Archive for Looney Tunes

Mel Blanc

Posted in Hollywood Forever Cemetery with tags , , , on March 25, 2019 by Cade

May 30, 1908 – July 10, 1989

It’s no stretch to call Mel Blanc the most famous voice actor of all time. The immensely talented actor spent more than six decades providing the voices for some of the most popular cartoon characters ever. From his groundbreaking and legendary work with Warner Bros. (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Yosemite Sam, Porky Pig, Foghorn Leghorn, Sylvester AND Tweety, Elmer Fudd, Speedy Gonzalez…etc. etc. etc.) to his work with Hanna-Barbera (Barney Rubble, Dino, Cosmo Spacely, Speed Buggy, Captain Caveman…you get the picture) his characters endeared and enamored generations and still carry on to this day. Born and raised in San Francisco, Blanc transferred his love for dialects and voices into successful radio appearances. His work with Warner Bros. radio in Los Angeles drew the attention of the company’s animation group and the rest is history.

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Ub Iwerks

Posted in Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills with tags , , , on September 17, 2018 by Cade

March 24, 1901 – July 7, 1971

Here’s a simple question: Would there be a Walt Disney without Ub Iwerks?

Here’s a complicated answer: Yes…but probably not the Disney we know today.

Ubbe Eert “Ub” Iwerks was close friends with Walt dating back to their days in Kansas City as struggling artists. Iwerks was at Disney’s side through ALL of the early milestones: Laugh-O-Gram, the financial struggles, the move to Los Angeles, the creation of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit…the LOSS of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit to Universal, and the creation of a mouse by the name of “Mickey.” Iwerks served as the chief animator for Disney. His ability to draw and animate quickly coupled with his quirky sense of humor made him an invaluable asset to the fledgling entertainment empire. Ub’s style can be prominently displayed in the legendary Mickey short, Steamboat Willie, which he animated in its entirety. Continue reading →

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Friz Freleng

Posted in Hillside Memorial Park with tags , , on September 7, 2018 by Cade

August 21, 1906 – May 26, 1995

Legendary, Academy Award winning animator, Isadore Freleng – known to his friends as “Friz” – was responsible for the creation and/or development of some of the most recognizable American cartoon characters of all time: Porky Pig, Sylvester the Cat, Tweety, Yosemite Sam among others. Freleng grew up in Kansas City where he worked with other soon-to-be pioneers and legends like Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks before eventually and inevitably making the move to Hollywood. After a brief move to New York, Freleng was enticed back to California by friends Rudolph Ising and Hugh Harmon to begin working for Warner Bros. and their Looney Tunes shorts. Friz went on to direct more than 250 cartoons for Warner Bros. Continue reading →

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