Yosemite Sam is the only ‘Y’ Looney Tunes character in the series. His name is taken from Yosemite National Park. Yosemite is a hothead, a real grouch-puss. He’s depicted as a gun slinging cowboy, prospector, or outlaw and is rather short in stature but that’s not all he’s short in. His hair trigger temper gets torqued over his hatred of rabbits, in particular for none other than Bugs Bunny.
The first short Yosemite appeared in was Hare Trigger (1945). In this short, Yosemite is an outlaw, a very very short outlaw. I laughed as the train he tries to rob passes right over top him and then to mount his horse he had to use steps. Ha-Ha! Watch the clip!
A few years later in 1948, Yosemite appeared in Bugs Bunny Rides Again.
POST REVISION NOTIFICATION 8/2/2023 Thanks to whoever owed the previous two videos, I was forced to replace the clips with working links. For each, I found series of videos for each episode which means the ones beyond this point might be repeats.
In the above clip portion of the cartoon was cut out. *roll eyes* I managed to find I think the scenes removed and created a playlist of the three in the right sequence. There’s one more which I couldn’t add because the ‘save’ feature was grayed out but I was able to embed the clip below this one.
You know I had forgotten just how short Yosemite Sam is. He’s ridiculously short,isn’t he? lol
It would be awesome to find all of the classic, unedited Looney Tunes cartoons on YouTube to watch or share anytime. Political correctness ruins everything! I hope you enjoyed the piece together. 
There are other Sam-like characters which I didn’t know. There was southern sheriff character (no name given) in Stage Door Cartoon 1944, Cottontail Smith a cowboy in Super-Rabbit 1943, in Along Came Daffy 1947 there were two Yosemite Sams – one with red hair and the other black. In 1949 Mississippi Hare there was Colonel Shuffle a pistol-toting gambler and a second appearance of the Colonel in Dog Gone South (1950). The last short from 1964, Pancho’s Hideaway, the Mexican villain resembles Sam. And just to think, I assumed they were all Yosemite.
Thanks for allowing me to be a part of your day. Please leave a direct link for today’s post in comments to ensure others can find an easy way back to you. I’m heading over to the A2Z headquarters to see who’s joined the party now. I hope to see you again tomorrow for the next letter in the alphabet in my Looney Tunes Art Sketch series! X
X Cathy
Alphabetical Looney Tunes Art Sketch series quick links:
- ACME Mail order catalog
- Bugs Bunny
- Cecil Turtle
- Daffy Duck
- Elmer Fudd
- Foghorn Leghorn
- Granny
- Henery Hawk
- Injun Putty Tat
- Joke
- Kiss Me Cat
- Lunch
- Marvin the Martian
- Nasty Canasta
- Outerspace
- Pepe and Penelope Pussycat
- Quackusters
- Ralph Wolf & Sam Sheepdog
- Speedy and Slowpoke
- Tweety
- Uncensored
- Villain
- Wile E. Coyote
- X-ray
- Y
- Z
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Poor old Sam, he really did suffer from short man syndrome.. I always loved that Bugs kept carrots in his gun holsters. Love your sketch of Sam as with no one else in the picture it allows him to look slightly taller than he is.
One of my favorites!
Well done on the sketch, Cathy. Yosemite Sam was a fun character and one of my faves.
Sounds like he needs Anger Management classes.
Great job drawing him. XO
Yosemite Sam was a hoot, and dare i say it, always on the short end of the stick against his arch-enemy, Bugs. You captured him very well in your sketch!
Yosemite… what a character! “…that’s not all he’s short in.” That made me laugh!
Three things I love about him: his mustache, his short legs, and his voice. Another great sketch, Cathy!
Today’s Jethro Tull song:
http://tao-talk.com/2021/04/29/a2z-2021-jethro-tull-songs-day-25-year-one-skating-away-on-the-ice-of-a-new-day-from-war-child-1974/
Perfect pick for the letter Y. Your drawing captures the character well. I never cared for Yosemite Sam, but looking back over these cartoons I guess I was never a huge fan of most of them. But those cartoons were a classic part of my childhood.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
I didn’t even know his name was Yosemite ;))
I knew he would make the list today
You created a great sketch of Yosemite in all his darn-tootin’ best. I love some of his comments like “Long-eared Galoot.” I love the Gary Cooper reference ad that the action scenes with the horses are in Monument Valley a favourite in John Ford westerns. I know you are almost finished and a looking forward to tomorrow and what will be Z. I have to say I hope you continue with a few more classic cartoon characters like Porky Pig, Claude the Cat, Sylvester’s son and the Kangaroo, That puppy that always gets the better of Claude the cat. The mice that seem to look like and act like Jack Benny and Rochester. The bull dog and his friend who yaps all around him before getting slapped by the bull dog. There are so many classics. You know, when the record store reopens, they have the full collection of Warner Brother cartoons-un-edited and, though expensive, I think I will splurge and buy it.
Really wonderful. You have made all of us remember the good ol’ days.
Oh this has been such a fun month here. You’ve captured a fun time in my life with these cartoons and your sketches rock. Such fun.
One more day and you’ve completed another year of the A2Z Challenge. Congratulations.
Have a fabulous day, Cathy. Love and hugs. ♥
You did Yosemite up right, bravo you!
That’s a great smile Yosemite has in your drawing. All I could think of was him as an X with the way his mustache and guns lay. Ha. He is a little shorty…. I think he suffered from big man syndrome. Can you believe we only have one day left? I wonder what your Z will be. I can’t wait to see. Today my letter to self is: You Are Not the CHRIST and you can bet I struggle with that.
Cheers,
Crackerberries
Hi, Cathy!
Happy Y-day, dear friend! I had this one pegged all the way. Who better to represent the letter “Y” than the rootin’-tootin’ – gun totin’ – rip-snortin’ Yosemite Sam? He is one of the most memorable characters in the Looney Tunes family. Your sketch showing Sam with guns blazing in different directions is filled with action and is an accurate depiction of his character and his “shoot first, ask questions NEVER” philosophy. I enjoyed the first cartoon clip which, I suspect, was inspired by the 1903 silent film The Great Train Robbery, one of the earliest Western movies. The other shorts further explore the Western genre and its cliches like the outlaw making a grand entrance at a saloon, making bold claims about himself and challenging every man in town to take him on. Looks like Bugs and Sam both ordered a few extra pistols from Acme Company, namely a seven shooter, an eight shooter, a nine shooter and a ten shooter. It was fun reviewing the highlights of Yosemite Sam’s cartoon career. I hope you can bring him back someday In Living Color to show his fiery red hair and mustache, yellow hat, blue shirt and rust colored pants.
Have a great day, dear friend Cathy. I’ll see you tamale for the grand finale!