That’s All, Folks . . .

When Warner Bros. bought double-truck ads (two facing pages) in both Daily Variety and the Hollywood Reporter July 13, it was merely to pay tribute to the late Mel Blanc, “the man of a thousand voices,” who died July 10. But due to a “tremendous response,” said Kathleen Helppie, Warners animation veep, the studio ran an extra hundred copies and is now printing more for Warners execs and others “who were so touched” by the tribute.

The color illustration pictured such famous WB cartoon characters as Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig and Daffy Duck--whose voices Blanc created--bowing their heads before a microphone standing alone in a spotlight. Helppie called it an “animation department effort,” executed by artists Darrell Van Citters and Chris Buck.

Daily Variety got calls requesting unstapled copies for framing. The Reporter received similar inquiries and “pretty much sold out” of the issue, said Lynne Segall, director of marketing and sales.

“I’ve worked here 10 years, and it was certainly one of the more tasteful memorial ads that ever ran,” she added. “It definitely had an impact.”