Bugs Bunny first got his start in the animated film business as a virtually unknown rabbit in the following three cartoons: Porkys Hare Hunt (1938), Prest-O Change-O (1939) and Hare-Um Scare-Um (1939). Tex Avery animator took over the series and wanted to call him "Jack Rabbit" but it was suggested he be named "Bugsy" after the West coast mobster Bugsy Siegel, but the producer did not like the idea of the rabbit being named after a reputed gangster. Well another discussion ensued and after much deliberation the name "Bugs Bunny" was settled upon. It was also Tex Avery who gave Bugs his trademark phrase of, "What's up, Doc?" (cartoons, lenburg).
Daffy Duck first appearance on film animation was in Tex Avery's cartoon "Porky's Duck Hunt" but he did not officially receive his name "Daffy Duck" until his second cartoon appearance in "Daffy Duck and Egghead" in 1938. Daffy at first was an all out lunatic, doing flips, somersaults and laughing, Woo-hoo! Woo-hoo!, all over the screen. By the 1950's he became more malevolent in nature, it was during this time that his speech impediment evolved, being unable to pronounce the letter "S". Daffy has and continues to be victimized by his own ego (cartoons, lenburg). One of my most favorite lines of this crazy duck is "Your Despicable" after being out witted by Bugs Bunny again. My most favorite cartoon starring Daffy would have to be "Rabbit Fire"(1951) in which Elmer is out hunting and both Bugs and Daffy are trying to convince Elmer, as well as each other, it is the others season to be hunted. If you want to know what season it really is, go to Wabbit Season page to find out or Point and click on "Rabbit Fire" above.
Porky Pig
Porky Pig got his start in animation in 1935's cartoon "I Haven't Got a Hat" an animal version of Hal Roach's "Our Gang" series, Porky's famed moment which launched him into stardom was when he recited "Mary had a Little Lamb" in his stammering voice, Warner Brothers sent this st-st-st-stammering pig in his own series and the rest is history. Blanc created Porky's famous sign off line, "Th-th-th-th-that's all, folks!" often used at the end of every Warner Brother's cartoon (cartoons, lenburg).
Elmer J. Fudd
Elmer made his first animated appearance in 1937 in "Egghead Rides Again", at first Warner brothers named him Egghead and he starred in many of WB first cartoons. After 11 cartoons the decision was made to give him the name of Elmer Fudd in his first new appearance in "Dangerous Dan McFoo" (1939). Elmer underwent several alterations because the animators at WB never felt he looked funny enough. Finally in Friz Freleng's "The Hare Brained Hypnotist" (1942) he would evolve into the Elmer we all know and wuv today (cartoons, lenburg). My personal favorite of Elmer Fudd is when he is hunting, when is he not, and the looney farm comes and abducts Bugs in Elmers stead, and Bugs is programmed to believe he is Elmer J. Fudd who owns a mansion and a yacht.
Foghorn Leghorn
There is no animated character more gentleman like than Foghorn Leghorn. Foghorn made his first appearenace in amimation in "Walky Talky Hawky" (1946) opposite Henery the Chicken Hawk, this won him an Academy Award Nomination for "Best Short Subject" that year. After this WB cast him in his own series of cartoons with Henery the Chicken Hawk, Br'er Dog the long eared dog who was always trying, and sometimes suceeding, in getting even with Mr. Leghorn, Miss Prissy was also brought in for those love scenes in which Foghorn was never interested and Miss Prissy's son Jr. was also known to grace the scenes to evoke the half wit out of Foghorn (cartoons, lenburg). Foghorn has always been one of my favorites, especially when he is trying to edumacate the young Jr., who is always smarter than he, and always seems to get his foot in his mouth, sir.
Sylvester the Cat
"Sufferin' Succotash" was first uttered by the lispy voice of Sylvester the Cat who made his debut in "Life with Feathers" (1945). It wasn't until 1947 in "Tweety Pie" that he first appeared with his now famous co-star Tweety Bird, it was this film which would win WB it's first Oscar for "Best Short Subject" of the year. Sylvester would later appear opposite his son Jr. and Hippety Hopper the baby kangaroo he often mistook for a giant mouse, and Elmer and Porky would grace the animated sheets with him too (cartoons, lenburg). One of my personal favorites of Sylvester is when he appears with his son, and his son wants him to teach him how to catch a mouse, but the mouse turns out to be Hippety the giant mouse, or baby kangaroo, and in the end Sylvester opts to catch butterflies instead of mice, only to shame his son who must now walk around with a bag over his head because his father could not catch a mere mouse.
Tweety Bird
Tweety like his now famous co-star Sylvester had separate successful careers in animation before they were brought together in "Tweetie Pie" (1947). Tweety made his first animation appearance in "A Tale of Two Kitties" (1942), with Babbit and Catstello, two cats animated after the famous comedy team of Abbott and Costello. The teaming of Tweety and Sylvester was such a success they were featured in 39 cartoons between 1947 and 1964, acquiring two Academy Awards for "Tweetie Pie" and Birds Anonymous" (1957) and three Oscar Nominations. Granny, Tweety's owner was seen in many of Tweety's films, a sweet grandma who is as nice and sweet as can be, until Sylvester comes around to eat her little Tweety in which Tweety is heard to exclaim his famous line, "I tawt I taw a puddy tat. I did, I did see a puddy tat!" (cartoons, lenburg).
Road Runner/Wile E. Coyote
Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote were created and starred in their first animation together, "Fast and Furry-Ous" (1949), this started what was to become the longest chase in animation history. The Road Runner always humiliating the Coyote with a mere "beep-beep", and the Coyote always thinking he can outsmart the speeding Road Runner with his superior Genius Brain. My personal favorite would have to be when Wile E. Coyote calls himself a "Super Genius", "Wile E. Coyote, Super Genius, I like the way that sounds", before being ran over by a freight train whose tracks lie directly in the path of the Coyote.
Speedy Gonzales
Speedy's first apperance was in Robert McKimson's "Cat Tails for Two" (1953), where he is an unnamed mouse in a Mexican strip where all the rodents are two quick to be caught by the unfriendly felines. The Speedy of today does not bare a resemblence to the mouse in that first film but the idea of Speedy was acquired then. Speedy Gonzales first appearance was in "Speedy Gonzales" (1955), who also co-starred Sylvester, this film acquired an Academy Award for "Best Cartoon of the Year". In later cartoons Sylvester as well as Speedy's cousin Slowpoke Rodriguez, who was always slower than a turtle, graced the screen with him.
Marvin the Martian
Marvin the Martian compared to the other Looney Tunes characters has had a relatively short, but on healthy career. He first appeared in "Haredevil Hare (1948), alongside Bugs Bunny. His biggest and most famous role was in "Duck Dodgers In The 24 1/2th Century" (1953), alongside Daffy duck and Porky Pig, where he plays a martian trying to acquire a planet in the name of Mars, only to be provoked into a nuclear holocaust, by Daffy of course, that leave the three characters clinging to each other beneath a small bit of the planet that is leftover.
Tasmanian (Taz) Devil
Taz has had a short career, but a famous one. He has appeared in only 5 cartoons, his first appearance was in "Devil May Hare" (1954), alongside Bugs Bunny. Taz and Bugs Bunny have appeared together in all of his films except for one, "Ducking the Devil" (1957), where he appeared with Daffy Duck instead. Taz is a character you would love to have on your side and hate to have as an enemy.
Yosemite Sam
Yosemite sam first made his animated appearance in "Hare Trigger" (1945), opposite that "long eared varmint", known as Bugs Bunny. Yosemite Sam is such a serious short tempered character that he fits perfectly next to Bugs Bunny who is calm and patient. My personal favorite is when Bugs and Yosemite are running for Mayor, and Yosemite Sam rigs the "peeana" so that it will blow up when the right note is hit, by Bugs, but Bugs continues to hit the wrong note and out of frustration Yosemite pushes Bugs out of the way to show Bugs how to play, only to be blown up by his own bomb. Yosemite Sam never starred in his own series but was used in supporting roles instead. He shared an Academy award with Bugs Bunny in "Knighty-Knight Bugs" (1958) (cartoons, lenburg).
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