How would you describe the characters...

[Jack]

If someone who had never seen an animated cartoon before asked you to describe the various WB characters, how would you describe them? This person has no knowledge or exposure to the characters in any form.

I'm just curious to see how everyone here views the characters, I'd assume since everyone here has probably seen more WB cartoons than most average people, that they have formed more of an opinion of what the individual characters are all about.


Jack :confused:

[Matt Yorston]

Bugs Bunny - A cartoon "every hero". Bugs is a character you love simply because he (almost) always triumphs... and always deserves to triumph. As people have explained, Bugs never intentionally sets out to harm people, he's just getting revenge against people who are out to get him. Why wouldn't love to do that... to be able to retaliate against those who wrong you? That's why a lot of people love Bugs.

Daffy Duck - Daffy is a "gear shift" character... somewhat versatile depending upon the era of his cartoons. In his first appearances, he is a looney screwball who gets his yucks by overwhelming people with his zaniess. He was toned down considerably during the 1940's where he became sort of a human everyman... one who always hopes to succeed but never does. In the 1950's, this personality was expanded and he became more greedy and selfish. His philosophy during this period is, "I may be mean but at least I'm alive". And in the 1960's, he was typecast opposite Speedy Gonzales and became more nasty and bitter than ever before. Overall, Daffy is a looney, greedy "every duck" who is simply trying to get ahead.

Porky Pig - A meek, comic everyman who Chuck Jones describes as "a bemused spectator of the human scene". That sums up Porky's personality. Whether responding to the antics of Daffy Duck or Charlie Dog, Porky's personality best serves as a straight man... who remains serious against the hilarious antics of his co-stars. He does this brilliantly against Daffy in films like "Thumb Fun", "Robin Hood Daffy", and "Daffy Doodles". Was there ever a better animated straight man than Porky? Probably not.

Road Runner & Wile E. Coyote - Here's how this series works. The coyote (usually named Wile E. Coyote, particularly in his films with Bugs Bunny) is at first trying to capture the Road Runner in order to devour him (i.e. he is hungry) and thus sets up a series of traps to capture him. These "traps" are never successful. After each trick backfires, the coyote becomes all the more determined to catch the bird not because he's still hungry but simply to make up for what failed in his last attempt. The coyote is a perfectly sympathetic character. He's not really a bad guy, just somebody trying to succeed and obtain road runner meat. Who can't identify with that in at least some way... always try to attain the unattainable?

Foghorn Leghorn - Boisterous cartoon rooster who annoys everybody, usually his foes, with his loud-mouthed over-stated antics. His favorite pastime is annoying Barnyard Dawg who is trounced at first but always gets even with the conniving rooster, usually with help from someone else. Foghorn is pure Southerner with his fondness of the tune "Camptown Races" and decidedly "Southern" dialect ("Well, barbecue my ham hocks!"). He is best seen pitted against a variety of co-stars, among them Dawg, Henery Hawk, Egghead Jr, and Weasel.

That's it for now. I'll try to think of some more later.

[Brandon Pierce]

GABBY GOAT- I'll just say, he's a character I cold always relate to. I wish they made more cartoons with him.

EGGHEAD- Bald-headed dork who dresses like a British simpleton who kinda drifts down the streets minding his own business, yet still draws attention. In 1939, Egghead was in desperate need of contact lenses, and a facelift. To basically sum it all up, Egghead is really Daffy Duck under a human mask.

[Matthew Hunter]

Bugs Bunny: A wiseguy rabbit who serves as a cartoon hero. Bugs Bunny is a peaceful character until provoked, and when bothered by a character or situation, he comes up with elaborate and funny ways to retaliate. Bugs, in his early films, is more pugnacious, but in later films, he settles down and lets his surroundings provide the humor. Bugs will either actively combat his oppressors, or let them just wear themselves out.

Daffy Duck: Daffy Duck is a crazy, maladjusted black duck who can be cast in a variety of situations. Daffy has been seen as both the hunter and the hunted, the hero and the villain. In early films, Daffy is generally seen as the hero, and is more crazy...he is often seen yipping "woohoo!woohoo!" and bouncing all over the place. In later films, especially those of Chuck Jones, Daffy is an egotistical self-preservationist, whose tendencies toward greed and spotlight-hogging far outweigh his screwiness. Daffy is a perfect foil for Bugs Bunny, audiences like Bugs because he is flawless, but they like Daffy because he is so flawed, and shares a number of human traits.

Sylvester: A comic every-cat who has been used in almost every situation and setting imagineable. His list of costars include Twweety, Speedy Gonzales, Hippety Hopper, Porky Pig, Foghorn Leghorn, Daffy Duck, to name a few. Sylvester has assumed the roles of both hero and villain, and is seen as both homeless and as a pet. Sylvester's main series has him chasing after Tweety, a canary, and always losing despite his clever plots, but is also seen humiliated in front of his own son, mistaking a boxing Kangaroo, Hippety Hopper, for a giant mouse. In another major series, Sylvester chases Speedy Gonzales, the fastest mouse in all Mexico. Unlike in other series, however, Sylvester rarely goes after Speedy for food, but rather he tries to prevent Speedy from doing something.

Pepe Le Pew: One of the few cartoon characters who chases someone out of love instead of revenge, hate, hunger, etc. Pepe Le Pew, a French skunk lover, actively pursues women and is always rejected because of his smell. However, Pepe is completely oblivious to his scent, and does not understand why women run away. His philosophy is that he should just keep trying. Usually, the 'woman' in question is Penelope, a black cat who inadvertantly gets a stripe painted down her back, and gets mistaken by Pepe for a female skunk. Penelope usually does not mind Pepe's amourous advances until she smells him, then she wilts and runs away in terror.

Foghorn Leghorn: This is a series with a lot going on. Foghorn Leghorn is a big, loud-mouthed southern rooster, whose favorite pastime is torturing his nemesis, Barnyard Dawg. Foghorn favors practical jokes and funny one-liners. Often, he is chased by Henery Hawk, a young Chickenhawk about 1/3 Foghorn's size. Foghorn scoffs at him because of his size and plays tricks on him, giving him the runaround and often siccing him on other characters in the baryard (Dawg, Sylvester, a horse, etc.). Usualy, these other characters get wise, and help Henery win the upper hand and catch Foggy after all. Foghorn is often pitted against a lonely widow hen, Miss Prissy, and her nerdy son, Eggbert.

Speedy Gonzales: Speedy is the "fastest mouse in all Mexico",so titled because of his super speed. Speedy is a selfless hero, usually summoned by his Mexican mouse friends to help thwart an opressor or solve a problem. Usually, his foil is Sylvester the cat, (Sylvester is usually blocking the path of the mice, in such areas as a cheese factory, a laboratory, a refrigerator, etc.) Speedy uses his speed to get past Sylvester or the other enemy and help his amigos. Speedy also has a cousin, Slow Poke Rodriguez, the slowest mouse in all Mexico, and in later films he is pitted against a very mean Daffy Duck.

Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote: The Road Runner is an extremely fast bird, Wile E. Coyote chases him for food. However, Wile E. becomes so obessed with trying to catch the Road Runner that he begins creating elaborate schemes and traps, usually involving the products of the Acme company, all of which backfire and in some way harm the Coyote. Usually there are 10 or 11 such gags in each cartoon, Wile E. always loses, and the Road Runner rarely does anything to the Coyote directly, Wile E's misfortunes are always self-inflicted. Wile E. occasionally goes after Bugs Bunny, he talks in these films and views himself as a "super genius", but average-guy Bugs Bunny always gains the upper hand and makes a fool out of him.

Porky Pig: a comic everyman. Porky has little personality, except for a distinctive stutter, and a timid, mild-mannered disposition. Usually, Porky plays straight man to the characters and situations around him, always getting involved in situations that frustrate or confuse him. Porky was created by Friz Freleng, developed by Jack King and Tex Avery, defined by Bob Clampett, and made the character he is today by Chuck Jones. In a majority of his films Porky is seen opposite Daffy Duck, whose crazy antics are offset by Porky's calm collectedness.

-Matthew

[Eraserhead]

Yosemite Sam-Rough,little,loud,and bossy. Sam is someone who is always on a mission to attain great wealth and respect. Whether it be a cowboy,pirate,viking,or a politician, Sam never ceases to stop until his enemies admit defeat. But its here where Yosemite Sam falls up short. For it is he who can't seem to be successful in these battles. Bugs Bunny (perhaps his most heated rival) always finds a way to outwit and outduel this fiesty combatant. Sam, true to his word by never giving up without a fight, is always willing to give it his all till the very end..Which is something that the moustached troublemaker is accustomed to.

[Matt Yorston]

Here's some more from me...

Sylvester - Possibly the most versatile of the entire Warners stable. He has been cast opposite Tweety, Hippety Hopper, Sylvester Junior (his son), Speedy Gonzales, and has appeared solo many times as well. He speaks with a permanent lisp and is often cast as the "loveable" loser type who, like Wile E. Coyote, you can't help but sympathize with.

Speedy Gonzales - The fastest mouse in all Mexico. Many people see Speedy as a negative Mexican stereotype but his personality is quite positive. He actually uses his vast speed to come to the rescue of those less fortunate than him always willing to supply them with what they lack and so badly need. An admirable mouse, indeed. He is best seen trouncing Sylvester but has appeared in many films with a much nastier Daffy Duck, deftly helping his mouse comrades just the same.