War!

 November 9, 1946.  Warner Brother's release Rhapsody Rabbit, Bugs Bunny playing Franz Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in a concert hall.

 

After shooting a coughing member of the audience, the rabbit demonstrates his amazing virtuosity.

But a small problem develops.

 

 April 26, 1947.  MGM releases The Cat Concerto, with Tom giving a concert performance of Franz Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2.

Tom plays beautifully, but...

...a small problem develops.

“It was at a screening for the Oscar nominees.  We [Cat Concerto] played first.  When it came on, people were laughing like hell, and when the lights came on, Freleng was mad as hell.  Then it [Rabbit Rhapsody] played, and the action was similar:  Bugs walked up in the tailcoat, flipped it up, sat down, warmed up the hands, looking arrogant, all exactly the same.  In ours, Tom, the cat, disturbs the mouse, and in his, Bugs, the rabbit, disturbs the mouse. Ours ended up as one of the five [Oscar] finalists, and people had the feeling that he [Freleng] was ripping off our cartoon, but he said, ‘No, no, no, I never saw your goddamned lousy cartoon!’”

Joseph Barbera.  Cat Concerto got the Oscar for Best Animated Short, Bugs didn't get his until 1959.  So who stole what from who?

https://youtu.be/DARLjh197qQ 

Friz Freleng, the model for the hot tempered Yosemite Sam, won 5 Academy Awards and 3 Emmys.  Hanna and Barbera won 7 Academy Awards and 8 Emmys.  I say we call it even!

I just love Warner's and MGM cartoons, but as usual a Mouse ruins everything!