Filling in the Blanc
It is hard to imagine that someone else could take Mel Blanc's crown as the voice-over king. Blanc was born on 30th May 1908 and after a successful career on radio he first voiced Porky Pig in 1937. He kept doing voices for cartoons till his death on July 1989.
It would be crazy to try to list all his achievements as a voice actor so here's a partial list of characters we can attribute his voice to; Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny, Tweety Bird, Yosimite Sam, Pepe Le Pew, Sylvester the Cat, Foghorn Leghorn, Henery Hawk, Marvin the Martian, Elmer Fudd, Wile E Coyote, Speedy Gonzales, Tasmanian Devil, Barney Rubble, Dino, Mr. Spacely, Secret Squirrel, Speed Buggy, Deputy Droop-a-Long Coyote, Captain Caveman and Twiki (from Buck Rogers).
And if you know some of these voices (and you should) it is amazing to think that the voice of Tweety is the voice of Foghorn Leghorn and the voice of Speedy Gonzales is the voice of Barney Rubble
It is the hundredth anniversary of the man who was both Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, including when they appeared in Who Framed Roger Rabbit in '89. It is fitting to remember one of the most important figures ever in the history of cartoons.
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Birds Of Britain
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Wild Things Set Free
Where the Wild Things Are was first published in 1963 and from there has become perhaps the most beloved children's picture book. Certainly, it remains a fond favourite for children who've become adults and reread those ten special sentences to their own children.
But, it's not just those ten sentences that make this book so extraordinary, it is the images that famed designer / illustrator Maurice Sendak has put with them. They may seem simple, well-drafted children book images but they go beyond that. Those simple lines evoke a rich world and dynamic actions, actions parents and children enact as they share the story together.
Being a wild thing. Grrarr!
If you are like me, you are waiting for the Spike Jonze directed, David Eggers written adaptation. But while you are waiting you can check out Terrible Yellow Eyes. It is a site for displaying the works of artists and designers paying tribute to Sendak's original work. Gory Godbey is the administrator of the site and he's doing an excellent job as his tribute is shared by many a talented artist.
Do visit Terrible Yellow Eyes not just if you are a fan of Sendak but if you appreciate modern pop art, cartoon art and the kind of stuff Juxtapoz and Hi-Fructose like to display.
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