Bugs
Bunny is this funny rabbit appearing in the Looney
Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons, and
is one of the most recognizable characters, real or
imaginary, in the world. According to his biography,
he was "born" in 1940 in Brooklyn, New York
and the product of five fathers: Bob Clampett (who
created a prototypical version of the character in
1938), Tex Avery (who developed Bugs' definitive personality
in 1940), Robert McKimson (created the definitive
Bugs Bunny character design), Chuck Jones, and Friz
Freleng. But according to Mel Blanc, his voice actor,
his accent is an equal blend of someone from the Bronx
and someone from Brooklyn.
He is noted for his signature line of "Eh, what's
up, doc?" and his feuds with Elmer Fudd, Yosemite
Sam, Marvin the Martian,
Daffy
Duck, and even
Wile
E. Coyote, who usually takes on the Road Runner.
Almost invariably, Bugs comes out the winner in these
conflicts, because that is in his nature. This is
especially obvious in films directed by Chuck Jones,
who liked to pit "winners" against "losers".
Worrying that audiences would lose sympathy for an
aggressor who always won, Jones found the perfect
way to make Bugs sympathetic in the films by having
the antagonist repeatedly bully, cheat or threaten
Bugs in some way. Thus offended, (usually three times)
Bugs would often state "Of course, you realize
this means war" (a line which Jones noted was
taken from Groucho Marx) and the audience gives Bugs
silent permission to inflict his havoc, having earned
his right to retaliate and/or defend himself. Other
directors like Friz Freleng had Bugs go out of his
way to help others in trouble, again creating an acceptable
circumstance for his mischief. When Bugs meets other
characters who are also "winners", however,
like Cecil the Turtle in Tortoise Beats Hare, or,
in World War II, the Gremlin of Falling Hare, his
record is rather dismal; his overconfidence tends
to work against him. .
"Bugs" or "Bugsy" as a nickname
means "crazy".
A suggested early influence
A number of animation historians believe Bugs
to have been influenced by an earlier Disney character
called Max Hare. Max, designed by Charlie Thorsen,
first appeared in the Silly Symphony The Tortoise
and the Hare, directed by Wilfred Jackson. The story
was based on a fable by Aesop and cast Max against
Toby Tortoise, and won the Academy Award for Animated
Short Film for 1934. Max also appeared in the sequel
Toby Tortoise Returns and the Mickey Mouse cartoon
Mickey's Polo Team.
The only solid connection between Max and Bugs
however is Charlie Thorsen. He was also responsible
for the redesign of Bugs from a white to a gray
rabbit for his third appearance Hare-um Scare-um
(see below), thus the similarity in design.
Greatest cartoon
character
In 2002, TV Guide compiled a list of the
50 greatest cartoon characters of all time as part
of the magazine's 50th anniversary. Bugs Bunny was
given the honor of number 1.
In a CNN broadcast on July 31, 2002, a TV Guide
editor talked about how they went about creating
the list. The editor also talked about Bugs being
named the greatest toon character. As the editor
explained: "his stock...has never gone down...Bugs
is the best example...of the smart-alec American
comic. He not only is a great cartoon character,
he's a great comedian. He was written well. He was
drawn beautifully. He has thrilled and made many
generations laugh. He is tops."
Learn more about Bugs
Bunny !
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