Mel Blanc, Voice of Bugs Bunny, Is Ailing
Mel Blanc, the voice behind Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, the Road Runner’s “Beep!” and Woody Woodpecker’s laugh, was in serious condition Monday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, a spokesman said.
Blanc, 81, was suffering from several medical conditions, including a heart problem, said hospital spokesman Ron Wise. His condition has remained unchanged for a week. He entered the hospital May 19.
Blanc has been one of the best-known voices in movies, radio and television--although that voice has a thousand names and a thousand accents and tones.
Since 1937 he has been the voice of such cartoon characters as Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Sylvester and Tweety-Pie, Woody Woodpecker, Daffy Duck, Yosemite Sam and many other characters.
He was a regular on “The Jack Benny Show,” portraying Benny’s violin teacher, Prof. LeBlanc, and the train dispatcher who announced “Ana-heim, A-zusa and KOOK-amunga!”
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