What do you get a rabbit for his 75th birthday? A diamond carrot, maybe? Bugs Bunny will find out today as the famous Warner Bros. mascot celebrates his big day! The wascally wabbit made his official debut on July 27, 1940, in the Merrie Melodies short “A Wild Hare.”
Watch the Oscar-nominated cartoon, from Tex Avery, featuring Bugs’ iconic catchphrase — “What’s up, Doc?” — below.
Bugs went through many stylistic changes since his debut, but he was most famously animated by Chuck Jones and voiced by legendary actor Mel Blanc, who reportedly used tough-sounding Brooklyn and Bronx accents for the character. Blanc even chewed real carrots to make sure Bugs eating his favorite food sounded as authentic as possible, according to DNA.
Since he first graced the screen, Bugs has appeared in hundreds of cartoons, TV series and specials and major motion pictures. He has also graced numerous comic books, video games, albums, amusement park rides, assorted merchandise and more.
The gray hare was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1985, became the first cartoon character to appear on a U.S. postage stamp in 1997, and was named the greatest cartoon character of all time by TV Guide in 2002. Michael Davis, a TV Guide editor at the time, told CNN: “Bugs is the best example I could give you of the smart-alec American comic. He not only is a great cartoon character, he’s a great comedian. He was written well. He was drawn beautifully. He has thrilled and made many generations laugh. He is tops.”
Bugs will soon appear in brand new cartoons for the Boomerang network, reported ComicBook.com.
If you're waiting for an invite to Bugs' 75th birthday party, there sadly won't be one. “There won’t be much hoopla to celebrate because Warner Bros. doesn’t observe the birthdays of animated characters,” reported Variety. However, in 2003, Bugs said: “Like fine wine, I only get better with age!”
