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The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons
In a world of rascally rabbits, megalomaniacal ducks, and stuttering pigs, what defines greatness? This question was posed to thousands of cartoon fans, historians, and animators to create The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons, the definitive Looney Tunes collection. Evaluated on their comedic brilliance, innovative animation, historical significance, and creative merit, cartoon historian Jerry Beck and the Cartoon Brew team of animation experts reveal the amusing anecdotes and secret origins behind such classics as “What’s Opera, Doc?,” “One Froggy Evening,” and “Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century.” Featuring more than 300 pieces of original art from private collectors and the Warner Bros. archives, The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons settles the debate on the best of the best, and poses a new question: Is your favorite one of the greatest?
- GenresNonfictionComicsArt
214 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2010
4 people are currently reading
118 people want to read
About the author
Jerry Beck
73 books25 followersJerry Beck (born February 9, 1955 in New York City) is an American animation historian, author, blogger, and video producer. The author or editor of several books on classic American animation and classic character, including The 50 Greatest Cartoons (1994), The Animated Movie Guide (2005), Not Just Cartoons: Nicktoons! (2007), The Flintstones: The Official Guide to the Cartoon Classic (2011), The Hanna-Barbera Treasury: Rare Art Mementos from your Favorite Cartoon Classics (2007), The SpongeBob SquarePants Experience: A Deep Dive into the World of Bikini Bottom (2013), Pink Panther: The Ultimate Guide (2005), and Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons (with Will Friedwald, 1989). He is also an authority on the making of modern films, with his books detailing the art of Mr. Peabody and Sherman, DreamWorks' Madagascar, and Bee Movie. Beck is also an entertainment industry consultant for TV and home entertainment productions and releases related to classic cartoons and operates the blog "Cartoon Research." He appears frequently as a documentary subject and audio commentator on releases of A&E's Cartoons Go To War as well as DVD collections of Looney Tunes, Popeye the Sailor, and Woody Woodpecker cartoons, on which he serves a consultant and curator.
Early in his career, Beck collaborated with film historian Leonard Maltin on his book Of Mice and Magic (1980), organized animation festivals in Los Angeles, and was instrumental in founding the international publication Animation Magazine. In the 1990s, Beck taught course on the art of animation at UCLA, NYU, and The School of Visual Arts. In 1993, he became a founding member of the Cartoon Network advisory board and he currently serves as president of the ASIFA-Hollywood board. He co-produced or was a consultant on many home entertainment compilations of Looney Tunes, MGM Cartoons, Disney Home Video, Betty Boop, and others. In 1989, he co-founded Streamline Pictures and first brought such anime as Akira, Vampire Hunter D, and Miyazaki's Laputa: Castle in the Sky to the United States. He himself compiled collections of cartoons of Warner Bros., Woody Woodpecker, and the Fleischer Studios. As Vice President of Nickelodeon Movies, he helped develop The Rugrats Movie (1998) and Mighty Mouse.
In 2006, Beck created and produced an animated pilot for Frederator Studios and Nickelodeon. That cartoon, "Hornswiggle", aired on Nicktoons Network in 2008 as part of the Random! Cartoons series. Currently, he is teaching animation history at Woodbury University in Burbank, California.
In 2004, Beck and fellow animation historian and writer Amid Amidi co-founded another blog, Cartoon Brew, which focused primarily on current animation productions and news. Beck sold his co-ownership in Cartoon Brew in February 2013 and started an Indiewire blog, Animation Scoop, for reports on current animation while continuing to write about classic animation at Cartoon Research.
Early in his career, Beck collaborated with film historian Leonard Maltin on his book Of Mice and Magic (1980), organized animation festivals in Los Angeles, and was instrumental in founding the international publication Animation Magazine. In the 1990s, Beck taught course on the art of animation at UCLA, NYU, and The School of Visual Arts. In 1993, he became a founding member of the Cartoon Network advisory board and he currently serves as president of the ASIFA-Hollywood board. He co-produced or was a consultant on many home entertainment compilations of Looney Tunes, MGM Cartoons, Disney Home Video, Betty Boop, and others. In 1989, he co-founded Streamline Pictures and first brought such anime as Akira, Vampire Hunter D, and Miyazaki's Laputa: Castle in the Sky to the United States. He himself compiled collections of cartoons of Warner Bros., Woody Woodpecker, and the Fleischer Studios. As Vice President of Nickelodeon Movies, he helped develop The Rugrats Movie (1998) and Mighty Mouse.
In 2006, Beck created and produced an animated pilot for Frederator Studios and Nickelodeon. That cartoon, "Hornswiggle", aired on Nicktoons Network in 2008 as part of the Random! Cartoons series. Currently, he is teaching animation history at Woodbury University in Burbank, California.
In 2004, Beck and fellow animation historian and writer Amid Amidi co-founded another blog, Cartoon Brew, which focused primarily on current animation productions and news. Beck sold his co-ownership in Cartoon Brew in February 2013 and started an Indiewire blog, Animation Scoop, for reports on current animation while continuing to write about classic animation at Cartoon Research.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 16, 2020
For this aged baby - boomer who grew up watching and loving these cartoons this book is a perfect fit and gift. The Warner Brothers {WB} cartoons and their characters are {in my opinion} by far the best known, best loved and most entertaining cartoons of the golden age of Hollywood that not even Walt Disney cartoons can top !!. The 100 cartoons represented in this book are the like the cream from them skimmed right off the top. I couldn't quarrel or dispute any of the choices and I applauded and appreciated the informative, pithy narrative and comments allied to the excellent pictures. My favorite character "Yosemite Sam" was well represented but pride of place in the book goes to Bug Bunny, Tweedy, Slyvester and Daffy Duck whose comic personna's continually evolved to keep them fresh and up to date.
The marvelous creative team of the WB cartoon department is beyond exemplar - cartoon directors Bob Clampett, Fritz Freleng, Chuck Jones, Arthur Davis and Robert Mckimson, music director Carl Stalling, the unique voices created by Mel Blanc, Bea Benadaret and June Foray {that always perfectly match the characters}, story lines by Frank Tashlin, Michael Maltese and Ted Pierce and all the other technicians and artists get well deserved kudos for their contributions that make these cartoons so entertaining and special. WB produced almost 1000 cartoons and it is astonishing that the cartoon department was able to keep the frantic pace, humor and creative energy at such a high level of excellence for almost 3 decades.
Most of us have one particular favorite cartoon and mine is on page 112 - "Little Red Riding Rabbit" with Bugs, a cross dressing, dim-witted wolf and an obnoxious Bobby Soxer Red Riding Hood {unforgettably voiced by Bea Benadaret} with Red skreeching "HEY GRANDMA !!" one time too many galvanizing Bugs to take an 180 degree turn to settle with her "once and for all ". I love these cartoons, loved this book and I give it 5 stars - Highly recommended.
The marvelous creative team of the WB cartoon department is beyond exemplar - cartoon directors Bob Clampett, Fritz Freleng, Chuck Jones, Arthur Davis and Robert Mckimson, music director Carl Stalling, the unique voices created by Mel Blanc, Bea Benadaret and June Foray {that always perfectly match the characters}, story lines by Frank Tashlin, Michael Maltese and Ted Pierce and all the other technicians and artists get well deserved kudos for their contributions that make these cartoons so entertaining and special. WB produced almost 1000 cartoons and it is astonishing that the cartoon department was able to keep the frantic pace, humor and creative energy at such a high level of excellence for almost 3 decades.
Most of us have one particular favorite cartoon and mine is on page 112 - "Little Red Riding Rabbit" with Bugs, a cross dressing, dim-witted wolf and an obnoxious Bobby Soxer Red Riding Hood {unforgettably voiced by Bea Benadaret} with Red skreeching "HEY GRANDMA !!" one time too many galvanizing Bugs to take an 180 degree turn to settle with her "once and for all ". I love these cartoons, loved this book and I give it 5 stars - Highly recommended.
May 30, 2018
This little oblong book is a beautifully designed celebration of the sheer creativity the Warner Bros. animation studio was between ca. 1935 and 1960. As editor Jerry Beck readily admits in his introduction, there are clearly more than 100 great Looney Tunes (I personally miss 'Daffy Doodles', 'Mouse Wreckers' and 'What's Up, Doc?'), but the most usual suspects (say Porky in Wackyland, What's Opera, doc?, One Froggy Evening) are certainly there. The book simply bursts in illustration, but is a little shallow on the informative side. I don't think this book should be an essential part of your animation book collection, but it makes a fun read. And it definitively makes you want to watch the films themselves, again and again.
December 25, 2013
I needed something light and fun to read this week to break the seriousness, so I pulled out this book I bought in February at the Chuck Jones museum in Las Vegas. What a delight! I remembered nearly all of the 100 listed Looney Tunes immediately. Informative and fun!
March 11, 2024
100 greatest Looney Tunes list that only includes 1 Foghorn Leghorn and no Pepe Le Pew? Hmm.
There was a bit too much Bob Clampett love and not enough for Robert McKimson, IMO. An interesting list but (as the authors admit) not one that everyone will agree with.
There was a bit too much Bob Clampett love and not enough for Robert McKimson, IMO. An interesting list but (as the authors admit) not one that everyone will agree with.
October 17, 2018
Too bad that I couldn't finish the entire book. I have to return it to the library before the loan expires.
Anyway, I was quite enjoyed watching some of the cartoons mentioned in this book. I searched for the cartoons online and watched it. I always prefer classic than the modern ones. Classic cartoons are more creative and funnier. I felt surprised that some of the cartoons dated back to 40s or 50s and there were still so enjoyable to watch and I can't believe such high-level creativity has existed in so early days.
Unfortunately, I really not a Bugs Bunny fan and Bugs Bunny has been mentioned quite a lot in this book. However, this book has given me some inspirations for my illustration work. I wish I have more time for this book.
Anyway, I was quite enjoyed watching some of the cartoons mentioned in this book. I searched for the cartoons online and watched it. I always prefer classic than the modern ones. Classic cartoons are more creative and funnier. I felt surprised that some of the cartoons dated back to 40s or 50s and there were still so enjoyable to watch and I can't believe such high-level creativity has existed in so early days.
Unfortunately, I really not a Bugs Bunny fan and Bugs Bunny has been mentioned quite a lot in this book. However, this book has given me some inspirations for my illustration work. I wish I have more time for this book.
April 27, 2017
It's a reference in the form of a small coffee table book. This should be used as any "companion" book would be to get maximum enjoyment out of it. I am one of many people who left comments when the author was writing this and received a credit in the book for my minimal effort. Thank you, Jerry Beck.
February 3, 2020
While I do agree with the choices for this book, I wish they had chosen some even better choices like "Horton Hatches The Egg", "Rabbit Hood", "Bugs Bunny Rides Again", as well as a few others. Overall, a good book, but I wish they did a much better job with their choices of the cartoons.
November 7, 2017
A fun, nostalgic read -- you won't find all your favs here, but you'll remember the majority of these classics. I appreciated some of the behind-the-scenes glimpses, and would've liked more.
January 7, 2024
Just got this book as a gift! So much fun! I couldn't be happier! It would be fun if they did number them to see which was #1, etc.
This book actually gives me a new appreciation for how these are made, the backgrounds, the directors, etc. Because it's easy to watch the antics of the characters and miss things.
There are definitely shorts that would not be in my list, but that's ok!
I would add 2, but they may be Merrie Melodies and not Looney Tunes? But I know they are both Chuck Jones shorts -
the Dot and the Line and The Bear That Wasn't both need to be on this list.
But if you're a cartoon fan, you must check this book out! I am laughing out loud reading it!
This book actually gives me a new appreciation for how these are made, the backgrounds, the directors, etc. Because it's easy to watch the antics of the characters and miss things.
There are definitely shorts that would not be in my list, but that's ok!
I would add 2, but they may be Merrie Melodies and not Looney Tunes? But I know they are both Chuck Jones shorts -
the Dot and the Line and The Bear That Wasn't both need to be on this list.
But if you're a cartoon fan, you must check this book out! I am laughing out loud reading it!
March 4, 2018
A nice read on my childhood heroes
March 11, 2015
Whoever doesn't like the timelessness of the Looney Tunes can just leave me be, thank you.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews