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This hand-painted production cel brings together four of animation's most beloved characters - Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, and Yosemite Sam - beneath a jubilant "Happy 511/2 Birthday" sign (with cake!), perfectly capturing the irreverent wit and energy synonymous with Warner Bros.' Merrie Melodies cartoons.
This particular cel setup was used in the making of the Blooper Bunny short, produced in 1991 as part of the CBS television special Bugs Bunny's Overtures to Disaster, directed by Greg Ford and produced by Steven S. Greene during a period that reflected both nostalgia and innovation in the studio's storied animation legacy. It eventually premiered on television in 1997.
The background, a studio-issued photographic art print, provides the festive burst of colour that amplifies the moment's celebrations, echoing the anarchic energy of the golden age while created for the TV renaissance of the 1990s.
The Warner Bros. Animation Art gold seal, dated 1995, assures provenance and curatorial release, part of the studio's deliberate effort to share genuine production pieces with a new generation of collectors. Such cels are not merely memorabilia but carefully selected artifacts, authenticated and offered as tangible pieces of cinematic history. Bearing the hallmarks of the original animation process, registration holes, paint swatches, production notations, this cel connects present-day fans with the singular vision of the directors, writers, and animators who defined American comedy on screen.
With Bugs and his co-stars orchestrated by the likes of Ford, Greene, and legendary voice artists such as Mel Blanc, this hand-crafted treasure endures as both collectable art and entertainment, a tribute to the enduring genius of Warner Bros. Animation. Dimension: 36 cm x 44.5 cm (14.25" x 17.5")
Sold without copyright; see copyright notice in the Terms and Conditions.
Estimate: £400 - 800 Ω
View all lots from (BLOOPER) BUNNY (1997)