Operation: Rabbit

When...

Okay, so the first time this happens is in the, the short Operation Rabbit from 1952.

And-

So much history we're getting.

Wile E. Coyote spoke with a highly refined British accent, famously introducing himself as a super genius and what his intentions are.

This historic debut came in a short title, Operation Rabbit in 1952.

Now, I wasn't born back then, but when I watched it many years later, when I was a preteen, I was disappointed that the coyote had a voice.

Because all along, I was used to him being silent.

To put it in today's perspective, it's like when all along you don't hear the voice of Boba Fett or see his face in the early Star Wars movies, and when he does speak and show his face in the book of Boba Fett, it's so very disappointing.

That's the same feeling I had when Wile E. Coyote spoke back then.

But upon re-watching Operation Rabbit for this episode of Movie Magic, I began to appreciate the voice of Wile E. Coyote because back then, I didn't know anything about voiceover work, but being a voiceover artist myself now, today, I can really marvel at the genius voice talent of Mel Blanc.

Now we know a little bit about Wiley Coyote, and I'm going to call him Wiley from now on, just like in the latest movie.

The voice you just heard is, in fact, the speaking voice of Mr. Wile E. Coyote.

That's Operation Rabbit, a Looney Tunes short from 1952 written by Michael Maltese and directed by Chuck Jones.

Remember those surnames for later.

And starring the inimitable Mel Blanc, although, to be fair, he is, in fact, mostly imitable [laughs] and we'll get there, too.