Cartoon Network: Friz Freleng ID

Once upon a time, I had the opportunity to work with the inspiration for Yosemite Sam: Warner Bros. animation director Friz Freleng. Here's the result!

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Friz Freleng
• Warner Bros. cartoons
• Todd Ruel
• Cartoon Network

[ToddRuel]

Regarding Cartoon Network, I still have a VHS tape somewhere of the actual launch of the network outside on the front lawn of the plantation building. It's not what you saw at launch. It's what actually happened. Ted Turner pushed a giant red button. There was supposed to be an explosion. Didn't happen. He pushed it again and again. But what you folks saw if you were watching back then was an edited version in which everything went perfectly. (I'm sure heads rolled later.)

[SuperAdventures]

Awesome! Approx. what year did this air?

On a more somber note, I remember when Friz passed away in 1995, Cartoon Network aired a modified version of their "shifting checkerboard" ID that had a "Friz Freleng: 1905-1995" graphic over it, with the voiceover paying tribute to him. Kinda scary for a kid like me to watch at the time, I always covered my eyes when it came on, heh.

A lot of CN's promotional work in it's early years is undocumented...wish I could see/hear more about it.

[ToddRuel]

@SuperAdventures I still have the 1-inch spot reel for this spot. (That's how I digitized it.) I believe I produced this spot in 1992. I also produced one with Joe Barbera.

Wanna hear a story?  We taped these spots at some kind of conference in an LA hotel suite. As it turns out, Friz Freleng (one of my heroes) couldn't hardly draw a tic tac toe puzzle. And Joe Barbera (not much respect for) turned out to be a brilliant artist. My assumptions were totally challenged by the end of that day.

[Kurisusugirl]

@jimmieskaggs Forever and ever =)

[Kurisusugirl]

@Marshalsify I wish he would've continued the Inspector's cartoons and others too u3u.

[Marshalsify]

Really wish Friz Freleng could've continued making more Bugs and Sam cartoons up before his death in 1995 what a shame it didn't happen!

[jimmieskaggs]

Friz Freleng is a true legend . RIP Friz

[ToddRuel]

@SuperAdventures People leave. Things change. Big companies get bought by bigger companies. It's the natural ebb and flow of business as well as life. When new people come in, it's natural for them to want to make their marks on the network. I'm sure that's why you've seen a lot of changes (as well as a desire NOT to celebrate the past). When Betty Cohen left, I wonder if Mike Lazzo lost an important ally. Maybe not. His record speaks for itself, and I always thought he was a great guy.

[SuperAdventures]

@sygo7g The only thing that came out of their 10th Anniversary was the 60-second compilation promo that's up on my account. Other than that, no other mention of the anniversary. With so much having changed within CN in just the last 5 years, I too wonder what or if they'll come up with come October 1, 2012. Probably the only personnel still around from CN's earliest days are Mike Lazzo and co. over at "Adult Swim".

[ToddRuel]

@TuneTamasha Glad you like this promo. I created this promo and only kept copies of my own work for the purpose of promoting my services as a writer/producer/director. You would have to contact Cartoon Network for more vintage stuff.