"I will hug him and squeeze him and call him George."
If you grew up watching Saturday morning cartoons, you know the line. You probably even know the voice—that low, gravelly, slightly dim-witted rumble that sounds like a boulder trying to speak English. It’s one of the most iconic moments in animation history.
But here is the thing: most people watching The Lonesome Hippo or Of Rice and Hen today have absolutely no clue that Bugs Bunny and George aren't just a random comedy duo. They are part of one of the weirdest, darkest, and most touching tributes in Hollywood history.
The Steinbeck Connection You Probably Missed
The "George" in question isn't some random guy the animators knew at Termite Terrace. He’s George Milton. And the big guy? That’s Lennie Small. We are talking about John Steinbeck’s 1937 masterpiece, Of Mice and Men.
It seems bizarre now. Why would a studio making shorts for kids base a recurring gag on a Great Depression-era tragedy about itinerant ranch hands and a literal mercy killing?
Because Bob Clampett and Tex Avery were obsessed with pop culture.
In the original novella, Lennie is a man with an intellectual disability and immense physical strength who doesn't know his own power. He loves soft things. He wants to tend rabbits. He constantly asks George to "tell me about the rabbits." It’s a brutal, gut-wrenching story that ends in tears.
So, naturally, Warner Bros. turned it into a gag about a giant dog. Or a giant snowman. Or a giant gorilla.
The Birth of the "Lennie" Archetype
The first time we really see this dynamic play out with our favorite carrot-chomper is in the 1941 short Lonesome Hippo. But the "George and Lennie" trope really solidified in the Looney Tunes canon through characters like Willoughby the Dog and later, the Abominable Snowman.
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Bugs Bunny usually finds himself in the "rabbit" role—obviously—but he also frequently adopts the "George" persona to manipulate his way out of being squeezed to death.
It's a survival tactic.
Bugs realized early on that you can't outrun a giant who thinks you're a plushie. You have to outsmart them. He adopts the cadence of the Steinbeck character, playing into the fantasy of "the farm" and "the rabbits" just to keep his ribcage intact.
Why the Voice Sounds Like That
If you listen closely to the "George" bits, the voice is very specific. It wasn't just Mel Blanc being Mel Blanc. The voice was a direct parody of actor Lon Chaney Jr., who played Lennie in the 1939 film adaptation of Of Mice and Men.
Chaney’s performance was legendary. It was vulnerable and terrifying all at once. The Looney Tunes animators took that vulnerability and cranked it up to eleven. They turned a tragic figure into a lovable, albeit dangerous, oaf.
Bugs Bunny and George: The Abominable Evolution
Perhaps the most famous iteration of this dynamic shows up in The Abominable Snow Rabbit (1961). Directed by Chuck Jones, this is the one where Bugs and Daffy Duck accidentally end up in the Himalayas instead of Palm Springs.
"I will hug him and squeeze him and call him George."
The Snowman—officially named Hugo—is the ultimate Lennie. He’s huge. He’s white. He’s incredibly lonely. And he really, really wants a pet.
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The comedy comes from the subversion. In the book, the rabbits are a dream of a better life. In the cartoon, the "rabbit" is a cynical, Brooklyn-accented trickster who is actively trying to pawn the "George" title off on Daffy Duck.
It’s brilliant.
It takes a dark literary theme about the impossibility of the American Dream and turns it into a slapstick masterpiece about a duck getting his beak flattened.
Why Does It Still Work?
Honestly? Because it’s relatable.
We all know a "George." We’ve all been in situations where we are dealing with someone who is well-meaning but completely overwhelming. There’s a psychological depth there that you don't find in, say, a Road Runner cartoon.
There is also a weirdly tender element to it. Despite the violence, the "George" characters usually genuinely love Bugs. It’s an unrequited, smothering affection.
The Cultural Footprint
This wasn't just a one-off joke. The Bugs Bunny and George dynamic influenced everything that came after it.
- Tiny Toon Adventures: They literally created a character named Elmyra Duff who is a female, child version of Lennie. She "hugs them and squeezes them" until they turn blue.
- Animaniacs: The "Buttons and Mindy" or "Katie Ka-Boom" segments often played with similar power dynamics.
- Modern Sitcoms: Any "Big Guy/Small Guy" comedy duo owes a debt to how Looney Tunes translated Steinbeck for the masses.
The Dark Side of the Joke
We have to talk about the ending of the original book. George kills Lennie to save him from a lynch mob. It is one of the most depressing endings in all of literature.
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When Bugs Bunny calls someone "George," there is a tiny, microscopic layer of "if you know, you know" dark humor. The animators knew exactly how that story ended. By having Bugs adopt the name "George," he is asserting control over a chaotic, powerful force.
He is the director of the scene.
In a world of falling anvils and TNT, the "George" reference is a rare moment where the writers leaned into a specific kind of intellectual parody that rewarded the adults in the room without alienating the kids who just wanted to see a big snowman fall down.
Making Sense of the Legacy
Bugs Bunny’s relationship with these "George" figures defines his character. He isn't just a jerk who likes to mess with people. He’s a character who understands the world better than anyone else in the frame.
He knows literature. He knows film. He knows human (and monster) nature.
When he leans into the "George" bit, he’s showing his range. He goes from being the prey to being the caretaker, even if it's a fake role designed to save his own skin.
Actionable Takeaways for Looney Tunes Fans
If you want to really appreciate the craft behind these classic shorts, you’ve got to do a little homework. It makes the jokes land ten times harder.
- Watch the 1939 Film: Check out Lon Chaney Jr.’s performance in Of Mice and Men. You will immediately recognize the vocal tics that Mel Blanc borrowed for the various "George" characters.
- Compare the Directors: Notice how Bob Clampett handled the "Lennie" archetype versus how Chuck Jones did it. Clampett’s versions are more grotesque and energetic; Jones’s (like Hugo the Abominable Snowman) are more deadpan and structural.
- Track the Catchphrase: Look for the subtle variations. Sometimes it’s "I’ll stroke his fur." Sometimes it’s "I’ll keep him in my pocket." Each variation is a direct nod to a specific chapter in the Steinbeck novella.
- Explore the "Willoughby" Shorts: Specifically The Heckling Hare (1941). It’s one of the earliest and purest examples of Bugs interacting with a Lennie-style character.
The "Bugs Bunny and George" connection is a reminder that the Golden Age of animation wasn't just about slapstick. It was a sophisticated, referential, and occasionally dark mirror of the culture at large. It took the heavy themes of the Depression and gave us a way to laugh at them, one "squeeze" at a time.