Chuck Jones: Conversations

Conversations with Artists

by Maureen Furniss

Chuck Conversations brings to life the legendary Warner Bros. artist who helped shape the history of American animation, defining our impressions of such characters as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote, and Pepé le Pew. These interviews span more than thirty years, beginning with a 1968 conversation in which Jones (1912–2002) shares the spotlight with science fiction giant Ray Bradbury.

Throughout, the interviews illustrate the development of Jones's career, including shifts that came after the Warner Bros. animation unit closed in the early 1960s-from the uncertain years of American animation during that decade and the 1970s through the “rediscovery” of Jones and Hollywood studio animation during the 1980s and 1990s. Jones candidly discusses his aesthetic sensibilities, providing tips for aspiring animators and describing Warner Bros. animation in its heyday.

Jones was an art college graduate who struggled through the Depression, trying to establish himself within the Hollywood industry. In these conversations he emerges as a witty raconteur and a well-read, inspiring advocate for animation art, intent on nurturing future generations of animators. Jones recalls vividly the Golden Age of studio animation from the 1930s to the 1950s, including his connections with the Walt Disney studio and United Productions of America. With pleasure, insight, and depth, he describes his family and early life as well as his post- Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies days. These interviews reveal Jones's struggles as an artist, the many influences upon him, and the creative process that made him famous. This volume contains previously unpublished material along with classic interviews.

Genres: History

256 pages, Paperback

First published March 7, 2005

Reviews

[Patrick Hanlon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read with interviews spanning from 1968 to 1999. There are a few redundancies as many of the interviews are all-encompassing and many of them retrospective rather than focused on the current chapters of Jones' career at each period. Still, it is a book that has some insights on the craft and has a few laughs as well.

[Dan Sendker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can't even believe I'm typing this, but I read this for research on an upcoming book I'm publishing on the Road Runner and Coyote. This book was a valuable resource! Some of the interviews I've read before, most I haven't. They cover a lot of ground that will no doubt be familiar to Chuck Jones students, but each interview still had a lot to offer. What a legend he was.

[Michael]

This book is a gem. Recorded hilarious interviews that overlap with the famous Chuck Amuck. A nice look into a creative mind. Also, conversations with other creatives like Ray Bradbury.