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"A small child once said to me. 'You don't draw Bugs Bunny, you draw pictures of Bugs Bunny.' That's a very profound observation because it means that he thinks the characters are alive, which, as far as I am concerned, is true," recalls animation director Chuck Jones. Mr. Jones helped bring to life many characters during the Golden Age of animation including some of Warner Bros.' most famous Looney Tunes characters-- Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd and Porky Pig. The list of characters that Chuck Jones created himself goes on-- Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote, Marvin Martian, Pepe Le Pew, Gossamer and many others. |
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Born on September 21, 1912, Chuck Jones entered the fledgling animation industry in 1932 as a cel washer at Ub Iwerks Studio after graduating from the Chouinard Art Institute (now California Institute of the Arts.) Chuck Jones joined the Leon Schlesinger Studio, later sold to Warner Bros., as an animator in 1936. There, Chuck Jones was assigned to Tex Avery's animation unit. In 1938, at the age of 25, he directed his first animated film "The Night Watchman." Mr. Jones remained at Warner Bros. Animation until it closed in 1962, though he had a brief stint with Disney Studios in 1955 during a hiatus at Warner Bros. (Chuck Jones worked on Sleeping Beauty while there.) In 1966, while heading up the animation division at MGM Studios, Mr. Jones directed one of the most memorable holiday television specials ever produced -- "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas." First aired on Sunday, December 18, 1966, Chuck Jones' production of the half-hour special was met with glowing reviews from newspapers across the country and has since become one of the most beloved holiday programs on television. Mr. Jones has become a true icon of creativity by directing such mini-epics as "What's Opera, Doc?" (1957) which featured a Wagnerian Elmer Fudd invoking the great elements against a cunning Bugs Bunny. On Dec. 4, 1992, "What's Opera, Doc?" became the first-ever animated film to be inducted into the National Film Registry-- an honor bestowed on only 100 films to date -- for being "among the most culturally, historically or aesthetically significant films of our time." Chuck Jones has also been honored at the Academy Awards for his lifetime achievement in animation. At the age of 83, Mr. Jones has enjoyed more than 60 years in animation and is still hard at work, having recently signed a new contract with Warner Bros. to create animated short subjects for theatrical release using many of the classic Warner Bros. characters under the title of his production company, Chuck Jones Film Productions. Chuck Jones has created over 300 animated films in his career, has won three Academy Awards and has received countless awards and distinctions. In the late 1970s, Mr. Jones began to create limited edition images depicting scenes from his most enduring cartoons. Today, he is the most widely collected animation artist in the world. his art has been exhibited at more than 150 galleries and museums throughout the world, including a one-man film retrospective at MoMA in New York City. News Flash!Has Chuck's work meant a lot to you? Can you not picture growing up without the work Chuck did? Would you like to send a personal message to Chuck about the cartoons he made, and the influence he has had on your life?It's payback time! Let Chuck know just exactly what he means at Letters from the Heart. Back to The Chuck Jones Page | Back to The Chuck Jones/Warner Bros. Page | |
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