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As you know, we love pet bunnies around here, but we have a soft spot for all cute bunnies and the iconic Bugs Bunny definitely falls within our passion subjects.
We were surprised by all of the questions that people are asking about Bugs Bunny, and how hard it was to find the answers.
So over the weekend, the whole family pitched in to create the ultimate answers to the most frequently asked questions about Bugs Bunny.
The Ultimate Guide To Bugs Bunny
How Old Is Bugs Bunny?
While Bugs Bunny’s development began in the 1930s, his first official appearance was in 1940.
As of today (November 13, 2020) Bugs Bunny is over 80 years old.
What Was The First Bugs Bunny Cartoon?
There is some debate about when Bugs Bunny first came out, but the answer is pretty clear.
The first official Bugs Bunny Cartoon was “A Wild Hare” which was released on July 27th, 1940. This cartoon included both Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd, was voiced by Mel Blanc, and was the first time that Bugs said “What’s Up, Doc?
This cartoon was released in theaters and was a great success even being nominated for an Academy Award.
How Tall Is Bugs Bunny?
Bugs Bunny’s apparent height has changed throughout his 80 plus years of cartoons. Sometimes he is shorter and other times taller.
The modern version of Bugs is about the tallest he’s been.
In movie Space Jams (1996) Bugs Bunny’s height is listed a 3’5″ at the top of his head. If you included his years, Bugs Bunny is 4′ tall.
Who Was Bugs Bunny’s Arch Enemy?
Bugs Bunny is one of the few iconic figures who has had the same arch enemy from day one through today.
Elmer Fudd is Bugs Bunny’s arch enemy. Elmer is a rabbit hunter who has been after Bugs since his first appearance in 1940.
Was Bugs Bunny A Rabbit or A Hare?
While rabbits and hares are closely related, they are of separate genuses meaning that they are different animals that can’t inner breed.
However, they are hard to tell apart. Fortunately, there is one dead giveaway that makes answering this question easy.
Hares do not live in burrows (holes in the ground) but instead live in nests on the surface of the ground.
Rabbits prefer to live in burrows, where they give birth and raise their young.
Bugs Bunny is a rabbit. From Bugs Bunny’s very first cartoon, we see him out of a hole in the ground (a burrow). Rabbits live in burrows and hares do not.
Who Created Bugs Bunny?
It is impossible to credit a single person with creating Bugs Bunny. Bugs Bunny was created by a team of directors, writers, artists, and voice actors at Leon Schlesinger Productions (which would later become Warner Bros. Cartoons) in the late 1930s. It is impossible to credit a single person with creating Bugs Bunny.
Who First Voiced Bugs Bunny?
The iconic voice actor Mel Blanc was the original voice of Bugs Bunny.
In all there have been 28 voices of Bugs Bunny and we’ve listed them below in general chronlogical order.
The 28 Voices Of Bugs Bunny:
- Mel Blanc
- Bob Clampett
- Gilbert Mack
- Dave Barry
- Daws Butler
- Jerry Hausner
- Paul Julian
- Larry Storch
- Mike Sammes
- Richard Andrews
- Bob Bergen
- Darrell Hammond
- Jeff Bergman
- Keith Scott
- Greg Burson
- John Willyard
- Mendi Segal
- Billy West
- Joe Alaskey
- Samuel Vincent
- Noel Blanc (Son of Mel Blanc)
- Eric Goldberg
- Seth MacFarlane
- Bill Farmer
- James Taylor
- Kevin Shinick
- Gary Martin
- Eric Bauza
Who Was Bugs Bunny Modeled After?
One of the many creators of Bugs Bunny, Friz Freleng, hinted that some of the mannerisms and maybe even the name of Bugs were primarily inspired by one source.
Bugs Bunny was modeled after his contemporary Hollywood movie start Clark Gable. They share not only the same long and lanky physical appearance but many of the same roguish personality.
It’s most likely that the creative team that created Bugs Bunny was most influenced by Clark Gables character in the 1934 comedy “It Happened One Night?”
In the movie, he played a sarcastic and slightly arrogant unemployed reporter by the name of Peter Warne which seems to fit the character of Bugs Bunny.
But that’s not all!
In one scene, Clark Gable’s character leans against a fence while talking to the female lead. What is he doing while leaning against that fence?
He’s munching on a carrot while taking out of the side of his mouth…just like Bugs Bunny does!
Who Was Bugs Bunny Named After?
There are two stories about how Bug’s got his name; he either got it from the same movie, or he got it from an artist on the creative team.
In the movie, Clark Gable’s character refers to a hitman. What was that hitman’s name?
So in this theory, Bugs Bunny was named after a hitman by the name of “Bugs” who is mentioned in the 1934 movie “It Happened One Night” by Clark Gable’s character.
The second story focus on an studio animator by the name of Ben Hardaway. Ben’s friends called him “Bugs”.
The story goes that in the early days of brainstorming, a number of animators were drawing sketches of potential looks for the new rabbit character.
As their turned in their drawing, another team member labeled each drawing with the artist’s name, and on Hardaway’s drawing was written “Bug’s Bunny”.
Both are good stories, but we think the second is probably more true.
Bugs Bunny was named after a studio animator whose nickname was “Bugs”.
What Was Bugs Bunny’s Original Name?
The answer to this question is a little contriversal.
Most of the people involved with the creation of Bugs Bunny say that his name was always Bugs.
However, the original voice of Bugs Bunny, Mel Blanc, claimed in his autobiography that the original name was “Happy Rabbit”.
But given the fact that no-one else seems to collaborate that claim we think the answer is clear.
Bugs Bunny didn’t have another earlier name. His original name was “Bugs”.
What Is Bugs Bunny’s Accent?
The original voice of Bugs Bunny, Mel Blanc, gave his characters voices based upon their personality.
In a 1967 newspaper interview, Mel Blanc said “Bugs was a tough little stinker; that’s why I came up with a Brooklyn accent.” Bugs Bunny has a Brooklyn accent!
What Is Bugs Bunny’s Gender?
This seems like a silly questions, but lots of people seem to be asking it so let’s sit the record straight.
Bugs Bunny is a male rabbit.
Was Bugs Bunny A Marine?
The answer to this question is going to surprise you.
Bugs Bunny is a real life Honorary Marine. He was awarded the honor in for his 1943 portrayal of a war hero in the cartoon Super-Rabbit.
How Many Cartoons And Movies Has Bugs Bunny Been In?
Let’s break this down into two questions
How Many Cartoons Has Bugs Bunny Been In?
Bugs bunny has been in 177 cartoons from 1947 through the present day.
Some claim that 5 earlier cartoons that had a rabbit in them should also be included in his count, but we disagree.
These earlier ‘golden age’ cartoons might have influenced the character, but they were not Bugs Bunny cartoons.
You can see the whole list of Bugs Bunny cartoons here.
How Many Movies Has Bugs Bunny Been In?
Bugs Bunny has been in 33 movies.
You can find the whole list here.
That’s All Folks!
~Stacey & The RabbitPros Team
