The Tasmanian Devil, Taz, beloved Looney Tunes character, made his first appearance in the short Devil May Hare, June 19, 1954. He appeared in only four more shorts before Warner Brothers Cartoons was shut down in 1964.
However, Taz had his own television series Taz-Mania in 1991, which ran for four seasons. He was to appear in Who framed Roger Rabbit? but for some reason, he wasn't in the movie.
Bill Melendez, born November 15, 1918 in Sonora, Mexico, was a character animator, director, and producer. He worked for Walt Disney Productions, Warner Brothers, and UPA before working on the Peanuts animated series.
Although being born in Mexico, Melendez attended school in Douglas, Arizona and Chouinard Art Institute (now California Institute of the Arts). He started at Disney in 1938 where he worked on some of the classic movies: Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo, and Bambi.
In 1941, he went to Leon Schlesinger Productions (now Warner Bros Cartoons) where he worked on Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies. He was hired to do animated TV commercials in 1959, featuring characters from the comic strip Peanuts.
Charles Schulz trusted Melendez to turn the Peanuts into televisions specials. He worked on every single TV special for the Peanuts and directed most of them. He also provided the voices for Snoopy and Woodstock. The last special he worked on was He's a Bully, Charlie Brown in 2006.
He passed away in 2008 at the age of 91.
He won 7 Primetime Emmys: Outstanding Children's Program in 1966 for A Charlie Brown Christmas; Outstanding Children's Special in 1975 for Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus; Outstanding Children's Special in 1976 for You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown; Outstanding Individual Achievement - Animation Program in 1979 for The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe; Outstanding Animated Program in 1981 for Life is a Circus, Charlie Brown; Outstanding Animated Program in 1984 for Garfield on the Town; Outstanding Animated Program in 1987 for Cathy. He was nominated for 19 more Primetime Emmys. He was nominated for an Oscar and five Grammy Awards.
Foghorn Leghorn, Bugs Bunny's overweight, blowhard chicken friend, made his television debut August 31, 1946 in the Looney Tunes cartoon short Walky Talky Hawky from Warner Brothers Animation. He was created by Warren Foster and Robert McKimson, who directed all 29 Foghorn Leghorn cartoons from 1946 to 1946.
He had a cameo appearance in Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
Marvin the Martian, every Earthling's favorite alien, first appeared with Bugs Bunny in Haredevil Hare, July 24, 1948! Marvin hails from the Red Planet, sporting a Roman outfit with basketball sneakers.
His (miniature) image is on the Spirit rover on Mars, just in case Martians find it so they'll know we're friendly.
