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Robert Emerson Clampett Sr. (May 8, 1913 – May 2, 1984) was an American animator,
director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...
, producer and puppeteer. He was best known for his work on the '' Looney Tunes'' animated series from
Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
as well as the television shows ''
Time for Beany ''Time For Beany'' is an American children's television series, with puppets for characters, which was broadcast locally in Los Angeles starting on February 28, 1949 and nationally (by kinescope) by the improvised Paramount Television Network fro ...
'' and ''
Beany and Cecil ''Beany and Cecil'' is a 1962 animated television series created by Bob Clampett for the American Broadcasting Company. The cartoon was based on the television puppet show '' Time for Beany'', which Clampett produced for Paramount Pictures compan ...
''. He was born and raised not far from Hollywood and, early in life, showed an interest in animation and puppetry. After leaving high school a few months shy of graduating in 1931, he joined the team at Harman-Ising Productions and began working on the studio's newest short subjects, ''Looney Tunes'' and '' Merrie Melodies''. Clampett was promoted to a directorial position in 1937. During his 15 years at the studio, he directed 84 cartoons later deemed classic, and designed some of the studio's most famous characters, including Porky Pig,
Daffy Duck Daffy Duck is an animated cartoon character created for Leon Schlesinger Productions by animators Tex Avery and Bob Clampett. Styled as an anthropomorphic black duck, he has appeared in cartoon series such as ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Mel ...
and
Tweety Tweety is a yellow canary in the Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' series of animated cartoons. The name "Tweety" is a play on words, as it originally meant "sweetie", along with "tweet" being an English onomatopoeia for t ...
. Among his most acclaimed films are ''
Porky in Wackyland ''Porky in Wackyland'' is a 1938 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' animated short film, directed by Bob Clampett. The short was released on September 24, 1938, and stars Porky Pig venturing out to find the last do-do bird, which he finds in Wackyland ...
'' (1938) and ''
The Great Piggy Bank Robbery ''The Great Piggy Bank Robbery'' is a 1946 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' theatrical cartoon directed by Bob Clampett. The cartoon was released on July 20, 1946, and stars Daffy Duck. The short is Clampett's penultimate Warner cartoon, produced s ...
'' (1946). He left Warner Bros. Cartoons in 1945 and turned his attention to television, creating the puppet show ''
Time for Beany ''Time For Beany'' is an American children's television series, with puppets for characters, which was broadcast locally in Los Angeles starting on February 28, 1949 and nationally (by kinescope) by the improvised Paramount Television Network fro ...
'' in 1949. A later animated version of the series, ''Beany and Cecil'', was initially broadcast on ABC in 1962 and rerun until 1967. It is considered the first fully creator-driven television series and carried the byline "a Bob Clampett Cartoon". In his later years, Clampett toured college campuses and animation festivals as a lecturer on the history of animation. His Warner cartoons have seen renewed praise in decades since for their
surrealistic Surrealism is a cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists depicted unnerving, illogical scenes and developed techniques to allow the unconscious mind to express itself. Its aim was, according to ...
qualities, energetic and outrageous animation, and irreverent, wordplay-laden humor. Animation historian
Jerry Beck Jerry Beck (born February 9, 1955, in New York City) is an American animation historian, author, blogger, and video producer. Beck wrote or edited several books on classic American animation and classic characters, including '' The 50 Greates ...
lauded Clampett for "putting the word 'looney' in ''Looney Tunes''."


Early life

Clampett was born in San Diego, California to Robert Caleb Clampett and Mildred Joan Merrifield. His father was born in
Nenagh Nenagh (, ; or simply ''An tAonach'') meaning “The Fair of Ormond” or simply "The Fair", is the county town and second largest town in County Tipperary in Ireland. Nenagh used to be a market town, and the site of the East Munster Ormond ...
,
County Tipperary County Tipperary ( ga, Contae Thiobraid Árann) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. The county is named after the town of Tipperary, and was established in the early 13th century, shortly after t ...
,
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
in 1882, and immigrated to the United States with his parents at age two in 1884. Bob showed art skills by the age of five. From the beginning, he was intrigued with and influenced by
Douglas Fairbanks Douglas Elton Fairbanks Sr. (born Douglas Elton Thomas Ullman; May 23, 1883 – December 12, 1939) was an American actor, screenwriter, director, and producer. He was best known for his swashbuckling roles in silent films including '' The Thi ...
,
Lon Chaney Leonidas Frank "Lon" Chaney (April 1, 1883 – August 26, 1930) was an American actor. He is regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful actors of cinema, renowned for his characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and affli ...
, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and
Harold Lloyd Harold Clayton Lloyd, Sr. (April 20, 1893 – March 8, 1971) was an American actor, comedian, and stunt performer who appeared in many silent comedy films.Obituary '' Variety'', March 10, 1971, page 55. One of the most influential film c ...
, and began making film short-subjects in his garage when he was 12. Living in Hollywood as a young boy, he and his mother Joan lived next door to Charlie Chaplin and his brother
Sydney Chaplin Sydney John Chaplin (; 16 March 1885 – 16 April 1965) was an English actor. Chaplin was the elder half-brother of actor and director Charlie Chaplin and served as his business manager in later life. Through their mother Hannah, they were o ...
. Clampett also recalled watching his father play handball at the
Los Angeles Athletic Club Los Angeles Athletic Club (LAAC) is a privately owned Sports club, athletic club and social club in Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles, California, United States. Established in 1880, the club is today best known for its John R. Wooden Award pr ...
with another of the great silent comedians, Harold Lloyd. From his teens on, Clampett showed an interest in animation. He has made hand puppets as a child and, before adolescence, completed what animation historian Milt Gray describes as "a sort of prototype, a kind of nondescript dinosaur sock puppet that later evolved into Cecil." In high school, Clampett drew a full-page comic about the nocturnal adventures of a cat, later published in color in a Sunday edition of the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...
''.
King Features King Features Syndicate, Inc. is a American content distribution and animation studio, consumer product licensing and print syndication company owned by Hearst Communications that distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial ...
took note and offered Clampett a "cartoonist's contract" beginning a $75 a week after high school. King Features allowed him to work in their Los Angeles art department on Saturdays and vacations during high school. King Features occasionally printed his cartoons for encouragement, and paid his way through
Otis Art Institute Otis College of Art and Design is a private art and design school in Los Angeles, California. Established in 1918, it was the city's first independent professional school of art. The main campus is located in the former IBM Aerospace headquarte ...
, where he learned to paint in oils and to sculpt. Clampett attended Glendale High School and Hoover High School in Glendale,
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
but left Hoover a few months short of graduating in 1931. He found a job at a doll factory owned by his aunt, Charlotte Clark. Clark was looking for an appealing item to sell and Clampett suggested Mickey Mouse, whose popularity was growing. Unable to find a drawing of the character anywhere, Clampett took his sketchpad to the movie theater and came out with several sketches. Clark was concerned with copyright, so they drove to the Disney studio.
Walt Walt is a masculine given name, generally a short form of Walter, and occasionally a surname. Notable people with the name include: People Given name * Walt Arfons (1916-2013), American drag racer and competition land speed record racer * Walt B ...
and Roy Disney were delighted, and they set up a business not far from the Disney studio. Clampett recalled his short time working for Disney: "Walt Disney himself sometimes came over in an old car to pick up the dolls; he would give them out to visitors to the studio and at sales meetings. I helped him load the dolls in the car. One time his car, loaded with Mickeys, wouldn't start, and I pushed while Walt steered, until it caught, and he took off."


Career


''Looney Tunes''

Clampett was, in his words, so "enchanted" by the new medium of sound cartoons that he instead joined Harman-Ising Studios in 1931 for ten dollars a week. Leon Schlesinger viewed one of Clampett's 16mm films and was impressed, offering him an assistant position at the studio. His first job was animating secondary characters in the first ''Merrie Melodie'', ''
Lady, Play Your Mandolin! ''Lady, Play Your Mandolin!'' is the first Warner Bros. ''Merrie Melodies'' cartoon, directed by Rudolf Ising of Harman and Ising. The short was released in August 1931, and stars Foxy, a character who appeared in three 1931 shorts. Overvi ...
'' (1931). The same year, Clampett began attending story meetings after submitting an idea eventually used for ''
Smile, Darn Ya, Smile! ''Smile, Darn Ya, Smile!'' is a 1931 Warner Bros. '' Merrie Melodies'' cartoon short directed by Rudolf Ising. The short was released on September 5, 1931, and features Foxy, an early ''Merrie Melodies'' star. This is one of only three Merrie ...
''. The two series were produced at Harman-Ising until mid-1933 when they split into
Leon Schlesinger Productions Warner Bros. Cartoons, Inc. was an American animation studio, serving as the in-house animation division of Warner Bros. during the Golden Age of American animation. One of the most successful animation studios in American media history, it was ...
. In his first years at the studio, Clampett mostly worked for Friz Freleng, under whose guidance Clampett grew into an able animator. When he joined Harman-Ising, Bob Clampett was only 17 years old. By 1934, Schlesinger was in a bit of a crisis trying to find a well-known cartoon character. He noted that the '' Our Gang'' series consisted of nothing but "little kids doing things together," and a studio-wide drive to get ideas for an animal version of ''Our Gang'' commenced. Clampett submitted a drawing of a pig (Porky) and a black cat (Beans), and, in an imitation of the lettering on a can of
Campbell's Campbell Soup Company, doing business as Campbell's, is an American processed food and snack company. The company is most closely associated with its flagship canned soup products; however, through mergers and acquisitions, it has grown to become ...
Pork and Beans, wrote "Clampett's Porky and Beans." Porky debuted in the Friz Freleng-directed '' I Haven't Got a Hat'' in 1935. Around the same time, Schlesinger announced a studio-wide contest, with a money prize to whichever member of the staff turned in the best original story. Clampett's story won first prize and was made into ''
My Green Fedora ''My Green Fedora'' is a 1935 Warner Bros. ''Merrie Melodies'' animated short film directed by Friz Freleng. The short was released on May 4, 1935. It features a song, "I'm Wearin' My Green Fedora," written by songwriters Al Sherman, Al Lewis, ...
'', also directed by Freleng. Clampett felt encouraged after these successes and began writing more story contributions. After Schlesinger realized he needed another unit, he made a deal with
Tex Avery Frederick Bean "Tex" Avery (February 26, 1908 – August 26, 1980) was an American animator, cartoonist, director, and voice actor. He was known for directing and producing animated cartoons during the golden age of American animation. His mo ...
, naming Clampett his collaborator. They were moved to a ramshackle building used by gardeners and WB custodial staff for storage of cleaning supplies, solvents, brooms, lawnmowers and other implements. Working apart from the other animators in the small, dilapidated wooden building in the middle of the
Vitaphone Vitaphone was a sound film system used for feature films and nearly 1,000 short subjects made by Warner Bros. and its sister studio First National from 1926 to 1931. Vitaphone was the last major analog sound-on-disc system and the only one ...
lot, Avery and Clampett soon discovered they were not the only inhabitants - they shared the building with thousands of tiny termites. They christened the building "
Termite Terrace Warner Bros. Cartoons, Inc. was an American animation studio, serving as the in-house animation division of Warner Bros. during the Golden Age of American animation. One of the most successful animation studios in United States, American media h ...
", a name eventually used by historians to describe the entire studio. The two soon developed an irreverent style of animation that would set Warner Bros. apart from its competitors. They were soon joined by animators Chuck Jones, Virgil Ross, and Sid Sutherland, and worked virtually without interference on their new, groundbreaking style of humor for the next year. It was a wild place with an almost college fraternity-like atmosphere. Animators would frequently pull pranks such as gluing paper streamers to the wings of flies. Leon Schlesinger, who rarely ventured there, was reputed on one visit to have remarked in his lisping voice, "Pew, let me out of here! The only thing missing is the sound of a flushing toilet!!" On the side, Clampett directed a sales film, co-animated by Chuck Jones and in-betweened by Robert Cannon. Clampett filmed Cannon in live action as the hero and rotoscoped it into the film. Clampett planned to leave Leon Schlesinger Productions, but Schlesinger offered him a promotion to director and more money if he would stay. Clampett was promoted to director in late 1936, directing a color sequence in the feature '' When's Your Birthday?'' (1937). This led to what was essentially a co-directing stint with fellow animator Chuck Jones for the financially ailing
Ub Iwerks Ubbe Ert Iwwerks (March 24, 1901 – July 7, 1971), known as Ub Iwerks ( ), was an American animator, cartoonist, character designer, inventor, and special effects technician. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Iwerks grew up with a contentiou ...
, whom Schlesinger subcontracted to produce several Porky Pig shorts. These shorts featured the short-lived and generally unpopular
Gabby Goat The '' Looney Tunes'' and '' Merrie Melodies'' series of animated shorts released by Warner Bros. feature a range of characters which are listed and briefly detailed here. Major characters from the franchise include Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer ...
as Porky's sidekick. Despite Clampett and Jones' contributions, however, Iwerks was the only credited director. Clampett's first cartoon with a directorial credit was '' Porky's Badtime Story''. Under the Warner system, Clampett had complete creative control over his own films, within severe money and time limitations (he was only given $3,000 and four weeks to complete each short). During production of ''
Porky's Duck Hunt ''Porky's Duck Hunt'' is a 1937 Warner Bros. '' Looney Tunes'' cartoon directed by Tex Avery. The cartoon was released on April 17, 1937, and stars Porky Pig and Daffy Duck, the latter making what is considered his first official appearance. Pl ...
'' in 1937, Avery created a character that would become
Daffy Duck Daffy Duck is an animated cartoon character created for Leon Schlesinger Productions by animators Tex Avery and Bob Clampett. Styled as an anthropomorphic black duck, he has appeared in cartoon series such as ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Mel ...
and Clampett animated the character for the first time. Clampett was so popular in theaters that Schlesinger told the other directors to imitate him, emphasizing gags and action. When Tex Avery departed in 1941, Avery's unit was taken over by Clampett, while
Norman McCabe Norman McCabe (February 10, 1911 – January 17, 2006) was an English-born American animator who enjoyed a long career that lasted into the 1990s. Early career McCabe was born in England and raised in the United States. He soon developed a ...
took over Clampett's old unit. Clampett finished Avery's remaining unfinished cartoons. When McCabe joined the armed forces, Frank Tashlin rejoined Schlesinger as director, and that unit was eventually turned over to Robert McKimson. Milton Gray notes that from ''
The Hep Cat ''The Hep Cat'' is a 1942 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon directed by Bob Clampett, written by Warren Foster, animated primarily by Robert McKimson, and set to a musical score composed by Carl W. Stalling. The short was released on October ...
'' (1942) on, the cartoons become even more wild as Clampett's experimentation reached a peak. Clampett later created the character of
Tweety Tweety is a yellow canary in the Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' series of animated cartoons. The name "Tweety" is a play on words, as it originally meant "sweetie", along with "tweet" being an English onomatopoeia for t ...
, introduced in ''
A Tale of Two Kitties ''A Tale of Two Kitties'' is a 1942 Warner Bros. '' Merrie Melodies'' cartoon directed by Bob Clampett, written by Warren Foster, and features music by Carl W. Stalling. The short was released on November 21, 1942, and features the debut of ...
'' in 1942. His cartoons grew increasingly violent, irreverent, and surreal, not beholden to even the faintest hint of real-world physics, and his characters have been argued to be easily the most rubbery and wacky of all the Warner directors'. Clampett was heavily influenced by the
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
surrealist artist
Salvador Dalí Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí of Púbol (; ; ; 11 May 190423 January 1989) was a Spanish surrealist artist renowned for his technical skill, precise draftsmanship, and the striking and bizarre images in ...
, as is most visible in ''
Porky in Wackyland ''Porky in Wackyland'' is a 1938 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' animated short film, directed by Bob Clampett. The short was released on September 24, 1938, and stars Porky Pig venturing out to find the last do-do bird, which he finds in Wackyland ...
'' (1938), wherein the entire short takes place within a Dalí-esque landscape complete with melting objects and abstracted forms. Clampett and his work can even be considered part of the surreal movement, as it incorporated film as well as static media. It was largely Clampett's influence that would impel the Warners directors to shed the final vestiges of all Disney influence. Clampett was also known for creating some brief voices or sound effects in some of the cartoons, for some of these he impersonated the Warner Bros. zooming in shield sound effect (otherwise known as "Bay-woop!"). Clampett liked to bring contemporary cultural movements into his cartoons, especially
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
; film, magazines, comics, novels, and popular music are referenced in Clampett shorts, most visible in '' Book Revue'' (1946), where performers are drawn onto various celebrated books. Clampett was a good source for censorship stories, though the accuracy of his recollections has been disputed. According to an interview published in ''Funnyworld'' #12 (1971), Clampett had a method for ensuring that certain elements of his films would escape the censors' cut. It consisted of adding material aimed just at the censors; they would focus on cutting those and thus leave in the ones he actually wanted.Cohen (2004), p. 36-37 Clampett left the studio in May 1945, although short films directed by him would continue to be released until late 1946. '' The Big Snooze'' was his final cartoon with the studio and was one for which he did not get screen credit (only one of three he directed pitting
Bugs Bunny Bugs Bunny is an animated cartoon character created in the late 1930s by Warner Bros. Cartoons, Leon Schlesinger Productions (later Warner Bros. Cartoons) and Voice acting, voiced originally by Mel Blanc. Bugs is best known for his starring role ...
and Elmer Fudd). While the generally accepted story was that Clampett left over matters of artistic freedom, despite that some people claimed that he left the studio on his own. Clampett's style was becoming increasingly divergent from those of Freleng and Jones. He was fired by Eddie Selzer, who was far less tolerant of him than Schlesinger had been, and this is thought by some to be the primary reason for his departure. The Warners style that he was so instrumental in developing was leaving him behind. Warner Bros. had recently bought the rights to the entire Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies studio from Schlesinger and, while his cartoons of 1946 are today considered on the cutting edge of the art for that period, at the time, Clampett was ready to seek new challenges. Clampett left at what some considered the peak of his creativity and against everyone's advice.


Later career and ''Beany and Cecil''

In 1946 after Warner Bros. bought out Leon Schlesinger, his key executives Henry Binder and Ray Katz went to Screen Gems and took Clampett with them. Clampett worked for a time at Screen Gems, then the cartoon division of
Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...
, as a screenwriter and gag writer. In 1947 Republic Pictures incorporated animation (by
Walter Lantz Walter Lantz (April 27, 1899 – March 22, 1994) was an American cartoonist, animator, producer and director best known for founding Walter Lantz Productions and creating Woody Woodpecker. Biography Early years and start in animation Lant ...
) into its Gene Autry feature film ''Sioux City Sue''. It turned out well enough for Republic to dabble in animated cartoons; Bob Clampett directed a single cartoon, ''It's a Grand Old Nag'', featuring the equine character Charlie Horse. Republic management, however, had second thoughts due to dwindling profits, and they discontinued the series. Clampett took his direction credit under the name " Kilroy". In 1949, Clampett turned his attention to television, where he created the famous puppet show ''
Time for Beany ''Time For Beany'' is an American children's television series, with puppets for characters, which was broadcast locally in Los Angeles starting on February 28, 1949 and nationally (by kinescope) by the improvised Paramount Television Network fro ...
''. The show, featuring the talents of voice artists Stan Freberg and
Daws Butler Charles Dawson Butler (November 16, 1916May 18, 1988) was an American voice actor. He worked mostly for the Hanna-Barbera animation production company where he originated the voices of many familiar characters, including Yogi Bear, Huckleberry H ...
, would earn Clampett three
Emmys The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
. Groucho Marx and
Albert Einstein Albert Einstein ( ; ; 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time. Einstein is best known for developing the theory ...
were both fans of the series. In 1952, he created the ''Thunderbolt the Wondercolt'' television series and the 3D prologue to ''
Bwana Devil ''Bwana Devil'' is a 1952 American adventure B movie written, directed, and produced by Arch Oboler, and starring Robert Stack, Barbara Britton, and Nigel Bruce. ''Bwana Devil'' is based on the true story of the Tsavo maneaters and filmed wit ...
'' featuring Beany and Cecil. In 1954, he directed ''Willy the Wolf'' (the first puppet variety show on television), as well as creating and voicing the lead in the ''Buffalo Billy'' television show. In the late 1950s, Clampett was hired by
Associated Artists Productions Associated Artists Productions, Inc. (a.a.p.) later known as United Artists Associated was an American distributor of theatrical feature films and subjects for television. Associated Artists Productions was the copyright owner of the ''Popey ...
to catalog the pre-August 1948 Warner cartoons it had just acquired. He also created an animated version of the puppet show called ''
Beany and Cecil ''Beany and Cecil'' is a 1962 animated television series created by Bob Clampett for the American Broadcasting Company. The cartoon was based on the television puppet show '' Time for Beany'', which Clampett produced for Paramount Pictures compan ...
'', whose 26 half-hour episodes were first broadcast on ABC in 1962 and were rerun on the network for five years. Clampett's studio was at 729 Seward Street in Hollywood, later a
Klasky Csupo Klasky-Csupo, Inc. (stylized as KLaSKY CSUPO INC., doing business as Klasky Csupo, ) is an American animation studio located in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1982 by producer Arlene Klasky and Hungarian animator Gábor Csupó (he ...
studio. In his later years, Bob Clampett toured college campuses and animation festivals as a lecturer on the history of animation. In 1974 he was awarded an
Inkpot Award The Inkpot Award is an honor bestowed annually since 1974 by Comic-Con International. It is given to professionals in the fields of comic books, comic strips, animation, science fiction, and related areas of popular culture, at CCI's annual conv ...
. In 1975 he was the focus of a documentary entitled '' Bugs Bunny: Superstar'', the first documentary to examine the history of the Warner Bros. cartoons. Clampett, whose collection of drawings, films, and memorabilia from the golden days of Termite Terrace was legendary, provided nearly all of the behind-the-scenes drawings and home-movie footage for the film; furthermore, his wife, Sody Clampett, is credited as the film's production co-ordinator. In an audio commentary recorded for ''Bugs Bunny: Superstar'', director Larry Jackson claimed that in order to secure Clampett's participation, and access to Clampett's collection of Warners history, he had to sign a contract that stipulated Clampett would host the documentary and also have approval over the final cut. Jackson also claimed that Clampett was very reluctant speaking about the other directors and their contributions.


Rivalry with Chuck Jones

Though Clampett's contribution to the Warner Brothers animation legacy was considerable and inarguable, he has been criticized by his peers as "a shameless self-promoter who provoked the wrath of his former Warner's colleagues in later years for allegedly claiming credit for ideas that were not his." Chuck Jones particularly disliked Clampett and intentionally avoided making any mention of his association with him in his 1979 compilation film ''
The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie ''The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie'' is a 1979 American animated comedy package film directed by Chuck Jones, consisting of a compilation of classic '' Looney Tunes/ Merrie Melodies'' shorts and newly animated bridging sequences hosted by Bugs ...
'' (compiled by Jones and Friz Freleng, in which the two list themselves and other Warners directors), although he did briefly mention working with Clampett in his 1989 autobiography ''Chuck Amuck: The Life and Times of An Animated Cartoonist'' and his 1998 interview for the American Television Archive. Some of this animosity appears to have come from Clampett's perceived "golden boy" status at the studio (Clampett's mother was said to be a close friend of cartoon producer Leon Schlesinger), which allowed him to ignore studio rules that everyone else was expected to follow. In addition, Mel Blanc, the voice actor who worked with Clampett at the same studio for ten years, also accused Clampett of being an "egotist who took credit for everything." Beginning with a magazine article in 1946, shortly after he left the studio, Clampett repeatedly referred to himself as "the creator" of Bugs Bunny, often adding the side-note that he used
Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American film actor, often referred to as "The King of Hollywood". He had roles in more than 60 motion pictures in multiple genres during a career that lasted 37 years, three decades ...
's carrot-eating scene in ''
It Happened One Night ''It Happened One Night'' is a 1934 pre-Code American romantic comedy film with elements of screwball comedy directed and co-produced by Frank Capra, in collaboration with Harry Cohn, in which a pampered socialite ( Claudette Colbert) tr ...
'' as inspiration for his "creation". (Clampett can be observed making this claim in '' Bugs Bunny: Superstar''.) The other two directorial fathers Bugs is claimed to have had are
Tex Avery Frederick Bean "Tex" Avery (February 26, 1908 – August 26, 1980) was an American animator, cartoonist, director, and voice actor. He was known for directing and producing animated cartoons during the golden age of American animation. His mo ...
, who directed ''
A Wild Hare ''A Wild Hare'' is a 1940 Warner Bros. ''Merrie Melodies'' cartoon directed by Tex Avery. The short subject features Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny, the latter making what is considered his first official appearance.Adamson, Joe (1990). ''Bugs Bunny: ...
'', his first official short; and Robert McKimson, the least known of the three best-known '' Looney Tunes/ Merrie Melodies'' directors, but who drew the definitive Bugs Bunny model sheet. Depending on the source, Bugs' primary creator could be either Jones or Freleng. Some argue that, based on a viewing of the early Bugs cartoons of the late 1930s and early 1940s, the character was not "created" by one director, but evolved in personality, voice, and design over several years through the collective efforts of Clampett, Avery, Jones, Freleng, McKimson, Mel Blanc,
Cal Dalton Cal Dalton (December 2, 1908 – June 1974) was an American animator and director at Warner Bros. Cartoons. Work Dalton's first commercial animation work was in 1930 at the ill-fated Romer Grey Studios. He later worked on an animated short vers ...
,
Ben Hardaway Joseph Benson Hardaway (May 21, 1895 – February 5, 1957) was an American storyboard artist, animator, voice actor, gagman, writer and director for several American animation studios during The Golden Age of Hollywood animation. He was someti ...
and
Bob Givens Robert Herman Givens (March 2, 1918 – December 14, 2017) was an American animator and character designer, responsible for the creation of Bugs Bunny. He was the leading character designer for Leon Schlesinger, creating over 25 successful c ...
. In ''Bugs Bunny: Superstar'', Clampett also takes credit for drawing the model sheet for the first Porky Pig cartoon, '' I Haven't Got a Hat'' (1935), even though it was actually drawn by Friz Freleng. Animation historian Milton Gray details the long and bitter rivalry between Clampett and Jones in his essay "Bob Clampett Remembered". Gray, a personal friend of Clampett, calls the controversy "a deliberate and vicious smear campaign by one of Bob's rivals in the cartoon business". He reveals that Jones was angry at Clampett for making some generalizations in his 1970 interview with ''Funnyworld'' that gave Clampett too much credit, including taking sole credit for not only Bugs and Daffy but also Jones's Sniffles character and Freleng's
Yosemite Sam Yosemite Sam ( /joʊˈsɛmɪti/ ''yoh-SEM-ih-tee'') is a cartoon character in the ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' series of short films produced by Warner Bros. His name is taken from Yosemite National Park. He is an adversary of Bugs ...
. He writes that Jones began making additional accusations against Clampett, such as that Clampett would "go around the studio at night, looking at other directors' storyboards for ideas he could steal for his own cartoons." Jones wrote a letter of accusations in 1975 and, according to Gray, distributed copies to every fan he met—seemingly the genesis of the growing controversy. Gray asserts that Clampett was a "kind, generous man ho wasdeeply hurt and saddened by Jones's accusations. ��I feel that Bob Clampett deserves tremendous respect and gratitude for the wonderful work that he left us." Other Warner Bros. peers, such as musical coordinator Carl Stalling and animator
Tex Avery Frederick Bean "Tex" Avery (February 26, 1908 – August 26, 1980) was an American animator, cartoonist, director, and voice actor. He was known for directing and producing animated cartoons during the golden age of American animation. His mo ...
, stood by Clampett during his talks on the cartoon industry in the 1960s and 1970s.


Death

Clampett died of a
heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...
on May 2, 1984 in
Detroit, Michigan Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...
, six days before his 71st birthday, while touring the country to promote the
home video Home video is prerecorded media sold or rented for home viewing. The term originates from the VHS and Betamax era, when the predominant medium was videotapes, but has carried over to optical disc formats such as DVD, Blu-ray and streaming me ...
release of ''Beany & Cecil'' cartoons. He is buried in Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills.


Legacy

Since 1984, The Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award is given each year at the
Eisner Awards The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books, sometimes referred to as the comics industry's equivalent of the Academy Awards. They are named in ...
. Recipients of the award include
June Foray June Foray (born June Lucille Forer; September 18, 1917 – July 26, 2017) was an American voice actress. She was best known as the voice of such animated characters as Rocky the Flying Squirrel, Natasha Fatale, Nell Fenwick, Lucifer from Disney' ...
,
Jack Kirby Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg; August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was an American comic book artist, writer and editor, widely regarded as one of the medium's major innovators and one of its most prolific and influential creators. He gre ...
,
Sergio Aragonés Sergio Aragonés Domenech ( , ; born September 6, 1937) is a Spanish/Mexican cartoonist and writer best known for his contributions to '' Mad'' magazine and creating the comic book '' Groo the Wanderer''. Among his peers and fans, Aragonés is ...
,
Patrick McDonnell Patrick McDonnell (born March 17, 1956) is a cartoonist, author, and playwright. He is the creator of the daily comic strip '' Mutts'', which follows the adventures of a dog and a cat, that has been syndicated since 1994. Prior to creating ''Mu ...
,
Maggie Thompson Maggie Thompson (born Margaret Curtis; November 29, 1942), is an American longtime editor of the now-defunct comic book industry news magazine ''Comics Buyer's Guide'', science fiction fan, and collector of comics. Early life Margaret (nicknam ...
,
Ray Bradbury Ray Douglas Bradbury (; August 22, 1920June 5, 2012) was an American author and screenwriter. One of the most celebrated 20th-century American writers, he worked in a variety of modes, including fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery fictio ...
and
Mark Evanier Mark Stephen Evanier (; born March 2, 1952) is an American comic book and television writer, known for his work on the animated TV series ''Garfield and Friends'' and on the comic book ''Groo the Wanderer''. He is also known for his columns and b ...
. Clampett's '' Tin Pan Alley Cats'' (1943) was chosen by the
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library ...
as a "prime example of the music and mores of our times" and a print was buried in a time capsule in
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
so future generations might see it. ''
Porky in Wackyland ''Porky in Wackyland'' is a 1938 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' animated short film, directed by Bob Clampett. The short was released on September 24, 1938, and stars Porky Pig venturing out to find the last do-do bird, which he finds in Wackyland ...
'' (1938) was inducted into the
National Film Registry The National Film Registry (NFR) is the United States National Film Preservation Board's (NFPB) collection of films selected for preservation, each selected for its historical, cultural and aesthetic contributions since the NFPB’s inception ...
of the
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library ...
in 2000, deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
John Kricfalusi Michael John Kricfalusi ( ; born September 9, 1955), known professionally as John K., is a Canadian illustrator, blogger, voice actor and former animator. He is the creator of the animated television series ''The Ren & Stimpy Show'', which was ...
, best known as the creator of ''
The Ren & Stimpy Show ''The Ren & Stimpy Show'' (also known as ''Ren & Stimpy'') is an American animated television series created by Canadian animator John Kricfalusi. Originally produced by Spümcø for Nickelodeon, the series aired from August 11, 1991, to Dece ...
'', got to know Clampett in his later years and has reflected on those times as inspirational. Kricfalusi calls Clampett his favorite cartoon director and calls ''
The Great Piggy Bank Robbery ''The Great Piggy Bank Robbery'' is a 1946 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' theatrical cartoon directed by Bob Clampett. The cartoon was released on July 20, 1946, and stars Daffy Duck. The short is Clampett's penultimate Warner cartoon, produced s ...
'' (1946) his favorite cartoon: "I saw this thing and it completely changed my life, I thought it was the greatest thing I'd ever seen, and I still think it is." Animation historian
Leonard Maltin Leonard Michael Maltin (born December 18, 1950) is an American film critic and film historian, as well as an author of several mainstream books on cinema, focusing on nostalgic, celebratory narratives. He is perhaps best known for his book of fi ...
has called Clampett's cartoons "unmistakable". Milton Gray believes that Schlesinger put Clampett in charge of the black and white cartoon division in order to save it, and many historians have singled out a scene in ''Porky's Duck Hunt'', in which Daffy exits, as a defining Clampett moment. Maltin called it "a level of wackiness few moviegoers had ever seen". Historian Charles Solomon noted a rubbery, flexible animation quality visible in all Clampett's shorts, and Maltin noted an "energetic, comic anarchy". While Clampett's cartoons were not as well known in the latter half of the 20th century because television syndicators only had the rights to the post-1948 Warner cartoons, his creations have increased in notoriety and acclaim in recent decades.
Martha Sigall Martha Goldman Sigall (April 17, 1917 – December 13, 2014) was an American inker and painter who worked in the Hollywood animation industry for 53 years. Sigall moved to California from Buffalo, New York, in 1926 and by chance lived around the ...
recalled Clampett as "an enthusiastic and fun type of guy". She describes him as consistently nice to her and very generous when it came to gifts or donations to a cause.Sigall (2005), p. 50 She had left the Termite Terrace in 1943 and did not meet Clampett again until 1960. She did, however, hear from people whom Clampett helped break into the animation business and/or mentored.Sigall (2005), p. 54 Clampett is survived by his three children who currently preserve his work. They are Robert Clampett Jr., who worked for his father as a puppeteer at Bob Clampett Productions; Ruth Clampett, an author of several books, including a book about an animated couple (she also founded Clampett Studio collections after her father's death); and Cheri Clampett, a therapeutic yoga specialist.


Films with Bob Clampett's involvement

* '' When's Your Birthday?'' (1937) (animated sequence directed by Clampett and photographed in
Technicolor Technicolor is a series of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes, the first version dating back to 1916, and followed by improved versions over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black and white films ...
) * '' Porky and Gabby'' (1937) (co-supervision with
Ub Iwerks Ubbe Ert Iwwerks (March 24, 1901 – July 7, 1971), known as Ub Iwerks ( ), was an American animator, cartoonist, character designer, inventor, and special effects technician. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Iwerks grew up with a contentiou ...
and Chuck Jones) * '' Porky's Super Service'' (1937) (co-supervision with Chuck Jones and Ub Iwerks) * '' Porky's Badtime Story'' (1937) (first Looney Tunes short supervised by Clampett and assistant Chuck Jones, first supervisal credit) * '' Get Rich Quick Porky'' (1937) (co-directed with Chuck Jones) * '' Rover's Rival'' (1937) (co-directed with Chuck Jones) * '' Porky's Hero Agency'' (1937) (co-directed with Chuck Jones) * '' Porky's Poppa'' (1938) (co-directed with Chuck Jones) * ''
What Price Porky ''What Price Porky'' is a 1938 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon directed by Bob Clampett. The cartoon was released on February 26, 1938, and stars Porky Pig and Daffy Duck. Plot When Porky goes to feed his hens and chickens, a group of duck ...
'' (1938) * '' Porky's Five and Ten'' (1938) * '' Injun Trouble'' (1938) * '' Porky's Party'' (1938) * '' Porky & Daffy'' (1938) * ''
Porky in Wackyland ''Porky in Wackyland'' is a 1938 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' animated short film, directed by Bob Clampett. The short was released on September 24, 1938, and stars Porky Pig venturing out to find the last do-do bird, which he finds in Wackyland ...
'' (1938) * '' Porky's Naughty Nephew'' (1938) * ''
Porky in Egypt ''Porky in Egypt'' is a 1938 Warner Bros. '' Looney Tunes'' cartoon directed by Bob Clampett. The short was released on November 5, 1938, and stars Porky Pig. Plot An offer for a trip to see the pyramids in Egypt is shown. The tour then proceed ...
'' (1938) * ''
The Daffy Doc ''The Daffy Doc'' is a 1938 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon supervised by Bob Clampett. The cartoon was released on November 26, 1938, and stars Porky Pig and Daffy Duck Daffy Duck is an animated cartoon character created for Leon Schl ...
'' (1938) * '' The Lone Stranger and Porky'' (1939) * '' Porky's Tire Trouble'' (1939) * '' Porky's Movie Mystery'' (1939) * '' Chicken Jitters'' (1939) * '' Kristopher Kolumbus, Jr.'' (1939) * '' Polar Pals'' (1939) * '' Scalp Trouble'' (1939) * ''
Porky's Picnic ''Porky's Picnic'' is a 1939 Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, Cali ...
'' (1939) * ''
Wise Quacks ''Wise Quacks'' is a 1939 Warner Bros. '' Looney Tunes'' animated short film directed by Bob Clampett. The cartoon was released on August 5, 1939, and stars Porky Pig and Daffy Duck. A different design of Daffy was used in this cartoon. In thi ...
'' (1939) * '' Porky's Hotel'' (1939) * '' Jeepers Creepers'' (1939) * '' Naughty Neighbors'' (1939) * '' Pied Piper Porky'' (1939) * ''
The Film Fan ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' (1939) * ''
Porky's Last Stand ''Porky's Last Stand'' is a 1940 Warner Bros. '' Looney Tunes'' cartoon directed by Bob Clampett. The cartoon was released on January 6, 1940 according to The Indianapolis Star, and stars Porky Pig and Daffy Duck. Plot Porky Pig owns a restaura ...
'' (1940) * '' Africa Squeaks'' (1940) * ''
Ali-Baba Bound ''Ali-Baba Bound'' is a 1940 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon directed by Bob Clampett. The short was released on February 10, 1940, and stars Porky Pig. The title is a spoof of the song ''I'm Alabama Bound''. Plot In the Sahara Desert, ...
'' (1940) * '' Pilgrim Porky'' (1940) * ''
Slap-Happy Pappy ''Slap-Happy Pappy'' is a Warner Brothers Looney Tunes theatrical cartoon, starring Porky Pig. It was directed by Bob Clampett, written by Warren Foster, and scored by Carl W. Stalling. The short was released on April 13, 1940. Plot Porky owns a ...
'' (1940) * '' Porky's Poor Fish'' (1940) * '' The Chewin' Bruin'' (1940) * ''
Patient Porky ''Patient Porky'' is a 1940 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon directed by Bob Clampett, written by Warren Foster, and scored by Carl W. Stalling. The short was released on August 24, 1940, and stars Porky Pig. Bugs Bunny's prototype makes a ...
'' (1940) * '' Prehistoric Porky'' (1940) * ''
The Sour Puss ''The Sour Puss'' is a 1940 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon directed by Bob Clampett. The short was released on November 2, 1940, and stars Porky Pig Porky Pig is an animated character in the Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' and '' Merrie Me ...
'' (1940) * ''
The Timid Toreador ''The Timid Toreador'' is a 1940 Warner Bros. '' Looney Tunes'' cartoon directed by Bob Clampett and Norman McCabe. The short was released on December 21, 1940, and stars Porky Pig. Plot The scene descends upon a small Mexican town, where a la ...
'' (1940) (co-supervision with Norm McCabe) * '' Porky's Snooze Reel'' (1941) (co-supervision with Norm McCabe) * ''
Goofy Groceries ''Goofy Groceries'' is a 1941 Warner Bros. ''Merrie Melodies'' animated short film directed by Bob Clampett. The short was released on March 29, 1941. Bearing a similar premise to earlier WB shorts ''Speaking of the Weather'' and '' Have You Got ...
'' (1941) (first Merrie Melodies short directed by Clampett) * ''
Farm Frolics ''Farm Frolics'' is a 1941 Warner Bros. ''Merrie Melodies'' cartoon supervised by Bob Clampett. It was released on May 10, 1941. Plot The cartoon starts with the arm of an animator drawing a farm scene which then colors itself, and the camera zo ...
'' (1941) * '' A Coy Decoy'' (1941) * ''
Meet John Doughboy Meet may refer to: People with the name * Janek Meet (born 1974), Estonian footballer * Meet Mukhi (born 2005), Indian child actor Arts, entertainment, and media * Meet (TV series), ''Meet'' (TV series), an early Australian television series whic ...
'' (1941) * ''
We, the Animals Squeak! ''We, the Animals Squeak!'' is a 1941 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon short directing Bob Clampett. The short was released on August 9, 1941, and stars Porky Pig. The voices were performed by Mel Blanc, Sara Berner, Billy Bletcher William ...
'' (1941) * '' The Henpecked Duck'' (1941) * ''
The Cagey Canary ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
'' (1941) (planned by
Tex Avery Frederick Bean "Tex" Avery (February 26, 1908 – August 26, 1980) was an American animator, cartoonist, director, and voice actor. He was known for directing and producing animated cartoons during the golden age of American animation. His mo ...
, finished) * ''
Wabbit Twouble ''Wabbit Twouble'' ("Rabbit Trouble") is a ''Merrie Melodies'' cartoon starring Bugs Bunny, produced by Warner Bros. Cartoons, Leon Schlesinger Productions and released on December 20, 1941 by Warner Bros. Pictures. This is the first of severa ...
'' (1941) (planned by Tex Avery, finished) * '' Porky's Pooch'' (1941) * ''
Aloha Hooey ''Aloha'' ( , ) is the Hawaiian word for love, affection, peace, compassion and mercy, that is commonly used as a simple greeting but has a deeper cultural and spiritual significance to native Hawaiians, for whom the term is used to define a fo ...
'' (1942) (planned by Tex Avery, finished) * ''
Crazy Cruise ''Crazy Cruise'' is a 1942 Warner Bros. '' Merrie Melodies'' cartoon. The short was released on March 14, 1942. It was directed by Tex Avery and Bob Clampett, whose names do not appear on the surviving print of the cartoon. Because Tex left the ...
'' (1942) (planned by Tex Avery, finished) * '' Any Bonds Today?'' (1942) * ''
Horton Hatches the Egg ''Horton Hatches the Egg'' is a children's book written and illustrated by Theodor Geisel under the pen name Dr. Seuss and published in 1940 by Random House. The book tells the story of Horton the Elephant, who is tricked into sitting on a bird's ...
'' (1942) * '' The Wacky Wabbit'' (1942) * ''
Nutty News ''Nutty News'' is a 1942 Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, Califor ...
'' (1942) * '' Bugs Bunny Gets the Boid'' (1942) * ''
Wacky Blackout ''Wacky Blackout'' is a 1942 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon directed by Bob Clampett. The short was released on July 11, 1942. Plot As with a number of early-1940s ''Looney Tunes'' shorts, the plot consists of a loosely tied collection of ...
'' (1942) * '' Eatin' on the Cuff or The Moth Who Came to Dinner'' (1942) * ''
The Hep Cat ''The Hep Cat'' is a 1942 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon directed by Bob Clampett, written by Warren Foster, animated primarily by Robert McKimson, and set to a musical score composed by Carl W. Stalling. The short was released on October ...
'' (1942) * ''
A Tale of Two Kitties ''A Tale of Two Kitties'' is a 1942 Warner Bros. '' Merrie Melodies'' cartoon directed by Bob Clampett, written by Warren Foster, and features music by Carl W. Stalling. The short was released on November 21, 1942, and features the debut of ...
'' (1942) * '' Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs'' (1943) * '' Tortoise Wins by a Hare'' (1943) * ''
The Wise Quacking Duck ''The Wise Quacking Duck'' is a 1943 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon directed by Bob Clampett. The cartoon was released on May 1, 1943, and stars Daffy Duck. Plot The cartoon begins with Mr. Meek (voiced by Darrell Payne) carrying an axe ...
'' (1943) * '' Tin Pan Alley Cats'' (1943) * ''
A Corny Concerto ''A Corny Concerto'' is a 1943 Warner Bros. ''Merrie Melodies'' directed by Bob Clampett. The short was released on September 25, 1943, and stars Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd and Daffy Duck. They perform a parody of Walt Disney's ''Silly Sy ...
'' (1943) * '' Fighting Tools'' (1943) * ''
Falling Hare ''Falling Hare'' is a 1943 Warner Bros. '' Merrie Melodies'' cartoon directed by Bob Clampett. The cartoon features Bugs Bunny. In this film, Bugs Bunny tries to prevent the wrecking of an American military aircraft by a gremlin. The setting is ...
'' (1943) * '' An Itch in Time'' (1943) * ''
What's Cookin' Doc? ''What's Cookin' Doc?'' is a 1944 Warner Bros. cartoon in the Merrie Melodies series, directed by Bob Clampett, and stars Bugs Bunny. The short was also written by Michael Sasanoff, and was animated by Robert McKimson, along with uncredited wo ...
'' (1944) * ''
Booby Traps A booby trap is a device or setup that is intended to kill, harm or surprise a human or another animal. It is triggered by the presence or actions of the victim and sometimes has some form of bait designed to lure the victim towards it. The trap m ...
'' (1944) * '' Tick Tock Tuckered'' (1944) * '' Russian Rhapsody'' (1944) * '' Slightly Daffy'' (1944) (directed by Friz Freleng, color remake of '' Scalp Trouble'') * ''
Hare Ribbin' ''Hare Ribbin is a 1944 animated short film in the '' Merrie Melodies'' series, directed by Robert Clampett and featuring Bugs Bunny. The plot features Bugs' conflict with a red-haired hound dog, whom the rabbit sets out to evade and make a fool of ...
'' (1944) * '' Birdy and the Beast'' (1944) * '' Buckaroo Bugs'' (1944) * '' The Old Grey Hare'' (1944) * ''
Draftee Daffy ''Draftee Daffy'' is a 1945 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon directed by Bob Clampett. The cartoon was released on January 27, 1945, and stars Daffy Duck. Plot Having read about the U.S. fighting forces pushing the Nazi German troops back du ...
'' (1945) * '' Tokyo Woes'' (1945) * '' A Gruesome Twosome'' (1945) * ''
Wagon Heels ''Wagon Heels'' is a 1945 Warner Bros. ''Merrie Melodies'' short directed by Bob Clampett. The short was released on July 28, 1945, and stars Porky Pig. The cartoon is a color remake of the 1938 ''Looney Tunes'' black-and-white short '' Injun ...
'' (1945) * ''
The Bashful Buzzard ''The Bashful Buzzard'' is a 7-minute animated cartoon completed in 1944 and released on September 15, 1945. It is directed by Robert Clampett and is the second to feature the character Beaky Buzzard. This is the last cartoon in which Kent Rogers ...
'' (1945) * '' Book Revue'' (1946) * ''
Baby Bottleneck ''Baby Bottleneck'' is a 1946 Warner Bros. '' Looney Tunes'' cartoon directed by Bob Clampett and written by Warren Foster. The cartoon was released on March 16, 1946, and stars Daffy Duck and Porky Pig. Tweety makes a cameo appearance in the ...
'' (1946) * ''
Kitty Kornered ''Kitty Kornered'' is a 1946 Warner Bros. '' Looney Tunes'' cartoon, directed by Robert Clampett. The short was released on June 8, 1946, and stars Porky Pig and Sylvester. Porky and Sylvester would later be paired in a trio of shorts direct ...
'' (1946) * ''
The Great Piggy Bank Robbery ''The Great Piggy Bank Robbery'' is a 1946 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' theatrical cartoon directed by Bob Clampett. The cartoon was released on July 20, 1946, and stars Daffy Duck. The short is Clampett's penultimate Warner cartoon, produced s ...
'' (1946) * ''
Bacall to Arms ''Bacall to Arms'' is a 1946 Warner Bros. ''Merrie Melodies'' series short planned by Bob Clampett and finished by Arthur Davis, in his second-to-last cartoon at Warner Bros. The short was released on August 3, 1946. The title refers both to He ...
'' (1946) (finished by Arthur Davis) * '' The Big Snooze'' (1946) * ''
The Goofy Gophers ''The Goofy Gophers'' is a 1947 Warner Bros. '' Looney Tunes'' cartoon directed by Bob Clampett and Arthur Davis. The short was released on January 25, 1947, and is the first appearance of the Goofy Gophers. Plot An anthropomorphic dog who is ba ...
'' (1947) (pre-production, finished by Arthur Davis) * '' Birth of a Notion'' (1947) (planned, eventually directed by Robert McKimson) * ''
Dough for the Do-Do ''Dough for the Do-Do'' is a 1949 Warner Bros. ''Merrie Melodies'' cartoon directed by Friz Freleng. The short was released on September 2, 1949, and stars Porky Pig. The short is a remake of Bob Clampett's 1938 cartoon ''Porky in Wackyland'', as ...
'' (1949) (directed by Friz Freleng, archival from ''
Porky in Wackyland ''Porky in Wackyland'' is a 1938 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' animated short film, directed by Bob Clampett. The short was released on September 24, 1938, and stars Porky Pig venturing out to find the last do-do bird, which he finds in Wackyland ...
'' and '' Tin Pan Alley Cats'') * ''
His Hare-Raising Tale ''His Hare-Raising Tale'' is a 1951 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' short, directed by Friz Freleng and written by Warren Foster. The short was released on August 11, 1951, and stars Bugs Bunny and his nephew Clyde Rabbit. This cartoon consists pr ...
'' (1951) (directed by Friz Freleng, scenes from ''
Falling Hare ''Falling Hare'' is a 1943 Warner Bros. '' Merrie Melodies'' cartoon directed by Bob Clampett. The cartoon features Bugs Bunny. In this film, Bugs Bunny tries to prevent the wrecking of an American military aircraft by a gremlin. The setting is ...
'' used as flashbacks)


Shorts that did not enter production

* ''For He's a Jolly Good Fala'' (1945) (starring President
Roosevelt Roosevelt may refer to: *Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919), 26th U.S. president * Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945), 32nd U.S. president Businesses and organisations * Roosevelt Hotel (disambiguation) * Roosevelt & Son, a merchant bank * Rooseve ...
's dog Fala, project abandoned after Roosevelt's death the same year) * ''Fat Rat and the Stupid Cat'' (1946) (starring Sylvester and
Tweety Tweety is a yellow canary in the Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' series of animated cartoons. The name "Tweety" is a play on words, as it originally meant "sweetie", along with "tweet" being an English onomatopoeia for t ...
, project abandoned after Clampett's departure but storyboards do exist)


Republic Pictures

* ''It's a Grand Old Nag'' (1947) (credited as Kilroy)


General sources

* *


Citations


Further reading

* * Maltin, Leonard. (1980). ''Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons''. New York: McGraw-Hill. .


External links


Lambiek Comiclopedia article.

In His Own Words: Bob Clampett on ''Time for Beany''
*
Senses of Cinema: Great Directors Critical Database



On a Desert Island with...Bob Clampett




* ttp://www.michaelbarrier.com/Essays/Milt_Gray/Gray_on_Clampett.htm Milt Gray's essay on Bob Clampett
Toon Tracker Beany and Cecil page


* {{DEFAULTSORT:Clampett, Bob 1913 births 1984 deaths 20th-century American artists American parodists Parody film directors American people of Irish descent American puppeteers American surrealist artists Animators from California Articles containing video clips Artists from San Diego Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) Emmy Award winners Film directors from California Inkpot Award winners Otis College of Art and Design alumni Surrealist filmmakers Walt Disney Animation Studios people Warner Bros. Cartoons directors