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The Strange Day When Bugs Bunny Saved the Life of Mel Blanc
Open Culture ^ | May 6th, 2013 | Kate Rix

Posted on 08/19/2020 12:31:01 PM PDT by SunkenCiv

Radio Lab, broadcast over WNYC, recently aired a piece about Blanc ...featuring an interview with his son Noel Blanc, who is also a voice actor. Noel Blanc tells the story of a terrible car accident that badly injured his father in 1961 as he was driving home along Sunset Boulevard from a job in San Francisco. Mel Blanc, driving an Aston Martin, collided with another car on Dead Man's Curve. Blanc was almost killed and slipped into a coma. Blanc's son and wife spent two weeks at his bedside trying to revive him, but got no response.

One day, about 14 days after the accident, one of Blanc's neurologists walked into the room and tried something completely new. He went to Mel's bed and asked, "Bugs Bunny, how are you doing today?"

There was a pause while people in the room just shook their heads. Then, in a weak voice, came the response anyone would recognize.

"Myeeeeh. What's up doc?"

The doctor then asked Tweety if he was there too.

"I tot I taw a puddy tat," was the reply.

It took seven more months in a body cast for Blanc to recover. He even voiced Barney Rubble in the first episodes of The Flintstones while lying in bed with a microphone dangling from above...

Radio Lab features another neurologist's opinion: Blanc was such a hard-working professional that his characters lived, protected from the brain injury, deep in his unconscious mind. The doctor's question must have sounded like a director's cue.

Essentially, "Mr. Blanc, you're on."

(Excerpt) Read more at openculture.com ...


TOPICS: Arts/Photography; Music/Entertainment; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: astonmartin; barneyrubble; bugsbunny; deadmanscurve; melblanc; tweetybird
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To: SunkenCiv

Mel Blanc was amazing.

I saw him on Johnny Carson one night in the 70’s when he told a story of how Bugs Bunny got him out of a speeding ticket.

He got pulled over, handed the cop his license, and the cop said “THE Mel Blanc?” Mel said yes and gave him a little Bugs Bunny...

The cop handed him his license and told him to slow it down, and said he couldn’t give him a ticket...”My son would never forgive me if I wrote Bugs Bunny a ticket.”


41 posted on 08/19/2020 3:12:48 PM PDT by Paleo Pete (I smile because you are family. I laugh because you can do nothing about it...)
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To: SunkenCiv

I remember Mel on that show many times!


42 posted on 08/19/2020 3:17:36 PM PDT by Ruy Dias de Bivar
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To: Jim W N

There was the early Bugs Bunny character and a later Bugs Bunny character most of us know.


43 posted on 08/19/2020 3:21:12 PM PDT by Ruy Dias de Bivar
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To: Ruy Dias de Bivar

The early Loony Tunes characters were riot.

Almost as goofy as the Delusional Lying Leftist Loony Tune characters and candidates of today.


44 posted on 08/19/2020 3:27:51 PM PDT by Jim W N (MAGA by restoring the Gospel of the Grace of Christ and our Free Constitutional Republic!)
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To: ifinnegan

When I go to the Bay Area, I usually leave in the early morning and take the Foothill Freeway to where it meets the 5. For years, I would have breakfast at Mike’s Cafe in Castaic, but they’ve remodeled it, and that includes the menu, and it’s not as good as it used to be. So I’ll eat at Casa Lupita’s in Castaic or go on to the truck stop at Grapevine or Buttonwillow.


45 posted on 08/19/2020 3:28:27 PM PDT by Fiji Hill
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To: Fiji Hill

Yeah. I take the 210 also.

I usually bring a sandwich, coffee. My car will make it without having to get gas.

Not stopping shortens the time a lot.

Other times I may take 33 or 43 to enjoy the ride, and avoid traffic. On holidays this can even save time.


46 posted on 08/19/2020 4:21:36 PM PDT by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: ifinnegan
Maybe he’s trying to say he’d driven down from SF and was almost home after the long drive.

Maybe the hundred or so other folks reading this thread have no clue about the route nor really care.............I know I don't.

Does the route really matter? That's not what the story was about........Sheesh

47 posted on 08/19/2020 4:26:10 PM PDT by Hot Tabasco
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To: Hot Tabasco

Thank you.


48 posted on 08/19/2020 4:42:01 PM PDT by Mr. Lucky
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