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''Looney Tunes'' is an American animated
comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...
short film A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...
series produced by Warner Bros. starting from 1930 to 1969, concurrently with its partner series '' Merrie Melodies'', during the golden age of American animation.Looney Tunes
. ''www.bcdb.com'', April 12, 2012
Then some new cartoons were produced from the late 1980s to the mid 2010s as well as other made productions beginning in 1972. The two series introduced a large cast of characters, including
Bugs Bunny Bugs Bunny is an animated cartoon character created in the late 1930s by Leon Schlesinger Productions (later Warner Bros. Cartoons) and voiced originally by Mel Blanc. Bugs is best known for his starring roles in the ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merr ...
, Daffy Duck, and Porky Pig. The term ''Looney Tunes'' has since been expanded to also refer to the characters themselves. ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' were initially produced by Leon Schlesinger and animators Hugh Harman and Rudolph Ising from 1930 to 1933. Schlesinger assumed full production from 1933 until selling his studio to Warner Bros. in 1944. The ''Looney Tunes'' title was inspired by that of
Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...
's '' Silly Symphonies''. The shorts initially showcased musical compositions owned by Warner's music publishing interests through the adventures of such characters as
Bosko Bosko is an animated cartoon character created by animators Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising. Bosko was the first recurring character in Leon Schlesinger's cartoon series and was the star of 39 ''Looney Tunes'' shorts released by Warner Bros. He ...
and Buddy. However, the shorts gained a higher profile upon the debuts of directors Tex Avery and
Chuck Jones Charles Martin Jones (September 21, 1912 – February 22, 2002) was an American animator, director, and painter, best known for his work with Warner Bros. Cartoons on the '' Looney Tunes'' and '' Merrie Melodies'' series of shorts. He wrote, pro ...
and
voice actor Voice acting is the art of performing voice-overs to present a character or provide information to an audience. Performers are called voice actors/actresses, voice artists, dubbing artists, voice talent, voice-over artists, or voice-over talen ...
Mel Blanc later in the decade. Porky Pig and Daffy Duck became the featured ''Looney Tunes'' characters, while ''Merrie Melodies'' featured one-shot cartoons and minor recurring characters. After Bugs Bunny became popular in the ''Merrie Melodies'' shorts of the early 1940s, ''Looney Tunes'' moved from black and white to color production, ''Merrie Melodies'' having already been in color since 1934. The two series gradually lost their distinctions, and shorts were assigned to each series randomly. From 1942 to 1964, ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' were the most popular animated shorts in movie theaters. ''Looney Tunes'' has since become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television series, feature films, comic books, music albums, video games, and amusement park rides. Many of the characters have made and continue to make cameo appearances in television shows, films, and other media. Bugs Bunny, in particular, is regarded as a cultural icon and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Many ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' films are ranked among the greatest animated cartoons of all time, and five of them have won
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
.


History

''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' were so named because they were initially developed to showcase tracks from Warner Bros.' extensive music library; the title of the first ''Looney Tunes'' short, '' Sinkin' in the Bathtub'' (1930), is a pun on ''
Singin' in the Bathtub "Singing in the Bathtub" is a song written in 1929 by Michael H. Cleary, with lyrics by Herb Magidson and Ned Washington for the film ''The Show of Shows''. ''The Show of Shows'' was Warner Bros.' answer to MGM's ''The Hollywood Revue of 1929'', ...
''. Between 1934 and 1943, ''Merrie Melodies'' were produced in color and ''Looney Tunes'' in black and white. After 1943, both series were produced in color and became virtually indistinguishable, varying only in their opening theme music and titles. Both series made use of the various Warner Bros. characters. By 1937, the theme music for ''Looney Tunes'' was " The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down" by Cliff Friend and Dave Franklin, and the theme music for ''Merrie Melodies'' was an adaptation of " Merrily We Roll Along" by
Charles Tobias Charles Tobias (August 15, 1898 – July 7, 1970) was an American songwriter. Biography Born in New York City, United States, Tobias grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts with brothers Harry Tobias and Henry Tobias, also songwriters. He started h ...
, Murray Mencher and Eddie Cantor.


1930–1933: Harman and Ising era

In 1929, to compete against
Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...
's Mickey Mouse short cartoons, Warner Bros. became interested in developing a series of animated shorts to promote their music. They had recently acquired Brunswick Records along with four music publishers for US$28 million (equivalent to $ million in ) and were eager to promote this material for the sales of sheet music and phonograph records. Warner made a deal with Leon Schlesinger to produce cartoons for them. Schlesinger hired Rudolf Ising and Hugh Harman to produce the first series of cartoons. Schlesinger was impressed by Harman's and Ising's 1929 pilot cartoon, '' Bosko, The Talk-Ink Kid''. The first ''Looney Tunes'' short was '' Sinkin' in the Bathtub'' starring
Bosko Bosko is an animated cartoon character created by animators Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising. Bosko was the first recurring character in Leon Schlesinger's cartoon series and was the star of 39 ''Looney Tunes'' shorts released by Warner Bros. He ...
, which was released in 1930.


1933–1936: Leon Schlesinger Productions

When Harman and Ising left Warner Bros. in 1933 over a budget dispute with Schlesinger, they took with them all the rights of the characters and cartoons they had created. A new character called Buddy became the only star of the ''Looney Tunes'' series for a couple of years. New directors including Tex Avery, Friz Freleng and Bob Clampett were brought in or promoted to work with animators in the Schlesinger studio, with Avery's unit housed in a bungalow the animators dubbed " Termite Terrace." In 1935 they debuted the first major ''Looney Tunes'' star, Porky Pig, along with Beans the Cat in the ''Merrie Melodies'' cartoon ''
I Haven't Got a Hat ''I Haven't Got a Hat'' is a 1935 animated short film, directed by Isadore Freleng for Leon Schlesinger Productions as part of the ''Merrie Melodies'' series. Released on March 2, 1935, the short is notable for featuring the first appearance of s ...
'' directed by Friz Freleng. Beans was the star of the next Porky/Beans cartoon '' Gold Diggers of '49'', but it was Porky who emerged as the star instead of Beans. The ensemble characters of ''I Haven't Got a Hat'', such as Oliver Owl, and twin dogs Ham and Ex, were also given a sampling of shorts, but Beans and Porky proved much more popular. Beans was later phased out when his popularity declined, leaving Porky as the only star of the Schlesinger studio.


1936–1944: More star characters and switch to color

The debuts of other memorable ''Looney Tunes'' stars followed: Daffy Duck in ''
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. Plot ...
'' (1937), Elmer Fudd in the ''Merrie Melodies'' short ''
Elmer's Candid Camera ''Elmer's Candid Camera'' is a 1940 Warner Bros. ''Merrie Melodies'' cartoon short directed by Chuck Jones. The short was released on March 2, 1940, and features Elmer Fudd and an early Bugs Bunny prototype. This is the first appearance of a re ...
'' (1940),
Bugs Bunny Bugs Bunny is an animated cartoon character created in the late 1930s by Leon Schlesinger Productions (later Warner Bros. Cartoons) and voiced originally by Mel Blanc. Bugs is best known for his starring roles in the ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merr ...
in the ''Merrie Melodies'' short '' A Wild Hare'' (1940), and Tweety in the ''Merrie Melodies'' short ''
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 T ...
'' (1942). Bugs initially starred in the color ''Merrie Melodies'' shorts following the success of 1940's ''A Wild Hare'', and formally joined the ''Looney Tunes'' series with the release of ''
Buckaroo Bugs ''Buckaroo Bugs'' is a 1944 American Western ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon film directed by Bob Clampett. The cartoon was released on August 26, 1944, and features Bugs Bunny in his official Looney Tunes debut. Plot The film is set in a small tow ...
'' in 1944. Schlesinger began to phase in the production of color ''Looney Tunes'' with the 1942 cartoon '' The Hep Cat''. The final black-and-white ''Looney Tunes'' short was ''
Puss n' Booty ''Puss n' Booty '' is a 1943 Warner Bros. '' Looney Tunes'' cartoon directed by Frank Tashlin. The short was released on December 11, 1943 in the United States. The plot of ''Puss n' Booty'' was later remade in color as 1948's ''I Taw a Putty T ...
'' in 1943 directed by Frank Tashlin. The inspiration for the changeover was Warner's decision to re-release only the color cartoons in the '' Blue Ribbon Classics'' series of ''Merrie Melodies''. Bugs made a cameo appearance in 1942 in the Avery/Clampett cartoon ''Crazy Cruise'' and also at the end of the Frank Tashlin 1943 cartoon ''
Porky Pig's Feat ''Porky Pig's Feat'' is a 1943 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' animated cartoon directed by Frank Tashlin. It was released on July 17, 1943, and stars Porky Pig and Daffy Duck. Directed by Frank Tashlin with musical direction by Carl Stalling, and ...
'', which marked Bugs' only official appearance in a black-and-white ''Looney Tunes'' short. Schlesinger sold his interest in the cartoon studio in 1944 to Warner Bros. and went into retirement; he died five years later.


1944–1964: Golden era

More popular ''Looney Tunes'' characters were created (most of which first appeared in ''Merrie Melodies'' cartoons) such as Pepé Le Pew (debuted in 1945's ''
Odor-able Kitty ''Odor-able Kitty'' is a 1945 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon directed by Chuck Jones. The short was released on January 6, 1945, and was the first appearance of the romantic skunk Pepé Le Pew. The scriptwriter was Tedd Pierce. Jones, a ...
''),
Sylvester Sylvester or Silvester is a name derived from the Latin adjective ''silvestris'' meaning "wooded" or "wild", which derives from the noun ''silva'' meaning "woodland". Classical Latin spells this with ''i''. In Classical Latin, ''y'' represented ...
(debuted in 1945's '' Life with Feathers''), Yosemite Sam (debuted in 1945's ''
Hare Trigger ''Hare Trigger'' is a 1945 ''Merrie Melodies'' cartoon directed by Friz Freleng. The cartoon was released on May 5, 1945, and features Bugs Bunny. The short featured the first appearance of Yosemite Sam, as well as the first short to credit (alm ...
''), Foghorn Leghorn (debuted in 1946's '' Walky Talky Hawky''),
Marvin the Martian Marvin the Martian is an extraterrestrial character from Warner Bros.' '' Looney Tunes'' and '' Merrie Melodies'' cartoons. He frequently appears as a villain in cartoons and video games, and wears a helmet and skirt. The character has been voic ...
(debuted in 1948's ''
Haredevil Hare ''Haredevil Hare'' is a 1948 ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon directed by Chuck Jones. It stars Bugs Bunny and it is the debut for Marvin the Martian — although he is unnamed in this film—along with his Martian dog, K-9. Marvin's nasal voic ...
''), Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner (debuted in 1949's '' Fast and Furry-ous''), Granny (debuted in 1950's ''
Canary Row ''Canary Row'' is a 1949 Warner Bros. ''Merrie Melodies'' short directed by Friz Freleng and written by Tedd Pierce. The short was released on October 7, 1950, and stars Tweety and Sylvester. This is the first Sylvester and Tweety cartoon to f ...
''), Speedy Gonzales (debuted in 1953's '' Cat Tails for Two''), and the Tasmanian Devil (debuted in 1954's '' Devil May Hare'').


1964–1969: Dark era

During the mid-late 1960s, the shorts were produced by DePatie–Freleng Enterprises (and
Format Productions Format Films was a television animation studio which was founded by Herbert Klynn in 1959 with Jules Engel as vice president, Bob McIntosh and Joseph Mugnaini, all of whom were animators. It was most active during the 1960s, producing episodes o ...
) (1964–1967) and Warner Bros.-Seven Arts (1967–1969) after Warner Bros. shut down their animation studio. The shorts from this era can be identified by their different title sequence, featuring stylized limited animation and graphics on a black background and a new arrangement, by William Lava, of "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down". The change in the introductory title cards was possibly to reflect the switch in the animation style of the shorts themselves. In 1967, Warner Bros.-Seven Arts commissioned an animation studio in
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
to redraw 79 black-and-white Looney Tunes produced from 1935 to 1943 in color to be syndicated to TV stations. The original ''Looney Tunes'' theatrical series ran from 1930's ''Sinkin' in the Bathtub'' to 1969's '' Injun Trouble'' by Robert McKimson.


1970–1999: Syndication and return to television and film

The ''Looney Tunes'' series' popularity was further strengthened when it began airing on network and syndicated television in the 1950s under various titles and formats. The ''Looney Tunes'' shorts were broadcast with edits to remove scenes of violence (particularly suicidal gags and scenes of characters performing dangerous stunts that impressionable viewers could easily imitate), stereotypes, and alcohol consumption. Production of theatrical animated shorts was dormant from 1969 until 1979 when new shorts were made to introduce ''Looney Tunes'' to a new generation of audiences. New shorts have been produced and released sporadically for theaters since then, though usually as promotional tie-ins with various family movies produced by Warner Bros. While many have been released in limited releases theatrically for Academy Award consideration, only a few have gained theatrical releases with movies. In the 1970s through the early 1990s, several feature-film compilations and
television special A television special (often TV special, or rarely television spectacular) is a standalone television show which may also temporarily interrupt episodic programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Some specials provide a full range of e ...
s were produced, mostly centering on Bugs Bunny and/or Daffy Duck, with a mixture of new and old footage. These releases include ''
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 ...
'' (1979), '' The Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie'' (1981), '' Bugs Bunny's 3rd Movie: 1001 Rabbit Tales'' (1982), ''
Daffy Duck's Fantastic Island ''Daffy Duck's Fantastic Island'' (also known as ''Daffy Duck's Movie: Fantastic Island'') is a 1983 ''Looney Tunes'' traditionally animated compilation film directed by Friz Freleng and Phil Monroe with a compilation of classic Warner Bros. ca ...
'' (1983), and '' Daffy Duck's Quackbusters'' (1988). In 1976, the ''Looney Tunes'' characters made their way into the amusement business when they became the mascots for the two Marriott's Great America theme parks (Gurnee and Santa Clara). After the Gurnee park was sold to Six Flags, they also claimed the rights to use the characters at the other Six Flags parks, which they continue to do presently. In 1988, several ''Looney Tunes'' characters appeared in cameo roles in
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
's film, '' Who Framed Roger Rabbit''. The more significant cameos featured Bugs, Daffy, Porky, Tweety, and Yosemite Sam. It is the only time in which ''Looney Tunes'' characters have shared screen time with their rivals at Disney (producers of the film)—particularly in the scenes where Bugs and Mickey Mouse are skydiving, and when Daffy and Donald Duck are performing their "Dueling Pianos" sequence. On July 10, 1989, after a battle with heart problems, Mel Blanc died at the
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a nonprofit, tertiary, 886-bed teaching hospital and multi-specialty academic health science center located in Los Angeles, California. Part of the Cedars-Sinai Health System, the hospital employs a staff of over ...
of cardiovascular disease. A picture depicting the ''Looney Tunes'' characters entitled "Speechless" was released shortly after his death. Paramount-owned
Nickelodeon Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its networks division's Kids and Family Group. It ...
aired all the unaired cartoons in a show called ''Looney Tunes on Nickelodeon'' between 1988 and 1999. In January 1999, it was reported that the cartoons shown on Nickelodeon would move to Cartoon Network in the fall of that year. To date, ''Looney Tunes on Nickelodeon'' is the longest-airing animated series on the network that was not a Nicktoon. In 1996, '' Space Jam'', a live-action animated film, was released to theaters starring Bugs Bunny and basketball player Michael Jordan. Despite a mixed critical reception, the film was a major box-office success, grossing nearly $100 million in the U.S. alone, almost becoming the first non-Disney animated film to achieve that feat. For a two-year period, it was the highest grossing non-Disney animated film ever. The film also introduced the character
Lola Bunny Lola Bunny is a ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon character portrayed as an anthropomorphic female rabbit created by Warner Bros. Pictures. She is generally depicted as Bugs Bunny's girlfriend. She first appeared in the 1996 film ''Space Jam''. Develo ...
, who subsequently became another recurring member of the ''Looney Tunes'' cast, usually as a love interest for Bugs. In 1997, Bugs Bunny was featured on a U.S. 32 cent postage stamp; the first of five ''Looney Tunes'' themed stamps to be issued. The ''Looney Tunes'' also achieved success in the area of television during this era, with appearances in several originally produced series, including '' Taz-Mania'' (1991, starring Taz) and '' The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries'' (1995, starring Sylvester, Tweety, and Granny). The gang also made frequent cameos in the 1990 spinoff series ''
Tiny Toon Adventures ''Tiny Toon Adventures'' is an American animated comedy television series that was broadcast from September 14, 1990, to December 6, 1992. It was the first collaborative effort of Steven Spielberg's Amblin Television and Warner Bros. Animation a ...
'', from executive producer
Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg (; born December 18, 1946) is an American director, writer, and producer. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. Sp ...
, where they played teachers and mentors to a younger generation of cartoon characters ( Plucky Duck, Hamton J. Pig, Babs and Buster Bunny, etc.), plus occasional cameos in the later Warner Bros. shows such as '' Animaniacs'' (also from Spielberg) and '' Histeria!''. In 1979, ''
Bugs Bunny's Christmas Carol ''Bugs Bunny's Christmas Carol'' is an eight-minute animated short film produced by Warner Bros. Television and DePatie–Freleng Enterprises and released in 1979 by Warner Bros. as part of the Christmas special, '' Bugs Bunny's Looney Christmas T ...
'' premiered. After '' The Chocolate Chase'', there would not be another short released for seven years. In 1990, it was made so there would be about one short per year until 1998. In 2003, there would be seven shorts produced. The first short released was '' The Whizzard of Ow'', premiering on Walmart and being on the DVD release of '' Looney Tunes: Back in Action'', which these shorts were made to promote. Until 2004, when all the shorts were included on the Blu-ray release, only about half of the shorts would be available. In 2010, five computer-animated shorts would be released and directed by Matthew O'Callaghan, who would also direct another short, '' Flash in the Pain'', in 2014.


2000–2014: Network Exploration

In March 2000, it was revealed that the entire ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' library would be exclusive to
Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, ...
starting fall of that year. ''Looney Tunes'' shorts were still airing on Disney's ABC as part of ''
The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show ''The Bugs Bunny Show'' is a long-running American animated anthology television series hosted by Bugs Bunny that was mainly composed of theatrical '' Looney Tunes'' and '' Merrie Melodies'' cartoons released by Warner Bros. between 1948 and 1969 ...
'' at the time, and the decision led to the show's cancellation. This decision would remain in effect for over 20 years, until MeTV began airing the classic Warner Bros. cartoons (along with MGM and Paramount's library) in January 2021. In 2003, another feature film was released, this time in an attempt to recapture the spirit of the original shorts: the live-action/animated '' Looney Tunes: Back in Action''. Although the film was not financially successful, it was met with mixed-to-positive reviews from film critics and has been argued by animation historians and fans as the finest original feature-length appearance of the cartoon characters. In 2006, Warner Home Video released a new and Christmas-themed ''Looney Tunes'' direct-to-video film called '' Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas'', a parody of
Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian er ...
' ''
A Christmas Carol ''A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas'', commonly known as ''A Christmas Carol'', is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. ''A Christmas ...
''. Other ''Looney Tunes'' TV series made during this time were '' Baby Looney Tunes'' (2001–2006), '' Duck Dodgers'' (2003-2005) and ''
Loonatics Unleashed ''Loonatics Unleashed'' is an American superhero animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation that ran on Kids' WB for two seasons from 2005 to 2007 in the United States. The series was based/inspired on the '' Looney Tunes' ...
'' (2005–2007). On October 22, 2007, ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' cartoons became available for the first time in High-definition via
Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washi ...
's Xbox Live service, including some in Spanish. From February 29 – May 18, 2008, many ''Looney Tunes'' artifacts, including original animation cels and concept drawings, were on display at the
Butler Institute of American Art The Butler Institute of American Art, located on Wick Avenue in Youngstown, Ohio, United States, was the first museum dedicated exclusively to American art. Established by local industrialist and philanthropist Joseph G. Butler, Jr., the museum h ...
in Youngstown, Ohio, just off the campus of Youngstown State University, near where the Warners lived early in life. At the 2009 Cartoon Network
upfront ''UpFront'' is a current affairs discussion, debate and analysis programme on Al Jazeera English. The show premiered on 4 September 2015 shortly after Al Jazeera moved into their new Washington D.C. hub. The show has a politics focus although othe ...
, '' The Looney Tunes Show'' was announced. After several delays, the series premiered on May 3, 2011. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, the series centers on Bugs and Daffy as they leave the woods and move to the suburbs with "colorful neighbors" including Sylvester, Tweety, Granny, Yosemite Sam, etc. The series introduced the character
Tina Russo ''The Looney Tunes Show'' is an American animated sitcom produced by Warner Bros. Animation that ran from May 3, 2011, through November 2, 2013, on Cartoon Network. The series consists of two seasons, each containing 26 episodes, and features ch ...
, a duck who becomes Daffy's girlfriend. The show also features 2-minute music videos titled respectfully "Merrie Melodies" (as a tribute to the ''Looney Tunes'' sister shorts) which features the characters singing original songs, as well as CGI animated shorts starring Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner (which were removed after the first season). The series was cancelled after its second season. Also, Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner returned to the big screen in a series of 3-D shorts that preceded select Warner Bros. films. There were six in the works that began with the first short, '' Coyote Falls'', that preceded the film '' Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore'', which was released on July 30, 2010. On September 24, 2010, '' Fur of Flying'' preceded the film, '' Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole'', and on December 17, 2010, '' Rabid Rider'' preceded the film, '' Yogi Bear''. On June 8, 2011, Warner Bros. Animation announced that there will be more ''Looney Tunes'' 3-D theatrical shorts; the first titled '' Daffy's Rhapsody'' with Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd, the next being ''
I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat ''I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat'' is a 2011 American 3D computer-animated ''Looney Tunes'' short film featuring the characters Tweety, Sylvester, and Granny. It is an adaptation of the 1950 song " I Taut I Taw a Puddy Tat" sung by Mel Blanc. It fea ...
'' with Sylvester, Tweety, and Granny. ''Daffy's Rhapsody'' was to precede the film '' Happy Feet Two'', until the studio decided to premiere ''
I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat ''I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat'' is a 2011 American 3D computer-animated ''Looney Tunes'' short film featuring the characters Tweety, Sylvester, and Granny. It is an adaptation of the 1950 song " I Taut I Taw a Puddy Tat" sung by Mel Blanc. It fea ...
'' instead. ''Daffy's Rhapsody'' instead premiered in 2012, preceding '' Journey 2: The Mysterious Island''. All five shorts were directed by Matthew O'Callaghan. In 2012, several announcements were made about a ''Looney Tunes'' reboot film titled ''Acme'', in development. Former ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...
'' cast member Jenny Slate was said to be on board as writer for the new film. Jeffrey Clifford, ''
Harry Potter ''Harry Potter'' is a series of seven fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young wizard, Harry Potter, and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, all of whom are students at ...
'' producer David Heyman, and ''
Dark Shadows ''Dark Shadows'' is an American gothic soap opera that aired weekdays on the ABC television network, from June 27, 1966, to April 2, 1971. The show depicted the lives, loves, trials, and tribulations of the wealthy Collins family of Collinspo ...
'' writers David Katzenberg and Seth Grahame-Smith were slated to produce the film. On August 27, 2014, writers Ashley Miller and
Zack Stentz Zackary Lowell Stentz is an American writer and producer of film and television, journalist, novelist, and teacher, best known for his work on Marvel properties with former writing partner Ashley Edward Miller. Career Stentz graduated from ...
were hired to script the film, directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa were in talks to direct the film, while actor Steve Carell was rumored to be starring in a lead role. Despite this, the film has yet to enter production.


2015–present: Revival

At the 2014 Cartoon Network
upfront ''UpFront'' is a current affairs discussion, debate and analysis programme on Al Jazeera English. The show premiered on 4 September 2015 shortly after Al Jazeera moved into their new Washington D.C. hub. The show has a politics focus although othe ...
, another series titled '' Wabbit: A Looney Tunes Production'' (later ''New Looney Tunes'') was announced. Starring Bugs Bunny, the series premiered on both Cartoon Network and its sister channel Boomerang in late 2015. The series had an unusually slow rollout, with the series being moved to the Boomerang streaming service in 2017, and was eventually cancelled on January 30, 2020. On June 11, 2018, another series, titled '' Looney Tunes Cartoons'', was announced by Warner Bros. Animation. It premiered on May 27, 2020, on the streaming service
HBO Max HBO Max is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in the United States on May 27, 2020, the service is built around the libraries of HBO, Warner Bros., Cartoon Ne ...
. The series features "1,000 minutes of new one-to-six minute cartoons featuring the brand's marquee characters", voiced by their current voice actors in "simple, gag-driven and visually vibrant stories" that are rendered by multiple artists employing "a visual style that will resonate with fans", most noticeably having a style reminiscent of the styles of Tex Avery, Bob Clampett,
Chuck Jones Charles Martin Jones (September 21, 1912 – February 22, 2002) was an American animator, director, and painter, best known for his work with Warner Bros. Cartoons on the '' Looney Tunes'' and '' Merrie Melodies'' series of shorts. He wrote, pro ...
, Friz Freleng and Robert McKimson. According to co-executive producer
Peter Browngardt Peter Browngardt is an American animator, storyboard artist, voice actor, writer and producer currently working as executive producer and creative director behind ''Looney Tunes Cartoons''. He is perhaps best known for being the creator of Carto ...
, "We're not doing guns, but we can do cartoony violence — TNT, the Acme stuff. All that was kind of grandfathered in." Sam Register, president of Warner Bros. Animation also serves as co-executive producers for the series. However guns were implanted in Season 2. On February 11, 2021, it was announced two new series are in the works: '' Bugs Bunny Builders'' and ''Tweety Mysteries.'' ''Bugs Bunny Builders'' began airing on
Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, ...
as part of Cartoonito and
HBO Max HBO Max is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in the United States on May 27, 2020, the service is built around the libraries of HBO, Warner Bros., Cartoon Ne ...
on July 25, 2022; ''Tweety Mysteries'' will also air on
Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, ...
. ''Bugs Bunny Builders'' is aimed towards preschoolers; while ''Tweety Mysteries'' is a live-action/animated hybrid. A sequel to ''Space Jam'' titled '' Space Jam: A New Legacy'', starring basketball player LeBron James, was released on theaters and HBO Max on July 16, 2021, after a
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
special screening on July 12, 2021. It is a film with a story of LeBron James' second son, Dom, gets kidnapped by an evil AI named Al. G Rhythm ( Don Cheadle), into the Warner Bros. server-verse. LeBron then assembles the Tune Squad to play against the algorithm and get his son back. It received generally negative reviews and underperformed at the box office.


Home media

In the 1980s, the shorts received VHS releases, with the pre-August 1948 shorts released by
MGM/UA Home Video MGM/UA may refer to: *Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, American film and television production and distribution company **United Artists, American film and television studio, now a subsidiary of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer * MGM/UA Home Video, the home video arm of Met ...
and the post-July 1948 shorts released by Warner Home Video. In 2003, Warner Home Video began releasing select shorts on DVD, aimed at collectors, in four-disc sets known as the '' Looney Tunes Golden Collection'' starting with
Volume 1 Volume One, Volume 1, Volume I or Vol. 1 may refer to: Albums * ''Volume One'' (The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band album), 1966 * ''Volume One'' (Sleep album) * ''Volume One'' (Fluff album) * ''Volume One'' (She & Him album), 2008 * ''Volum ...
. This continued until 2008, when the final volume of the Golden Collection was released. Then in 2010 until 2013, the company released the '' Looney Tunes Super Stars'' DVDs. There have been numerous complaints regarding the ''Super Stars'' releases however, particularly the first two, having the post-1953 shorts in a 16:9 widescreen format. The last DVD in the ''Super Stars'' series was ''Sylvester and Hippety Hopper: Marsupial Mayhem'', released on April 23, 2013. 2010 and 2011 saw the releases of ''
The Essential Bugs Bunny ''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 ...
'' and '' The Essential Daffy Duck'' DVDs. In 2011, the shorts were released on
Blu-ray Disc The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and capable of sto ...
for the first time with the ''Looney Tunes Platinum Collection'' series. On September 19, 2017, Warner Home Video's
Warner Archive Collection The Warner Archive Collection is a home video division for releasing classic and cult films from Warner Bros.' library. It started as a manufactured-on-demand (MOD) DVD series by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on March 23, 2009, with the inten ...
released the five-disc ''Porky Pig 101'' DVD-set.


Licensing and ownership

In 1933, Harman and Ising left, taking the rights to the Bosko characters with them. However, Warner Bros. retained the rights to the cartoons and the ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' brand names, leaving their former producer Leon Schlesinger to start his own animation studio to continue the ''Looney Tunes'' series. With their retained Bosko rights, Harman and Ising began making cartoons at
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...
in 1934 until they were fired in 1937 due to a lack of success. MGM proceeded to form their own studio to create its own cartoons. Time Warner eventually acquired the Bosko characters from Harman and Ising's estates. Meanwhile, the Schlesinger studio continued to make popular cartoons until 1944 when Schlesinger sold his studio to Warner Bros. Since then, Warner Bros. has owned all rights to all post-1933 characters created by Leon Schlesinger Productions and Warner Bros. Cartoons. The rights to individual cartoons however are in other hands. In 1955, Warner Bros. sold the television distribution rights to 191 of its cartoons (which included the black-and-white ''Looney Tunes'' and the black-and-white ''Merrie Melodies'' made after Harman and Ising left) to Guild Films. The copyrights to those cartoons were assigned to
Sunset Productions Sunset Productions, Inc. was a television production and licensing subsidiary of Warner Bros. Pictures headed by Jack M. Warner. It was an entity separate from Warner Bros. Television. History Sunset was originally established as a subsidiary o ...
, an entity owned by Warner Bros. The cartoons were distributed by Guild Films until it went bankrupt and was bought by Seven Arts. Seven Arts bought WB in 1967, and WB regained the TV distribution rights to the black and white cartoons. In 1956,
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 ...
(a.a.p.) acquired television distribution rights to most of Warner Bros' pre-1950 library, including all ''Merrie Melodies'' (except for those sold to Guild and ''Lady, Play Your Mandolin!'') and color ''Looney Tunes'' shorts that were released prior to August 1948, while Warner still owned the copyright to all of the cartoons. Unlike the previous TV package, this package had the Warner titles kept intact and an "Associated Artists Productions presents" title inserted at the head of each reel (as a result, each ''Merrie Melodies'' cartoon had the song " Merrily We Roll Along" playing twice). Two years later,
United Artists United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the stu ...
bought a.a.p. (which had also bought Paramount's '' Popeye'' films) who merged the company into its television division, United Artists Television. In 1981, UA was sold to MGM, and five years later,
Ted Turner Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III (born November 19, 1938) is an American entrepreneur, television producer, media proprietor, and philanthropist. He founded the Cable News Network (CNN), the first 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he ...
acquired the pre-May 1986 MGM library, as well the rights to the a.a.p. library. In 1996, Turner's company, Turner Broadcasting System (whose Turner Entertainment division oversaw the film library), was purchased by Time Warner (now Warner Bros. Discovery) who also owned Warner Bros. Today,
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc. (formerly known as Warner Home Video and WCI Home Video and sometimes credited as Warner Home Entertainment) is the home video distribution division of Warner Bros. It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Video ...
holds the video rights to the entire ''Looney Tunes''/''Merrie Melodies'' animated output by virtue of Warner Bros.' ownership of Turner Entertainment. Turner's rights to some Looney Tunes cartoons was a motivation for the purchase. Starting in 1960, the cartoons were repackaged into several different TV programs that remained popular for several decades before being purchased by Turner Broadcasting System. Turner's
Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, ...
reran the cartoons from its launch in 1992 until 2004, and again from 2009 until 2017. ''The Looney Tunes Show'' (not to be confused with the 2010s animated series of the same name), an early 2000s anthology produced by Warner Bros. Animation for the network, was broadcast from 2001 to 2004. The show featured shorts from the original ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' theatrical series. As of 2021, classic cartoons continue to air on Cartoon Network's sister channel, Boomerang and MeTV. Differing curated collections of ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' are available for streaming on both the Boomerang streaming service and
HBO Max HBO Max is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in the United States on May 27, 2020, the service is built around the libraries of HBO, Warner Bros., Cartoon Ne ...
. Five dozen ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' shorts from before December 1943 have lapsed into the
public domain The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work to which no exclusive intellectual property rights apply. Those rights may have expired, been forfeited, expressly waived, or may be inapplicable. Because those rights have expired ...
and are thus freely distributed through various unofficial releases.


Filmography


Characters


Racial stereotypes and censorship controversies

Due to content considered offensive,
stereotype In social psychology, a stereotype is a generalized belief about a particular category of people. It is an expectation that people might have about every person of a particular group. The type of expectation can vary; it can be, for exampl ...
d or insensitive, in 1968 Warner Bros. removed the "
Censored Eleven The Censored Eleven is a group of '' Looney Tunes'' and '' Merrie Melodies'' cartoons originally produced and released by Warner Bros. that were withheld from syndication in the United States by United Artists (UA) since 1968. UA owned the di ...
" episodes of ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' cartoons from broadcast or distribution. Depictions included those of
African Americans African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
(as in ''
Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs ''Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs'' is a 1943 ''Merrie Melodies'' animated cartoon directed by Bob Clampett. The short was released on January 16, 1943. The film is an all-black parody of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale ''Snow White'', known to its ...
'' and ''
Jungle Jitters ''Jungle Jitters'' is a 1938 Warner Bros. '' Merrie Melodies'' cartoon directed by Friz Freleng. The short was released on February 19, 1938. Because of the racial stereotypes of black people throughout the short, it prompted United Artists to w ...
''), Native Americans,
Asian Americans Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry (including naturalized Americans who are immigrants from specific regions in Asia and descendants of such immigrants). Although this term had historically been used for all the indigenous peopl ...
, (especially during WWII, as in '' Tokio Jokio'' and '' Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips''),
Germans , native_name_lang = de , region1 = , pop1 = 72,650,269 , region2 = , pop2 = 534,000 , region3 = , pop3 = 157,000 3,322,405 , region4 = , pop4 = ...
,
Italians , flag = , flag_caption = The national flag of Italy , population = , regions = Italy 55,551,000 , region1 = Brazil , pop1 = 25–33 million , ref1 = , region2 ...
, White Southerners, and Mexicans. In 1999,
Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, ...
ceased broadcast of all Speedy Gonzales segments, due to concerns about stereotyping of Mexicans. Many
Hispanics The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
protested that they were not offended, and expressed fondness for the Speedy Gonzales cartoons. These shorts were made available for Cartoon Network broadcast again in 2002. Many Warner Bros. cartoons contain fleeting or sometimes extended gags that make reference to racial or ethnic stereotypes, or use
ethnic humor An ethnic joke is a remark aiming at humor relating to an ethnic, racial or cultural group, often referring to an ethnic stereotype of the group in question for its punchline. Perceptions of ethnic jokes are ambivalent. Christie Davies gives e ...
. The release of the '' Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 3'' includes a disclaimer at the beginning of each DVD in the volume given by Whoopi Goldberg. She explains that the cartoons are products of their time and contain racial and ethnic stereotypes that "were wrong then and they are wrong today", but the cartoons are presented on the DVD uncut and uncensored because "editing them would be the same as denying that the stereotypes existed." A similarly phrased written disclaimer is shown at the beginning of each DVD in the '' Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 4'', '' Volume 5'', and '' Volume 6'' sets, as well as the Daffy Duck and Foghorn Leghorn '' Looney Tunes Super Stars'' sets and the Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Academy Awards Animation Collection.


Accolades


Inducted into the National Film Registry

* '' Porky in Wackyland'' (1938), selected in 2000 * ''
Duck Amuck ''Duck Amuck'' is an American animated surreal comedy short film directed by Chuck Jones and written by Michael Maltese. The short was released on January 17, 1953 as part of the ''Merrie Melodies'' series, and stars Daffy Duck. In the cartoon, ...
'' (1953), selected in 1999 * ''
One Froggy Evening ''One Froggy Evening'' is a 1955 American Technicolor animated musical short film written by Michael Maltese and directed by Chuck Jones, with musical direction by Milt Franklyn. The short, partly inspired by a 1944 Cary Grant film entitled ''Onc ...
'' (1955), selected in 2003 * '' What's Opera, Doc?'' (1957), selected in 1992


Academy Awards for Best Short Subject (Cartoon)

* ''
Tweetie Pie ''Tweetie Pie'' is a 1947 Warner Bros. ''Merrie Melodies'' cartoon directed by Friz Freleng. The short was released on May 3, 1947, and stars Tweety with Sylvester the Cat, who is called "Thomas" in this cartoon. ''Tweetie Pie'' marks the first ...
'' (1947) (MM) * '' For Scent-imental Reasons'' (1949) (LT) * '' Speedy Gonzales'' (1955) (MM) * '' Birds Anonymous'' (1957) (MM) * ''
Knighty Knight Bugs ''Knighty Knight Bugs'' is a 1958 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon directed by Friz Freleng, The short was released on August 23, 1958, and stars Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam. ''Knighty Knight Bugs'' is the only Bugs Bunny cartoon to win an ...
'' (1958) (LT)


Academy Award nominations

* '' Swooner Crooner'' (1944) * '' Walky Talky Hawky'' (1946) * '' Mouse Wreckers'' (1949) * '' From A to Z-Z-Z-Z'' (1954) * ''
Sandy Claws ''Sandy Claws'' is a 1955 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon directed by Friz Freleng. The short was released on April 2, 1955, and stars Tweety, Sylvester the Cat, Sylvester and Granny (Looney Tunes), Granny. The voices are performed by Mel B ...
'' (1955) * ''
Tabasco Road ''Tabasco Road'' is a 1957 Warner Bros. '' Looney Tunes'' cartoon directed by Bob McKimson. The short was released on July 20, 1957, and stars Speedy Gonzales. It was an Academy Award nominee for best short subject but it lost out to ''Birds Anon ...
'' (1957) * ''
Mexicali Shmoes ''Mexicali Shmoes'' is a 1959 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon short directed by Friz Freleng. The short was released on July 4, 1959, and stars Speedy Gonzales and the singing cats Jose and Manuel. Voice actors include Mel Blanc as the voice ...
'' (1959) * '' Mouse and Garden'' (1960) * '' High Note'' (1960) * ''
The Pied Piper of Guadalupe ''The Pied Piper of Guadalupe'' is a 1961 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon directed by Friz Freleng. The short was released on August 19, 1961, and stars Speedy Gonzales and Sylvester. It was nominated at the 34th Academy Awards in the cate ...
'' (1961) * '' Now Hear This'' (1963)


Related media


Television series

Series marked with * are compilations of earlier shorts. * ''
The Bugs Bunny Show ''The Bugs Bunny Show'' is a long-running American animated anthology television series hosted by Bugs Bunny that was mainly composed of theatrical '' Looney Tunes'' and '' Merrie Melodies'' cartoons released by Warner Bros. between 1948 and 1969 ...
'' (1960–2000)* * '' The Porky Pig Show'' (1964–1967)* * ''
The Road Runner Show ''The Road Runner Show'' is an American Saturday morning animated anthology series which compiled theatrical Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner cartoons from the ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'', which were produced by Warner Bros. Carto ...
'' (1966–1973)* * ''
The Merrie Melodies Show ''The Merrie Melodies Show'' was an animated anthology television series released to syndication by Warner Bros. Television in 1972. Each half-hour episode featured three shorts from the ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' library, primari ...
'' (1972)* * ''
Merrie Melodies Starring Bugs Bunny & Friends ''Merrie Melodies Starring Bugs Bunny & Friends'' is an animated anthology television series that aired weekdays in syndication from 1990 to 1992 and on the Fox Kids Network from 1992 to 1994. Originally made to coincide with Bugs Bunny's 50th b ...
'' (1990–1994)* * ''
Tiny Toon Adventures ''Tiny Toon Adventures'' is an American animated comedy television series that was broadcast from September 14, 1990, to December 6, 1992. It was the first collaborative effort of Steven Spielberg's Amblin Television and Warner Bros. Animation a ...
'' (1990–1992) * '' Taz-Mania'' (1991–1995) * '' The Plucky Duck Show'' (1992) * '' Animaniacs'' (1993-1998) * '' The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries'' (1995–2000) * '' Bugs 'n' Daffy'' (1995–1998)* * '' Baby Looney Tunes'' (2001–2006) * '' Duck Dodgers'' (2003–2005) * ''
Loonatics Unleashed ''Loonatics Unleashed'' is an American superhero animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation that ran on Kids' WB for two seasons from 2005 to 2007 in the United States. The series was based/inspired on the '' Looney Tunes' ...
'' (2005–2007) * '' The Looney Tunes Show'' (2011–2013) * '' New Looney Tunes'' (2015–2020) * '' Looney Tunes Cartoons'' (2020–present) * '' Animaniacs (2020 TV series)'' (2020–present) * '' Bugs Bunny Builders'' (2022–present) * ''
Tooned Out HBO Max is an over-the-top subscription service owned and operated by Warner Bros. Discovery and run through Warner Bros. Entertainment. It distributes a number of original shows, including original series, specials, miniseries, and documen ...
'' (TBA) * ''Tiny Toons Looniversity'' (2022) * ''Tweety Mysteries'' (TBA)


Television specials

* ''
Daffy Duck and Porky Pig Meet the Groovie Goolies ''Daffy Duck and Porky Pig Meet the Groovie Goolies'' is a 1972 animated one-hour TV-movie (with a live-action segment near the end) that was aired on December 16 as an episode of the anthology series '' The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie''. In this ...
'' (1972) * '' Bugs and Daffy's Carnival of the Animals'' (1976) * '' Bugs Bunny's Easter Special'' (1977)* * '' Bugs Bunny's Howl-oween Special'' (1977)* * '' Bugs Bunny's Thanksgiving Diet'' (1979)* * ''
Bugs Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales ''Bugs Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales'' is a 1979 animated Christmas television special featuring Bugs Bunny and other Looney Tunes characters in three newly created cartoon shorts with seasonal themes. It premiered on CBS on November 27, 1979. ...
'' (1979) * ''
Bugs Bunny's Bustin' Out All Over ''Bugs Bunny's Bustin' Out All Over'' is a springtime-themed ''Looney Tunes'' television special which aired on CBS on May 21, 1980. The special includes three new cartoons directed by Chuck Jones and Phil Monroe. Featured cartoons The cartoon ...
'' (1980) * '' The Bugs Bunny Mystery Special'' (1980)* * '' Bugs vs. Daffy: Battle of the Music Video Stars'' (1988)* * '' Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue'' (1990) * ''
Bugs Bunny's Overtures to Disaster ''Bugs Bunny's Overtures to Disaster'' is a 1991 Looney Tunes television special directed by Greg Ford and Terry Lennon. In new animation, Jeff Bergman voiced Bugs, Daffy, Porky, Elmer and Sylvester. Shorts used *"Baton Bunny" (the first event; r ...
'' (1991)*


Films


Compilation films

* ''
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 ...
'' (1979) * '' The Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie'' (1981) * '' Bugs Bunny's 3rd Movie: 1001 Rabbit Tales'' (1982) * ''
Daffy Duck's Fantastic Island ''Daffy Duck's Fantastic Island'' (also known as ''Daffy Duck's Movie: Fantastic Island'') is a 1983 ''Looney Tunes'' traditionally animated compilation film directed by Friz Freleng and Phil Monroe with a compilation of classic Warner Bros. ca ...
'' (1983) * '' Daffy Duck's Quackbusters'' (1988)


Feature films

* '' Two Guys from Texas'' (1948) (cameo of Bugs Bunny only) * ''
My Dream Is Yours ''My Dream Is Yours'' is a 1949 Technicolor musical romantic comedy film starring Jack Carson, Doris Day, and Lee Bowman. Plot The film opens in Los Angeles, where Doug Blake is dumped as a manager by Gary Mitchell. He goes to New York City to f ...
'' (1949) (cameos of Bugs Bunny and Tweety only) * '' Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' (1988) (cameos only) * '' Space Jam'' (1996) * '' Looney Tunes: Back in Action'' (2003) * '' Space Jam: A New Legacy'' (2021) * '' Coyote vs. Acme'' (TBA)


Direct-to-video

* '' Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation'' (1992) * '' Tweety's High-Flying Adventure'' (2000) * '' Baby Looney Tunes' Eggs-traordinary Adventure'' (2003) * '' Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas'' (2006) * '' Looney Tunes: Rabbits Run'' (2015) * ''
Teen Titans Go! See Space Jam ''Teen Titans Go!'' is an American animated television series developed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic for Cartoon Network. It premiered on April 23, 2013 and is based on the DC Comics fictional superhero team. The series was announced ...
'' (2021) (the Nerdlucks and archive footage only) * '' King Tweety'' (2022)


Comic books


Dell Publishing (1941–1962)

* ''Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies Comics'' #1–165 ( Dell Publishing, 1941–1955) * ''Bugs Bunny'' #1–85 (Dell Publishing, 1942–1962) * ''Porky Pig'' #1–81 (Dell Publishing, 1942–1962) * ''Tweety and Sylvester'' #1–37 (Dell Publishing, 1952–1962) * ''Daffy Duck'' #1–30 (Dell Publishing, 1953–1962) * ''Looney Tunes'' #166–246 (Dell Publishing, 1955–1962) * ''Beep Beep The Road Runner'' #1–14 (Dell Publishing, 1958–1962)


Gold Key Comics/Whitman (1962–1984)

* ''Bugs Bunny'' #86–245 ( Gold Key Comics/Whitman, 1962–1984) * ''Daffy Duck'' #31–145 (Gold Key Comics/Whitman, 1962–1984) * ''Tweety and Sylvester'' #1–120 (Gold Key Comics/Whitman, 1963–1984) * ''Porky Pig'' #1–109 (Gold Key Comics/Whitman, 1965–1984) * ''Yosemite Sam and Bugs Bunny'' #1–80 (Gold Key Comics/Whitman, 1970–1983) * ''Beep Beep The Road Runner'' #1–105 (Gold Key Comics/Whitman, 1971–1984) * ''Looney Tunes'' #1–47 (Gold Key Comics/Whitman, 1975–1984)


DC Comics (1990–present)

* ''Bugs Bunny'' #1–3 (
DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. ( doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with the ...
, 1990); #1–3 (DC Comics, 1993) * ''Looney Tunes'' #1–present (DC Comics, 1994–present) Plus various one-shots, specials and appearances in anthology comics like ''
March of Comics ''March of Comics'' was a comic book series published by Western Publishing. 488 issues were published from 1946 to 1982. Comic book writer Mark Evanier has described it as "...one of the most widely-circulated comic books in the history of mankind ...
'', Top Comics and Dell Giant from various Western Publishing imprints. The numbering of the Dell issues generally includes 3-4 appearances in Dell's
Four Color ''Four Color'', also known as ''Four Color Comics'' and ''Dell Four Color'', was an American comic book anthology series published by Dell Comics between 1939 and 1962. The title is a reference to the four basic colors used when printing comic ...
comics.


Video games

Video games based on ''Looney Tunes'' characters began in 1979 with the ''Road Runner'' pinball machine. More titles would continue to be released as video game hardware evolved throughout the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s. Prominent characters who have received multiple video games include Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, the Tasmanian Devil, Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, Speedy Gonzales, and Sylvester and Tweety.


See also

* '' Merrie Melodies'', another series of animated cartoons also produced by Warner Bros. between 1931 and 1969 * '' Silly Symphony'', a series of animated shorts produced by Walt Disney Productions between 1929 and 1939 * '' Happy Harmonies'', a series of animated shorts distributed by MGM between 1934 and 1938 *
Warner Bros. Cartoons 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 ...
** List of Warner Bros. cartoons with Blue Ribbon reissues


References


External links


Looney Tunes Official website


* {{Authority control Animated film series Censored films DC Comics titles Film series introduced in 1930 Looney Tunes Mass media franchises introduced in 1930 Short film series Slapstick films Surreal comedy films Television censorship Warner Bros. Cartoons Warner Bros. franchises Radio Philippines Network original programming