What would you give to sit down with legendary Warner Bros. animator Chuck Jones and listen for hours as he discussed his esteemed career? While that is sadly no longer a possibility, the next best thing is on the way. In April, University Press of Mississippi will publish Chuck Jones: Conversations, a rich anthology of interviews with the man who breathed life into such iconic characters as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote and Pepé le Pew.
The book illustrates the development of Jones’ career from his humble beginnings through the close of the Warner Bros. animation unit in the early ’60s and the rediscovery of his work and Hollywood studio animation in general in the ’80s and ’90s. Jones candidly discusses his aesthetic sensibilities, providing tips for aspiring animators and relating tales from the heyday of Warner Bros. animation.
Edited by Maureen Furniss, the volume features 12 interviews including one with The Washington Post’s Tom Shales and a couple by Animation Magazine contributors Charles Solomon and Ron Barbagallo. Since a proof of the book just arrived, we don’t have a detailed review for you yet. All we can say at this point is that if you’re an animator or simply a fan of the art form and cartoons from the golden age, you’ll definitely want to pick this up.
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