Today is my grandfather’s 99th Birthday. Maybe some will say “But he passed away nearly 10 years ago, so it should be ‘would have been…’” It is certainly true that he, the man, is no longer here, but he, the presence, the teacher, the giver of smiles and laughs is certainly still among us.
If he sat here before me today, I would tell him a personal Happy Birthday, but also tell him that his birthdays always meant a little more than just the cake and the attempts at getting him a gift. What has always been so wonderful about Chuck’s birthdays to me is that it seems as though everyone celebrated it with him. Whether it was at the Hollywood Bowl with 18,000 people singing him Happy Birthday during Bugs Bunny on Broadway, or showing his cartoons to packed house of 500 at Warner Bros. to celebrate his 85th or 88th, it was always a celebration of everyone’s joys in life.
And even back when we were very young, we would gather at home to watch him blow out his candles (always the accurate number no matter how difficult it was to get them all on the cake), and to see how he might cut the cake this time. Somehow he never cut that first piece quite the same. Sometimes it might have been small, sometimes large, and sometimes a handful that would be delicately deposited on the adjacent plate.
Regardless of the memory, the ever-present feeling was always that of joy and fun. And that is something that I can continue to celebrate until long after I cannot fit even one more candle on my birthday cake.
Happy 99th Birthday, Chuck!
With much love, Craig
Chuck Jones with his grandson, Craig Kausen, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity.
News about the Chuck Jones Centennial Celebrations
"We have a major Chuck Jones exhibit opening this month at the Port of Portland’s International Airport that will be viewed by nearly one million travelers as well as an exhibition of original production art at the Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus, Ohio coming in November,” said Craig Kausen, “and also this November will be the grand opening of the Chuck Jones Experience at Circus Circus in Las Vegas, all of which we feel is a grand way to launch my grandfather’s centennial celebrations.”
Jones, one of the fathers of Bugs Bunny and the creator of such iconic cartoon characters as Wile E. Coyote, Road Runner, Pepé le Pew and Marvin Martian, was born in Spokane, Washington, on September 21, 1912. The four-time Academy Award recipient, including a Lifetime Achievement Oscar in 1996, enjoyed a seven decade career in animation and fine art, beginning in 1932. His life and life’s work spanned the history of animation, from the first tentative steps of Gertie the Dinosaur, animated by Windsor McKay in 1912, to the brilliant CGI (computer generated imagery) of John Lasseter and Pixar Studios.
The Chuck Jones Centennial Celebrations will include a revamped version of the multi-media extravaganza “Bugs Bunny at the Symphony” created and conducted by George Daugherty, with planned appearances at Wolf Trap and the Kennedy Center in 2012 as well as with other notable symphony orchestras around the country. The Center is working with its local Congressman in the hope that United States Congress will designate Jones’s birthday as National Chuck Jones Creativity Day in 2012.
Happy 99th Birthday, Chuck!!!
Posted by: Larry Levine | September 21, 2011 at 04:26 PM
They broke the mold when your grandfather was born. His genius will always be remembered. I spent many a saturday morning laughing my head off with all his characters they he designed. Not one person has come close to matching his talents. You are so lucky to have known this great man. I often would see his name and wonder what he looked like or what kind of a person he was. He had to have loved children to bring so much joy and laughter to millions. Happy Birthday Mr. Jones. I'm sure the angels in heaven are busting a gut. lol
Posted by: Margie Figueroa | September 21, 2011 at 04:30 PM
Happy Birthday, Chuck!!! Beep! Beep!
Posted by: Venturoli | September 21, 2011 at 04:58 PM
My mentor happy birthday
Posted by: John kirk de ritis | September 21, 2011 at 06:10 PM
Ehh,Happy Boithday Chuck!!
Posted by: doug mcclure | September 21, 2011 at 07:05 PM
Happy Happy 99th Birthday to the Amazing, Genius, and Creative Chuck Jones! Your Legacy and Spirit lives on in your Daughter Linda, Grandson Craig and your entire family! So proud to be part of the MAGIC! Happy Birthday!
Posted by: Julie Hudash | September 21, 2011 at 07:31 PM
Dear Craig,
Your tribute to your grandfather is very touching. He not only was, but still is very loved by all, young and old.
I was one of those 18,000 people singing "Happy Birthday" to Chuck on his 80th birthday at the Hollywood Bowl during Bugs Bunny on Broadway. That date strikes a special cord with me also, as it was also the day a friend of mine (also a very big Bugs Bunny fan) lost his young life to cancer (I didn't know it at the time, until I got back to AZ). I remember Chuck being so happy and really overwhelmed and humbled by the response he got. Why not? He was truly one of a kind.
May God bless his soul. Wishing Chuck a very happy birthday. Looking forward to the centennial celebrations!
Sincerely,
Karen in Tempe, AZ
Posted by: K S | September 21, 2011 at 08:00 PM
Thanks for everything Chuck...
Posted by: Stef | September 24, 2011 at 09:19 AM