Which Way did he go Geroge-character

[Webmess]

The phrase "Which way did he go George" came up in a conversation recently. Please tell us what character is known for this phrase. Several of us think it was a Looney Tunes character. Also is there any reference to this phrase online?
Thank you for any help.

[Matthew Hunter]

That particular line was indeed a Looney Tunes character, (Merrie Melodies actually) you are probably thinking of "Of Fox and Hounds", a Tex Avery cartoon loosely based on John Steinbeck's novel "Of Mice and Men". Avery lifts the peronalities of the books' characters, George, a small, smart man, and Lennie, a large, mentally challenged man, and puts their personalities into a fox and a dog (In this case, his name is "Willoughby", though). Anyway, "George" tricks Willoughby again and again, by dressing as another dog, and when Willoughby asks "Which way did he go, George"? George tells him "that way", and gives him directions to jump over a fence, leading Willoughby off a cliff. After Willoughby falls for it multiple times, he does it again at the end of the cartoon, only this time we don't hear a crash....cut to the end of the film, with the dog lying on a pile of mattresses..."I aint so dumb!"
-Matthew

[PorkyandDaffy]

That line was also used in FALLING HARE.

[don Jaime]

And the "Bully for Skippy" segment on Animaniacs.

[Bobby B]

Originally posted by PorkyandDaffy
That line was also used in FALLING HARE.


I remember a scene from "The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show" that had a sheepdog at the stage door saying "Which way did he go? Where's the cute little bunny rabbit I saw on TV?"

[chuckamuck43]

Avery and the Termite Terrace boys used that one a lot.
Remember McKimson's George and Bennie? Sylvester and Bennie? The Bugs cartoon "Foxy By Proxy" with Freberg doing the "Lennie" dog voice? Or how about Avery's George and Junior series?
My favorite use of the character (outside of George & Junior) is in Avery's "Lonesome Lenny". As Hubie & Bert would say, "Riot, ri-ot!"

[Paul Penna]

Originally posted by Matthew Hunter
That particular line was indeed a Looney Tunes character, (Merrie Melodies actually) you are probably thinking of "Of Fox and Hounds", a Tex Avery cartoon loosely based on John Steinbeck's novel "Of Mice and Men". Avery lifts the peronalities of the books' characters, George, a small, smart man, and Lennie, a large, mentally challenged man...

It wasn't the book that did it, actually, but Lon Chaney's performance of Lennie in the 1939 film. That's the direct reference of all the "Which way did he go, George?" gags at the time. Though the book itself was a best-seller, many more people would have seen the film, as did gag writers who picked up on Lennie-type lines, as well as Chaney's notable delivery.