WB Sound Effect

[Rob]

Can anybody say how that famous "Heb-bed-ee-aye-heb-bed-ee-aye" sound effect was created? It's one of WB's most loved sound effects.

As far as I can tell, it's earliest use was in Freleng's MR. AND MRS. IS THE NAME from 1935 (at least, the earliest cartoon that I've seen and can verify that uses it).

I had the chance to interview Mel Blanc back in the mid '80s, and I asked him how the sound was made. He said he wasn't sure, but he thought it was "mechanical."

Anybody know for sure?

[Mibbitmaker]

There should be a definitive spelling for that! I don't know how it's made myself. I've heard it as early as in a Bosko cartoon or 2, used in those days mainly for someone razzing someone, toungue out. Alot of WB sound effects seem like Treg Brown inventions for the zany '40s cartoons, but actually started back in the "rubber hose" days(up to early Porky).

[PorkyandDaffy]

Can you give some examples of cartoons that sound is used in?

[Rob]

Two that immediately come to mind are in LITTLE RED RIDING RABBIT, you hear the sound every time Bugs starts running from the wolf.

And in BABY BUGGY BUNNY, after Finster beats Bugs in the dark with a bat, the sound is heard when Bugs shakes his head.

Of course, there are dozens of others too.

[BobChief]

...referred to on someone's site (EarthStation1.com comes to mind, but I'm not sure) as "Yada-Yada-Yada" (no, I never cared for Seinfeld), which might more accurately describe its actual sound.

Mibbitmaker is right, its first uses were in the Bosko LT's, principally the theme music "There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight." (Here's the URL for a recording of that, from the "Early Years" Titles & Themes page: http://www.toonzone.net/early-years/titles/looney1.ram)

One of our older wallpapers on this board included the scene where Bugs fiddles with Beaky's adam's-apple in Bugs Bunny Gets the Boid (Clampett), another use of it....

I'll go look around (IF my persnickety ISP lets me :( ) for that "yada" sound, and either post a URL or if I find a copy here on our PC, get Jon/Brian to help me upload it here or somewhere...

[Rob]

...referred to on someone's site (EarthStation1.com comes to mind, but I'm not sure) as "Yada-Yada-Yada" (no, I never cared for Seinfeld), which might more accurately describe its actual sound.

It is rather difficult to try to phonetically spell it out! But you know the sound that I mean. Someone once said it was some kind of wooden noisemaker, but the sound seems to have an almost human component to it.

Bill Melendez later used the sound on one (maybe more) of the Peanuts specials, when Charlie Brown flies through the air after Lucy pulls the football away.

[BobChief]

...but they're too short (less than 1 sec). I did have one on our machine, about 31K (2.8 sec) it said. So what I said earlier about one of the bosses helping me upload it, is now officially 'on the table'...:)

[Rob]

The "Early Years" url worked fine for me.

And BTW, thanks for the link!