A Finely Tooned Tribute to Chuck Jones

“For the Creation of Classic Cartoons which have brought

Worldwide Joy for more than

Half a Century.”

--Inscription on Chuck Jones’ Academy Award

Orange County had its own post-Oscar party on Sunday when Ted and Janice Smith of Laguna Beach opened their waterfront home to the Fellows’ support group of the Bowers Museum of Cultural Art in Santa Ana.

Honored guest: legendary animator Chuck Jones of Corona del Mar, who received an Oscar for Lifetime Achievement in Animation at last week’s Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles.

Jones, 83, part of the Warner Bros. team that gave birth to Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, the Road Runner and dozens of other familiar characters, attended the two-hour reception with his wife, Marian, a photographer.

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Up Close and Personal

Seconds after the Joneses arrived, Oscar--who was transported by the couple in a canvas book bag--was placed on the living room coffee table, next to a vase of pink carnations and blue irises.

“I can’t wait to touch it,” gushed Pat Wood, president of the Bowers’ Advisory Council. “I never dreamed I’d get to see an Oscar up close and personal.”

Wood’s husband, Rick, wore a silk tie splashed with images of the Tasmanian Devil, also a Jones creation.

“I’ve loved the Tasmanian Devil since I was little,” said Rick Wood. “He struck me funny, the way he chased Bugs Bunny and whirled around.”

Sharon Lesk wasted no time cradling the Oscar in her arms. “He’s very heavy. He doesn’t look that heavy on television,” Lesk said, laughing.

Chuck Jones sipped a glass of Rabbit Ridge Chardonnay--”I bought it specially for tonight,” said Ted Smith--as he received congratulatory handshakes

from guests, who included his good friends, museum director Peter Keller and Pat House, director of development.

“This Oscar feels particularly good,” said Jones, “because it was voted on by my peers.”

Said Marian Jones: “I am immensely proud of him, though I already knew so many wonderful things about him. For me, it was just a confirmation.”

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More Character Favorites

Hostess Janice Smith called the Road Runner her favorite cartoon character. During the ‘50s, while she was in college, “we had roadrunner contests,” she said, “to see who could do his beep-beep the best.”

Betty Moss loves all of Jones’

characters. “Who does not enjoy one cartoon or character Jones has put together?” she asked. “I’ve always thought that Daffy Duck was Chuck Jones because of his silk bow-tie. Chuck always wears one.”

(On Sunday he wore a silk tie purchased in the woman’s department of Brooks Bros., noted Marian Jones. “He loves to tie his own tie.”)

Chuck Jones is a lovable character himself, said Elizabeth Stahr. “He is always pleasant and has a wonderful sense of humor,” she said. “And he doesn’t quit life--doesn’t sit back and say he’s too old to do something. That’s really admirable. Too many people retire, and then they really retire. He never has.”