Hubie and Bertie

Hubie and Bertie are two street-smart mice who want a warm place to live and will happily destroy a cat’s sanity to get it. Hubie is the brains, Bertie is the muscle and the eager audience for Hubie’s plans. Their weapon is psychology: rather than outrun their enemy, they convince him he is losing his mind. Chuck Jones made them some of the most cheerfully ruthless characters in his work.

Hubie and Bertie
Hubie and Bertie

Character Details

Species:Mice
First appearance:The Aristo-Cat (1943)
Created by:Chuck Jones
Original voice:Hubie: Mel Blanc (1943 to 1951) and Dick Nelson (1946); Bertie: Tedd Pierce (1943) and Stan Freberg (1946 to 1951)
Signature lines:"Yeah, yeah, sure, sure." (Bertie)
Frequent co-stars:Claude Cat

Origins

The pair debuted in The Aristo-Cat (1943), tormenting a pampered cat after his butler leaves. They appeared in seven classic shorts, ending with Cheese Chasers (1951). Mouse Wreckers (1949), in which they set out to drive Claude Cat from his home, was nominated for an Academy Award.

Personality and Design

Hubie fast-talks and schemes; Bertie laughs, agrees and does the heavy lifting. Their small, rounded designs make their cruelty funnier, since nothing about them looks dangerous.

Key Cartoons

  • The Aristo-Cat (1943): debut.
  • Trap Happy Porky (1945)
  • Roughly Squeaking (1946)
  • House Hunting Mice (1947): a robot house cleaner gets in the way.
  • Mouse Wreckers (1949): Oscar nominee against Claude Cat.
  • The Hypo-Chondri-Cat (1950): the mice convince Claude he is dead.
  • Cheese Chasers (1951): the mice eat so much cheese they want to be caught.

From the Sketch Pad

Hubie Bertie With Bindles Sketch