'', episode #14.22: "The Ranger of Brownstone" (TV)
* c. 1983 - ''
Good Morning, Mickey!'', episode #17 (TV)
* c. 1992 - ''
Mickey's Mouse Tracks'', episode #15 (TV)
* 1997 - ''
The Ink and Paint Club'', episode #1.30: "'50s Donald" (TV)
Home media
The short was released on November 11, 2008, on ''
Walt Disney Treasures: The Chronological Donald, Volume Four: 1951-1961''.
Additional releases include:
* 1984 - ''
Cartoon Classics: Donald Duck's First 50 Years'' (VHS)
References
See also
* ''
Hooked Bear''
* ''
In the Bag''
* ''
Bearly Asleep''
* ''
Grin and Bear It''
* ''
Beezy Bear''
{{Humphrey the Bear
Animated films about bears
1950s Disney animated short films
Donald Duck short films
Films directed by Jack Hannah
Films produced by Walt Disney
Films about hunting
1953 films
Films scored by Oliver Wallace
1950s English-language films
1950s American films
English-language short films
1953 animated short films