Chuck Redux

In Ireland? Win 2 Tickets to "Bugs Bunny on Broadway" in Dublin!

 

The incomparable George Daugherty (that's Chuck on the left & George on the right between Daffy Duck & Bugs Bunny,) creator, producer and conductor of the outstanding entertainment, Bugs Bunny on Broadway will be taking bows in the beautiful National Concert Hall with the RTE Concert Orchestra in Dublin, Ireland this coming August 7th and 8th. 

Craig Kausen, grandson of the inimitable Chuck Jones, will be a special guest of Daugherty's for the three performances (Friday evening at 8 PM, Saturday matinee at 2:30 PM and again at 8 PM that evening.)  

YOU CAN WIN A PAIR OF FREE TICKETS TO ONE OF THESE CONCERTS

by emailing BugsDublin@ChuckJones.com.  In the subject line, please write: Bugs Dublin and in the body of your email, please include your name and address.  Winners will be notified on Tuesday, August 4 for the Friday evening performance; Wednesday the 5th for the Saturday matinee and Thursday the 6th for Saturday evening's final event. Tickets will be held for you at Will Call at the National Concert Hall, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin, Ireland.

To learn more about the concert and the venue, click here. 

 

Bugs Bunny on Broadway with the Indianapolis Symphony in 2005. 

Chuck Jones’ letters to his daughter, Linda

Post #25

Monday, October 28, 1952

Dear Linda;

A little slow writing to you today on account of I was finishing this Dripalong Daffy cartoon, which by the way is titled “My Little Duckaroo.”  From the term “buckaroo” of course.  “Buckaroo” is what the plains cowboys called a gaily-dressed cowhand and usually referred to a California hand.  These men were usually descended from the Spanish and it was quite natural for them to wear gay clothes, even while working.  The Spanish term for Cowboy is “vaquero” and in Spanish “v” is pronounced like “b”.  If you’ll pronounce “vaquero” that way you’ll soon see where the term “buckaroo” originated.  Stick with me, kid, and you’ll soon have the most ponderous mass of useless information a human being can heft.

I’m sending, as you can see, a small bundle of roughs left over from this picture.  Thought you might enjoy seeing them.  I’ll do it periodically, if you like.  (My typing is absolutely impossible tody..today…I feel like I have on boxing gloves.)

Your nice fat letter arrived today and Dottie brought it down to me.  Manna from heaven indeed.  A good letter, an informative letter, and a welcome letter, indeed.  You are making good use of your time by being alert, intelligent and keeping your eyes open and attentive.

You never did finish telling what Mr. Dan said.  You got sidetracked telling us about some boy up there, what was his name again?

We had our big Rip’n Snort party at the Graham’s El Slope-o, a tremendous success.  Everyone was simply knocked over by the house, the view, the weather (which was cool and magnificent), the sunset (which outdid itself in splendour), the food (which was scrumptious), and the [square]dancing and calling, which matched all the rest… A very pleasant deal all around.

I feel magnificently stupid today.  Perhaps things will be better tomorrow.  Perhaps my syntax, grammar, spelling and typing will improve to where I won’t sound like a member of some sloth-like sub-human species.  I dare not reread this letter if I want to send it.

Excuse it, please.  I plead extreme youth.

Love, yes
 

Chuck Jones: Wile E. Van Gogh

Wile E. Van Gogh

Wile E. Van Gogh by Chuck Jones was based upon one of two self-portraits painted in January of 1889 by Vincent Van Gogh.  Van Gogh, whose influences ranged from the Japanese artist Hiroshige to his contemporaries Pisarro and Seurat, had recently, in a state of madness, cut off a portion of his left ear.  Both paintings from January 1889 show Van Gogh with the bandaged ear. 

In Wile E. Van Gogh, Jones sought to convey the passionate expressiveness and maniacal focus of his famed alter ego.  Just as Van Gogh did in his paintings, Jones has applied the paint using different interpretations of Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist brushwork---separate patches of color being applied in different directions to enliven and enhance the intensity of the subject.  (Chuck Jones has also re-interpreted Van Gogh’s other self-portrait of January 1889 in his limited edition lithograph Vincent Van Coyote -- shown below and released in 1989.)  

Images copyright Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. 2009

Chuck Jones’ letters to his daughter, Linda

Post #24

Thursday, October 23, 52

Dear Linda;

Don’t know how far I’ll get with today’s note as Friz [Freleng] is going to have a story session on a gopher picture and the summons from on high will come without warning.  So, if I stop in the middle of a sentence, it will mean I have departed in fear and trembling.

Just finished four sketches for some of my moppet correspondents.  The system of having them write before I draw works very well.  The long and short of it is that only about one in three writes, so it cuts down my drawing considerably.  I’m always glad to do it, but it’s good practice to teach a child to do something for value received.  So we’re all happy.

Later….

Story session all complete.  ‘Twas a good day for me: I contributed several pieces of usable business.  It usually works out that way.  One of us is generally hot and sort of leads the way for that day.  Another day, another one catches fire and so on.  Why so?  Why not all steaming on the same day?  I dunno.  Something to do with the law of averages I suppose.  But, how does the law know?  A few years ago in the New Yorker there was a short story about what happened when the law of averages broke down.  It was first noticed when everybody on Manhattan Island tried to get across the Brooklyn Bridge at one time.  All other bridges were deserted.  Then certain movie houses and restaurants were swamped with lines blocks long waiting, while others playing the same bills or with the same menus were utterly without patronage.  Weird idea, hm?  But somehow kind of logical.

Russell Jones, the janitor, just dropped in to empty the waste-paper baskets.  I told him I was writing to you and he sends you the following message:  “I hope you are well and happy and be sure to come home for Christmas.”  He is a wonderful man and has always been intensely fond of you, a fondness I can appreciate because I share it.

Benny [Washam] and Dave Hannah, the two noisiest men in the unit declared a silence pact today.  They are not speaking to anyone within the unit.  The quiet has been deafening.  To understand this, you must understand that I have often had to close my door to shut out the violent bellowing arguments that rocket across the corridor, a good fifty feet away.  When these lads tee off on a discussion (!) they drag everyone in the room into it in the same way that a cyclone sweeps up the innocent bystander.  Boy, how the stuff flies!  It matters little what the subject, anything at all is sufficient reason to start a hassle.

Love

Daddy or Chuck…whichever you prefer

Chuck Jones: Rabbit Rope Trick

RABBIT ROPE TRICK                       

On their way to Pismo Beach*, Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck make that wrong turn at Albuquerque and end up in a secret treasure cave in Baghdad.  Thus opens, Chuck Jones’ 1957 Ali Baba Bunny.  It doesn’t take but a New York second for Daffy to realize that their travel mistake will make him “comfortably well-off”.  The guardian of the treasure, Hassan, tries his best to halt the thievery, but is stopped by the implacable Bugs Bunny.  Rabbit Rope Trick brings to life one of the classic moments from this film.  Created from Chuck Jones’ original drawing, each cel in the edition is hand-painted by expert cel painters.

“Ali Baba Bunny” premiered February 9 and was directed by Charles M. Jones.  Michael Maltese wrote the story with animation by Richard Thompson, Ken Harris, Abe Levitow and Ben Washam and effects animation by Harry Love.  Maurice Noble created the layouts, the backgrounds were painted by Philip DeGuard and the film editor was Treg Brown.  Voice characterization was provided by Mel Blanc and musical direction by Carl Stalling and Milt Franklyn. 

*Pismo Beach, California is located on the central coast between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo.  In the early part of this century through the 1950’s, Pismo Beach had a reputation in Hollywood for a less than genteel population.  Noted for its gambling dens and bordellos situated in quaint little cottages by the sea, it drew many a Hollywood personality.  (And the clams weren’t half-bad either, although they’re a protected species now.)

Chuck Jones’ letters to his daughter, Linda

Post #23

Wednesday, Oct. 22, 1952

Dearest Linda;

This may take a little time.  I’m drawing a picture with one hand and writing to you at the same time.  Well, not exactly, but I am going to interlace the drawing with your letter.  Paint a while, write a while.  The drawing is a large one for the barrack-room of Engine Company 17..the one I told you about.  It’s a view of Bugs in fireman’s outfit standing in front of an old-fashioned fire truck loaded with very messy gear.

Just finished the fire truck..Cripes, what a job, but it looks nice..what fun tempera is, thick and nice so you can push it around, but soluble enough to be used as a watercolor.  Very friendly.

We caught “Ivanhoe” last night.  (Is there an “e” on the end?)  A very good job, I would say, in the old swashbuckling corny approach.  Wonderful fights, magnificent color, camera work superlative, beauteous ladies, especially Elizabeth Taylor, row..r-row.  Robert Taylor didn’t do so bad either.  I think he’s had plastic surgery to erase that slack chin.  Looks pretty good for a slob, which is what I believe him to be.

Well, I guess that is that.  Looks as finished as it will ever look.  I think it’s about the best thing of its kind I’ve ever done.  Bugs looks real fine in his chief’s outfit, complete with helmet, trumpet, axe and carrot.  You know, I owe a lot to Bugs.  He has been so generous in posing for pictures to pay back my social debts.  Few people have such an amiable character around to do their social correspondence.

The political race waxes hot as the witching day approacheth.  I’m becoming more Stevensony every day.  He appears to me to be a man of great intelligence.  I acknowledge gladly that he is a far more erudite, brilliant and wise man than am I.  An acknowledgement I do not extend to everyone in public life.  To me it is a gratifying thing to find a man who will seek public office on an appeal to the intelligence of the voter.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could conduct our political campaigns on such a level, instead of this cry havoc, cry disaster, impugn character, slander one another method now employed?  I can find little to criticize in Eisenhower.  He seems to be a fine, upright respectable gentleman, whose honor cannot and should not be questioned, but who finds himself forced to embrace for political expediency some pretty seamy birds.  I am sorry for him, but I cannot vote for him.  I feel I could talk to Eisenhower as an equal.  With Stevenson I know I could learn, because he is brilliant, intelligent and courageous.  Our union can survive without him, but it would be fortunate indeed to have such a man as president.

You know what?  Your letters are nice and long, but I wish there were more of them.

Love and kisses from me to you….
Daddy

 

Jim Lee: Video Invitation to Show

Chuck Jones’ letters to his daughter, Linda

# 22 Post:

Dearest Linda;

If it weren’t for the little niggling duties this job would be an almost unalloyed pleasure.  For instance, this morning I had to take dialogue off my layout sketches and type it up to give the girl to make copies for the actors to read.  It sounds like a little enough task and indeed it is, but it has a kind of irritating something to it.  The picture is finished as far as I am concerned. I’m ready to get the hell onto something else.  Why, then, don’t I get someone else to do it, which I could very easily do?  Because as I type it there are minuscule changes that need to be made, character adjustments, avoidance of repetition and a general toning up of the thing.  Another person could do it and perhaps very well, but it would not be the way I would do it.  Not that my way is right.  There is no real right or wrong to this sort of thing, but just that I have to believe in it or I can’t very well sell it to my animators.  So, I do it and find it a nasty job.  I also make out a work sheet as I go along, listing the scene number with its corresponding background, footage, animator to which it is assigned and general description.  This also comes under the chore category.  Then to top the morning off, I had to go in and look at a cutting picture (sans music and sound effects) with Eddie, who was dressed in a dark blue suit, so he could leave for the funeral of an old friend right afterwards.  Nice propitious circumstances for getting laughs, eh?  Picture looked good, though, and actually I got off with a minimum of friction.  Only got mad once.  Par for one of these runnings is Eddie getting mad twice and I three times.  It may come as a shock to you that I get mad at all, but it is like the mother wolf protecting her puppy.  I’m a pretty fearsome object when aroused.  Glints of fire in the nostrils, etc., etc.  The picture was “Punch Trunk”, the one about a five-inch high elephant appearing in New York and the consequences ensuing there from.  Definitely an off the beaten track picture for me.  I do hope it is successful.  I think we know pretty well how to handle the formula stories around here.  The problem is breaking out and trying something different, and getting away with it.

As Dottie no doubt told you in her letter we went to see “Don Juan in Hell” last night at the Philharmonic Auditorium.  Sir Cedric (pronounced Seedric) Hardwicke, Agnes Moorehead, Charles Boyer and Charles Laughton sat on stools on the stage, no scenery, no costumes, and recited this, the finest I do believe, of George Bernard Shaw’s plays.  An exciting, tremendously invigorating evening.  Did I tell you that Dottie bought the record album with the same cast?  A fine addition to our record library and one that makes me want to buy other dramatic things.

I think we’ll go to see “Ivanhoe” tonight.  I understand it is a good rollicking picture.  Let you know later.

Little girl came into a bakery shop and said, “Mommy’s mad because that loaf of raisin bread you sold her had a fly in it.”  The baker said, “Tell your mommy to return the fly and I’ll give her a raisin.”

Love plus kisses equals you….

s/Chuck

Chuck Jones: Fast and Famished

FAST AND FAMISHED                   

The great comedian/film directors of the twentieth century: Keaton, Chaplin, Sturges, Wilder and Jones share a common trait: obsession.  An obsession with perfection and with defeat because many of their classic comic heroes are winning-challenged.  Chuck Jones is probably the most fortunate of the group as he had more opportunity to refine his art and craft, producing over 200 films in his tenure at Warner Bros., 1938-1963, in comparison to even Wilder's paltry 18 in the same time period.  And refine them he did.    

The film Fast and Furry-ous premierd September 16, 1949, presenting to the world the new characters, Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner.  With Michael Maltese, Chuck Jones set out to parody 'chase' movies that were popular at the time, but instead of parody, they created the acme (sorry, couldn't resist) of chase films.  And then to follow up, over the next 14 years repeated it perfectly 23 more times.  It's not that each film is so different from another in the series, but it is remarkable how rich the characters are and how closely many of us identify with them.  A quote from George Santayana, the American writer and philosopher, helps explain our fascination with the hapless Wile E., "A fanatic is someone who redoubles his effort when he has forgotten his aim."  

Fast and Famished, in an edition of 60, is Chuck Jones' 38th hand-painted limited edition cel art that features this intrepid duo (the first being the 1978 cover of the Neiman Marcus Christmas catalog, edition 50.)  Fast and Famished began life as an original drawing by Chuck Jones whose line was then transferred to acetate sheets (cels) using the fine art process of serigraphy.  Each cel was hand-painted by professional cel painters using 12 different colors.  Under the supervision of a Jones family member the Chuck Jones official signature-mark was then applied to the cel. 

Jones Draws Jackson

In 1993, Neiman Marcus published a family cookbook called Pigtails and Frog's Legs.  Chuck illustrated the book with delightful culinary sketches.  The introduction to that original edition was by Michael Jackson and Chuck did a characture of MJ which appeared in the book.   I just came across this...

Linda

In 1993, Neiman Marcus published a family cookbook called Pigtails and Frog's Legs.  Chuck illustrated the book with delightful culinary sketches.  The introduction to that original edition was by Michael Jackson and Chuck did a characture of MJ which appeared in the book.   I just came across this...

Linda