Witch Hazel (Looney Tunes)
Witch Hazel | |
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Looney Tunes character | |
First appearance | Bewitched Bunny (July 24, 1954 ) |
Created by | Chuck Jones |
Voiced by |
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In-universe information | |
Alias | Witch Lezah |
Species | Human |
Occupation | Witch |
Witch Hazel is an
Created by Chuck Jones during the golden age of American animation, the character was originally voiced by Bea Benaderet in 1954's Bewitched Bunny. Benaderet would later be replaced by June Foray, who voiced the character almost exclusively beginning with 1956's Broom-Stick Bunny and concluding with 2002's Twick or Tweety. Tress MacNeille would briefly voice Witch Hazel from 1992 to 1994 for episodes of Tiny Toon Adventures and Animaniacs. After Foray's departure from the role, the character was voiced by Roz Ryan from 2011 to 2013 for The Looney Tunes Show (as Witch Lezah) and by Candi Milo from 2017 onward.
Concept and creation
Different characters of the same name appeared in several studios' short films throughout the
Despite their common name, Jones' Witch Hazel is a much different witch from her Disney counterpart. The Looney Tunes character is a highly stylized villainess. Her rotund, green-skinned body is wrapped in a plain, blue dress and supported by twig-like legs. She has wild black hair from which
Appearances
Golden age
Bewitched Bunny retells the fairy tale about Hansel and Gretel. Witch Hazel plays the witch who attempts to cook and eat the children. Bugs Bunny witnesses her coax the children inside and saves the youths from Witch Hazel's clutches because the Masked Avenger is not around. Once the witch realizes that Bugs is a rabbit, she chases him to put him into her witch's brew. Upon putting Bugs into a sleeping spell, he is awoken by a kiss from Prince Charming; Bugs then tells him that he is in the wrong story. Bugs eventually uses Hazel's own magic against her and transforms her into a sexy female rabbit, to whom he is instantly attracted. He walks away with her while he breaks the fourth wall and comments, "Ah sure, I know. But aren't they all witches inside?"
In Broom-Stick Bunny, Witch Hazel takes great pride in her status as the ugliest witch. While trick-or-treating on Halloween as a witch, Bugs Bunny visits Witch Hazel's house and she mistakes him for an actual witch. So does her magic mirror, which warns, "You're an ugly one, 'tis true; but that creep is uglier far than you!" Jealous that this newcomer is uglier than herself, Hazel attempts to trick the "witch" into drinking a "Pretty Potion" disguised as tea. Bugs removes his mask to drink it and she becomes obsessed with using the rabbit in her witch's brew. Hazel captures him by tricking him with a carrot. Hazel is about to kill Bugs, but becomes distraught when his sad eyes remind her of Paul, her pet tarantula. Bugs calms her down with a beverage which turns out to be the Pretty Potion. Transformed into a beautiful young woman, Hazel asks her magic mirror if she is still ugly. The genie in her mirror instantly falls in love with her and Hazel flies off into the night on her flying broomstick and the genie chases after her on his magic carpet. Bugs calls Air Raid headquarters to ask them about a "Flying Socceress chased by a Genie with light brown hair."
Bugs Bunny was pitted against Witch Hazel for the last time in A Witch's Tangled Hare (1959), a parody of Macbeth. This short was directed by Abe Levitow. Rabbit is once again the missing ingredient to Witch Hazel's brew and Bugs happens to be in the area. Meanwhile, a William Shakespeare look-alike observes the action in search of inspiration. Bugs finds out that the man is not William Shakespeare, but is actually a man named Sam Crubish. Witch Hazel hears this and it appears that the two know each other but have not seen each other in a while because Crubish had the wrong apartment number, "2B". The poet and Witch Hazel leave talking about who made the mistake. Bugs Bunny quotes the famous line from Hamlet – "To be, or not to be, that is the question."
The Bugs Bunny short
Once production shifted to DePatie–Freleng Enterprises, Witch Hazel appeared in the cartoon A-Haunting We Will Go (1966), which also starred Daffy Duck and Speedy Gonzales.
After the Golden Age
All four of Witch Hazel's original Looney Tunes short cartoons were edited and repurposed into the 1977 television special Bugs Bunny's Howl-oween Special. June Foray recorded new and redubbed dialogue for Witch Hazel in the special, including in newly animated content to link the classic clips together into one narrative.
Witch Hazel made a cameo in the deleted "Pig Head" scene of the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). She is seen flying around on Beelzebub before getting struck by lightning.
Witch Hazel has appeared in cameos in various Warner Bros. productions, such as the movie
Witch Hazel also makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the film Looney Tunes: Rabbits Run.
Witch Hazel also starred in the New Looney Tunes segments "Finders Keepers, Losers Sweepers", "Hiccups and Downs" and "It's Snout or Never".
Witch Hazel made her first appearance in the Looney Tunes Cartoons short "Hex Appeal", which is part of a Halloween special titled Bugs Bunny's Howl-O-Skreem Spooktacula.
Witch Hazel appears in the Teen Titans Go! episode, "Warner Bros. 100th Anniversary". She is among the Looney Tunes characters guests for the Warner Bros. centennial celebration.
Witch Lezah
The 2011 animated series
References
- ^ "Witch Hazel Voice - Looney Tunes Dash (Video Game)". Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
- ^ "Witch Hazel Voice - Looney Tunes World of Mayhem (Video Game)". Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on 13 June 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
- ^ a b c d Mallory, Michael (2014-10-23). "Which Witch is Which?". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on 2019-06-24. Retrieved 2019-06-24.
- ISBN 978-1-4766-6252-7. Archivedfrom the original on 2022-06-15. Retrieved 2019-06-24.
- ISBN 978-1-59393-461-3. Archivedfrom the original on 2022-06-15. Retrieved 2019-06-24.
- ISBN 1-57806-696-4. Archivedfrom the original on 2022-06-15. Retrieved 2019-06-24.
External links
- All about Witch Hazel on Chuck Jones Official Website.