And that's not all folks
When I was a little girl, our family doctor was Dr. Douglas Dykeman, whose office was in Richmond, and whose home was down the street from my grandparents. I think I was probably treated by Dr. D. as many times at home or Gran and Bampie’s as I was in either his official office in town, or the small office in the front of his home. We all loved him. One day, on a visit to the downtown office, I brought him a drawing I had done for him – it was Bugs Bunny, carrot in hand, with his catch phrase, “Eh .... What’s up doc?”
We were quite Looney Toons obsessed – watching the cartoon in repeat performances was never a bore, fresh and funny even after the twentieth time that Elmer Fudd flubbed his way through yet another rabbit hunting expedition, Porky Pig stuttered his way through worry, Daffy Duck sputtered his way through more frustration or Wile E. Coyote planted yet another trap for the Roadrunner that he would find himself the victim of.
There were other big fans in our entourage – as pretty much everyone was familiar with the antics of popular cartoon shows, whether it was Warner Brothers’ or Hanna-barbera’s work. My friend’s family named several cats after Looney Toons/merrie Melodies characters – Anvil and Clawd in particular come to mind, and as an adult I would continue the tradition with a big marmalade kitty named Gossamer (after the big hairy red monster with running shoes). You can bet that there have been many, many Sylvesters over the years as well.
April 30th is National Bugs Bunny Day – and this year marked eighty years to the day since that wascally wabbit was first featured in a cartoon entitled Porky’s Hare Hunt. Bugs appeared quite different in that piece – shorter, with a very different style of face and body. With a team of co-creators working on the rabbit who would later become the image representing Warner Brothers,
He’s absolutely one of the top-mosteasily-recognized pop culture icons, with his light grey coat, round, white cheeks, prominent choppers, wide eyes and long legs. As soon as he opens his mouth, and Mel Blanc’s voice emerges with that Brooklyn accent, he is utterly unforgettable.
Bugs even has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Known for his appearances in what was originally Leon Schlesinger Productions, that later became Warner Brothers, Bugs Bunny has made his way through too many forms of media to count.
When World War II began, it was determined that many adults watched the cartoons, and so Bugs Bunny became a featured character in the drive to recruit for the armed forces. At times Bugs was used in content that depicted other ethnicities in an insulting (and at times racist) light – and most of that content has been pulled from circulation. He was also used as the mascot for many regiments and armed forces groups.
While Bugs Bunny has a great supply of friends (most of whom he has tense moments with as well, to say the least), including Porky Pig and Daffy Duck, his rivals are as (if not more) numerous, including Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, Tasmanian Devil (Taz), Marvin the Martian, Witch Hazel, Rocky, the Crusher, and my favourite Count Blood Count.
Friz Freleng, Chuck Jones and Robert Mckimson were responsible for most of Bugs’ 167-ish short film appearances, and it was Freleng’s Knighty Knight Bugs that brought home the first Oscar for Best Cartoon Short Subject sixty years ago, in 1958.
Other outfits sought to preserve Bugs Bunny and friends’ image, including the United States Library of Congress, that felt that Chuck Jones’ “What’s Opera Doc?” starring Bugs and Daffy Duck was “culturally significant”, and preserved in the National Film Registry in 1992, making it the first cartoon chosen for this recognition and preservation.
Thirty years ago, in 1988, Bugs made it to the big screen in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, as one of the residents of Toon Town. This film made history with its full-length combination of live action and animation, and was one of the last times that Mel Blanc provided the voice for Bugs Bunny.
In 1996, the live action/animation style was revisited for Space Jam, starring Bugs Bunny and NBA superstar basketball player, Michael Jordan. In ’97 Bugs Bunny was the first cartoon character featured on a U.S. postage stamp.
The Cartoon Network brought Bugs (and friends) back in 2011, with a new look and new digs (including roommates and a love interest – Lola Bunny, who was introduced in Space Jam), and again in 2015 with New Looney Toons (that was first called Wabbit).
With great humour, fantastic soundtracking, simple, stylish design and voicework to beat the band, may Bugs Bunny continue to find fans and friends among viewers, because while the great work of our Townships doctors keeps us all going, laughter sure is great medicine!
Happy Birthday Bugs!