Exploiting Jessica

Jessica Rabbit, the Toon temptress from Disney’s “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” is about to re-emerge in a big way. Complete with Kathleen Turner’s voice, she’ll make a cameo appearance as a comforting nurse in hubby Roger Rabbit’s June 23-debuting, big-screen cartoon short, “Tummy Trouble” (look for trailers for the seven-minute cartoon this weekend). Soon after, Jessica--in nurse’s garb--will appear on store shelves as a figurine and a key chain, with more merchandising deals in the offing.

Dan Coulter, Disney director of film licensing, admitted that the company was “cautious” in its initial exploitations of the voluptuous Jessica (“she is a little racy”), but added, “We’re doing more with her now.”

Jessica has been especially sought after by manufacturers who aim products at men, but Disney has turned some down--including Budweiser.

“I think this line is going to create a whole little sensation in the marketplace,” Coulter said. “It’s going to be an ongoing program, with products being created in support of each of the character’s new roles as they come out (in future films).”

Meanwhile, Roger Rabbit is widely considered the surprise toy flop of last year. Disney marketing veep Paul Pressler admits that the hapless bunny “did not perform as well as we had hoped” in the toy field but said R.R. fared better as a gift item.