Jul 27, 2012

72 years ago today: Bugs Bunny was born.

Seventy-two years ago today--July 27, 1940--Bags Bunny appeared in Tex Avery's "The Wild Hare." This Warner Brothers short is widely considered to be the first definitive Bugs Bunny cartoon, combining Bugs Bunny's appearance, personality, and voice. It was also the first time Bugs, voiced by the incomparable Mel Blanc, uttered the famous catchphrase "What's up, doc-"

All of the major players involved in the production of "The Wild Hare" are now deceased except 94-year-old Bob Givens. He was the character designer who reworked the studio's clumsy-looking rabbit character into the familiar design shown below. Givens called the character "Tex's Rabbit" because he had not yet officially named him Bugs Bunny.

Bob is also responsible for redesigning Elmer Fudd into the recognizable character he is today. In an interview conducted by animation historian Steve Worth and animators Will Finn and Mike Fontanelli, he discusses his work on The Wild Hare. I don't know where I would be today if Bob had not patiently encouraged my interest in documenting the history of animation. [But when I went to Bob's modest bungalow home in North Hollywood, I had no idea how important a figure he had been throughout the history of animation in Hollywood's Golden Age. But I soon learned.

In 2001, a few years after my first interview, I had the opportunity to interview Bob a second time. This time he was on stage at San Diego Comic-Con International with fellow WB veteran Pete Alvarado. I doubt if this event was videotaped, but this photographic memory remains:

Over the past 72 years, we have seen countless versions of Bugs Bunny. But today, let's look back at "The Wild Rabbit" and remember the moment one of the funniest cartoon characters was born. And let's honor Bob Givens, the legendary designer of Bugs, who is still with us today.