Babs and Buster Bunny
Encyclopedia
Babs and Buster Bunny are cartoon characters from the Warner Bros.
animated television series Tiny Toon Adventures
. They are the stars of the show— they both appear in the Tiny Toons logo, and the show usually begins and ends with their gags. Buster is voiced by Charlie Adler for most of the shows run and then by John Kassir
for a few episodes in the third season. Babs is voiced by Tress MacNeille
. Buster is a young, blue and white male rabbit
with a red, long-sleeved shirt
and white gloves. Babs is a young, pink and white female rabbit
with a yellow blouse
and purple skirt
, and purple (sometimes blue) bowed ribbons near the tips of her ears; she occasionally wears white gloves. They attend Acme Looniversity and live in Acme Acres.
Babs and Buster are based on Bugs Bunny
, who seems to be a mentor and favorite teacher to them both, although in the episode "Fields Of Honey", Babs searches for a female mentor, someone to be her true one and only mentor (she believes Bugs to be more of Buster's mentor as they seem to have more in common and are both male). She finds one in the forgotten character Honey from the old Bosko and Honey
cartoons. However, both Buster and Babs take after different aspects of Bugs. Babs seems to be based on the more frenetic and random Bugs who did many sporadic costume changes and voices, while Buster is closer to the more unruffled and cool Bugs. Babs also seems to be partly based on Bugs's old sweetheart Honey Bunny
.
They are both like Bugs Bunny in their theatrical mannerisms, their general self-confidence, and in their ability to work well with other headline characters. They are unlike him in their naïveté, due to their young age. Also, they tend to seek adventure, rather than wait for it to be thrust upon them; they are more inclined to help others (usually those close to them); and they seem to be aware that an audience is watching
.
Their names reflect an old naming convention in cartoons. As frequently mentioned during their introduction, they have "no relation" to each other nor to Bugs Bunny
. Nevertheless, their interaction resembles a brother-sister act in many ways. Babs and Buster are both about 14 years old (Babs gives this as her age in "The Looney Beginning"). Like the other Tiny Toons characters, they attend Acme Looniversity where the instructors include Bugs Bunny
, Daffy Duck
and Porky Pig
, as well as many other classic Warner Bros.
cartoon stars. Their best friends are Plucky Duck
, Hamton J. Pig
, Shirley the Loon, Dizzy Devil, Fifi La Fume, Calamity Coyote
, Little Beeper, Fowlmouth, Gogo Dodo
, and Furrball
. Their rivals are Montana Max
, Elmyra Duff
, Perfecto Prep alumni and Arnold the Pit Bull.
Buster and Babs have two end tags:
During introductions, the duo will claim "no relation", and Babs will often interject in Buster's speeches, usually in a less than flattering way, in order to annoy him.
) is the leader of the Tiny Toons gang, a street-smart, blue and white male rabbit
who has to deal with the challenges of a tough school curriculum, the machinations of rich kid and local bully Montana Max
, and the advances of crazed and ditzy animal lover Elmyra Duff
. Like Babs, he will do anything for a laugh, though he is marginally more sane and calm than his female counterpart.
Buster's parents, like many of the main characters on the show, have never been seen on screen. It is known that Buster does live with his mother however, because in Tiny Toons commercials, she has been referenced and has even been spoken to on the phone, mostly as a way to tell Buster that she was on her way home when he was having a party.
Buster has an extreme fondness for Bugs to the point of often imitating his mentor, such as using Bugs' "slap dance" technique from Bully For Bugs
(though with considerably less success). Although cool and collected for the most part, there are instances where other characters will get the better of Buster, or some unfortunate mishap will befall him, unlike his mentor Bugs, who for the most part was always on top of his game.
It is shown in "Buster and Babs Go Hawaiian" that Buster doesn't like riding on airplanes because he gets motion sickness. There he tried to persuade the script writers to make a rewrite regarding his dislike of air travel. Because they refused, he had no choice but to accept it.
Buster has parodied and portrayed many different characters and actors, from Superman
to Chico Marx
of the Marx Brothers
.
Buster's outfit is just a red shirt and white gloves, looking similar to Reader Rabbit's outfit. He wears no pants, which brings up the question implied in "The Looney Beginning" when he asks his creator for some clothes "for the censors". His body is light blue and white.
Like their adult counterpart, Buster (and at times along with Babs) begin any attempts at mischief with, "Of course you realize, this means war." However, in order to make the line his own, Buster then adds, "Buster (and Babs) style!"
Buster's solo end tag alone (spoken without Babs) is: "And that's a wrap!"
Buster is about 13 years old
said, "Sometimes he went too gravelly and over the top, but brought a great deal of energy to the role". Executive producer Steven Spielberg
and other producers objected to Adler, but Ruegger and casting director Andrea Romano recommended him. When Adler was chosen for the role he said in an interview, "This is the first time in 30 series I have been in [as a voice actor], that I'm having the best time of my life working". During the third season, when they started production on Animaniacs
, Adler was disappointed that he did not get a recurring character in the new show, while minor Tiny Toons actors like Rob Paulsen
and Frank Welker
were given main roles. Adler sent angry letters to Ruegger and other producers, citing that his treatment had been "shabby" and that he was going to leave the show.
When Adler dropped out, the studio still had a handful of episodes to record, so they re-cast the role of Buster with John Kassir
. Kassir's voice was slightly different than Adler's: Adler's voice had been more gravelly and rough, whereas Kassir's was smoother. Kassir finished the last 10% of Adler's lines from "The Horror of Slumber Party Mountain". He performed Buster's voice in "The Return of Batduck" and "It's A Wonderful Tiny Toons Christmas Special" in 1992; in 1994 and 1995 he reprised the role for "Night Ghoulery", and "Tiny Toons Spring Break Special". For the promos on Kids WB, Buster was played by various other voice actors, such as Billy West
.
) is the lavender pink female rabbit. She is a clown
who will do nearly anything for a laugh. She is good at improvisational comedy, and is a comedic impressionist in the vein of Robin Williams
. Babs has impersonated or parodied many different actors and fictional characters, including Joan Rivers
, Jessica Rabbit
, Mae West
, Elmer Fudd
, Pete Puma, Groucho Marx
, Wonder Woman
and Madonna
. In "Born To Be Riled", her friends become annoyed with her accurate but unflattering impersonations of them and they retaliate by impersonating her in turn. Like Buster, Babs is usually willing to go out of her way for her friends, such as when she sabotages a troupe of swan ballet dancers who are trying to thwart Shirley's debut. She often does quick costume changes, usually achieved by spinning quickly in a circle. Babs also can speak in a deep, sultry voice, often used to seduce Buster. She distinctly hates being called "Barbara Ann", preferring just "Babs".
Her mother (also voiced by Tress MacNeille
), was heard but only shown from the waist down (similar to the appearance of Nanny in the animated series Muppet Babies
and the characters of Mom and Dad from Cow and Chicken
). She has a father (also seen only from the waist down), who appeared in one episode as a monstrously large fellow who intimidated Buster when he dated Babs. However, in another episode ('Love Disconnection') where he drops Babs and her friends off at a party, Babs' father is portrayed differently as a goofy and clueless man who appears way out of touch with his daughter. Although Babs has been seen with dozens of brothers and sisters, only one has ever been named: Mortimer.
In "Fields of Honey", Babs searched for a female mentor
, as nearly all prominent classic Looney Tunes
characters are male. She eventually found one: Honey
, a forgotten character from the old Bosko cartoons. At the time, Bugs did not have a regular female counterpart; Honey Bunny
had not officially appeared in any Looney Tunes shorts while Lola Bunny
was not created until 1996 with the debut of the feature film Space Jam
. The relation between Bugs and Lola is very similar to Buster and Babs, so even though Babs Bunny was created long before Lola, Lola Bunny can be considered Babs' adult counterpart in the current time. Given that the last of the Tiny Toons specials and Space Jam were being produced at approximately the same time, it is possible that Lola coexisted with Babs for at least a part of the series, but as an unseen character
.
Her official outfit includes a yellow blouse and a purple skirt, with matching bows on the tips of her rabbit ears, and her body is pink and white. Unlike Bugs and Buster, she doesn't wear white gloves most of the time, but for some of her disguises, such as in parts of "The Vanderbunnys", "SuperBabs", "Strange Tales of Weird Science", "The Acme Acres Zone" and a few others, she does wear white gloves. Like Buster, Babs has large white marking on her front, usually seen when she is not wearing her usual outfit i.e. swimwear]; she also has a small pink and white fluffy tail.
Her catchphrase is "I just can't help myself!" which is endemic to her frequent inability to exercise self-control, ultimately leading to trouble for herself, Buster, and/or anybody else around her.
Her friends' names are Fifi La Fume and Shirley the Loon, along with Acme Loonerversity's trio of cheerleaders for most of "The Acme Bowl" (until all three abruptly join the football team).
Early in the series, Buster is shown to be easily attracted to Babs when she does her sultry routine (such as her Jessica Rabbit
impression in "The Looney Beginning") or just decides to fix herself up to look nicer (her dress and what not for the prom in "Prom-Ise Her Anything"). In the last episode, "It's a Wonderful Tiny Toon Christmas Special", Babs states that Buster is indeed her boyfriend while she's singing with Cher
; Buster discovers that Babs' life would be trite and miserable without him, and towards the end of the episode, he willingly initiated a kiss and recognizes the value they have to each other. Presumably after this, he will no longer retreat from her in any way at all. On another occasion their Perfecto Prep rivals, Roderick and Rhubella Rat (also voiced by Adler and MacNeille), refer to Buster and Babs as "Mr. No Money Bunny... and his No Money Bunny Honey", indicating that others perceive Buster and Babs as a couple. In "The Looney Beginning" and elsewhere, he calls her Babsy, showing that he holds a soft romantic spot for her.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
animated television series Tiny Toon Adventures
Tiny Toon Adventures
Steven Spielberg Presents Tiny Toon Adventures, usually referred to as Tiny Toon Adventures or simply Tiny Toons, is an American animated television series created by Tom Ruegger and produced by Amblin Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation. It began production as a result of Warner Bros....
. They are the stars of the show— they both appear in the Tiny Toons logo, and the show usually begins and ends with their gags. Buster is voiced by Charlie Adler for most of the shows run and then by John Kassir
John Kassir
John Kassir is an American actor, voice artist, and comedian who is best known as the voice of the Crypt Keeper in HBO's, Tales from the Crypt franchise...
for a few episodes in the third season. Babs is voiced by Tress MacNeille
Tress MacNeille
Tress MacNeille is an American voice actress best known for providing various voices on the animated series The Simpsons, Futurama, Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs, Disney's House of Mouse, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Rugrats, All Grown Up!, Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, and Dave the...
. Buster is a young, blue and white male rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
with a red, long-sleeved shirt
Shirt
A shirt is a cloth garment for the upper body. Originally an undergarment worn exclusively by men, it has become, in American English, a catch-all term for almost any garment other than outerwear such as sweaters, coats, jackets, or undergarments such as bras, vests or base layers...
and white gloves. Babs is a young, pink and white female rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
with a yellow blouse
Blouse
A blouse is a loose-fitting upper garment that was formerly worn by workmen, peasants, artists, women and children. It is typically gathered at the waist so that it hangs loosely over the wearer's body. Today, the word most commonly refers to a woman's shirt but can also refer to a man's shirt if...
and purple skirt
Skirt
A skirt is a tube- or cone-shaped garment that hangs from the waist and covers all or part of the legs.In the western world, skirts are usually considered women's clothing. However, there are exceptions...
, and purple (sometimes blue) bowed ribbons near the tips of her ears; she occasionally wears white gloves. They attend Acme Looniversity and live in Acme Acres.
Babs and Buster are based on Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
, who seems to be a mentor and favorite teacher to them both, although in the episode "Fields Of Honey", Babs searches for a female mentor, someone to be her true one and only mentor (she believes Bugs to be more of Buster's mentor as they seem to have more in common and are both male). She finds one in the forgotten character Honey from the old Bosko and Honey
Bosko
Bosko is an animated cartoon character created by animators Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising. Bosko is the first recurring character in Leon Schlesinger's cartoon series, and is the star of over three dozen Looney Tunes shorts released by Warner Bros...
cartoons. However, both Buster and Babs take after different aspects of Bugs. Babs seems to be based on the more frenetic and random Bugs who did many sporadic costume changes and voices, while Buster is closer to the more unruffled and cool Bugs. Babs also seems to be partly based on Bugs's old sweetheart Honey Bunny
Honey Bunny
Honey Bunny is a female rabbit cartoon character, designed by Robert McKimson and is the former girlfriend of Bugs Bunny who was used for merchandising purposes beginning in the late 1960s.-Comic books and merchandising:...
.
They are both like Bugs Bunny in their theatrical mannerisms, their general self-confidence, and in their ability to work well with other headline characters. They are unlike him in their naïveté, due to their young age. Also, they tend to seek adventure, rather than wait for it to be thrust upon them; they are more inclined to help others (usually those close to them); and they seem to be aware that an audience is watching
Fourth wall
The fourth wall is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play...
.
Their names reflect an old naming convention in cartoons. As frequently mentioned during their introduction, they have "no relation" to each other nor to Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
. Nevertheless, their interaction resembles a brother-sister act in many ways. Babs and Buster are both about 14 years old (Babs gives this as her age in "The Looney Beginning"). Like the other Tiny Toons characters, they attend Acme Looniversity where the instructors include Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
, Daffy Duck
Daffy Duck
Daffy Duck is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons, often running the gamut between being the best friend and sometimes arch-rival of Bugs Bunny...
and Porky Pig
Porky Pig
Porky Pig is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. He was the first character created by the studio to draw audiences based on his star power, and the animators created many critically acclaimed shorts using the fat little pig...
, as well as many other classic Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
cartoon stars. Their best friends are Plucky Duck
Plucky Duck
Plucky Allen Duck is a cartoon character from the Warner Bros. animated television series Tiny Toon Adventures. He is also the titular character in Gary A. Lewis's Plucky Duck in the Summer Job. He is arguably the third main character on the show after Buster and Babs. Plucky is voiced by Joe...
, Hamton J. Pig
Hamton J. Pig
Hamton J. Pig is a cartoon character from the Warner Bros. animated television series Tiny Toon Adventures. He is arguably the fourth main character on the show. Hamton is voiced by Don Messick. Hamton is a young male pig with blue overalls. He attends Acme Looniversity and lives in Acme...
, Shirley the Loon, Dizzy Devil, Fifi La Fume, Calamity Coyote
Calamity Coyote
Calamity Coyote is a cartoon character from the Warner Bros. animated television series Tiny Toon Adventures. He is one of the recurring characters from the show.-Description:...
, Little Beeper, Fowlmouth, Gogo Dodo
Gogo Dodo
Gogo Wackston the Dodo is a cartoon character from the Warner Bros. animated television series Tiny Toon Adventures. He is one of the main characters on the show.-Description:...
, and Furrball
Furrball
Furrball is a cartoon character from the Warner Bros. animated television series Tiny Toon Adventures. He is one of the main characters on the show.-Description:Furrball is a young, blue male cat with a hole on his right ear and a bandage on his tail...
. Their rivals are Montana Max
Montana Max
Montana "Monty" Master Max is a cartoon character from the Warner Bros. animated television series Tiny Toon Adventures. He is one of the main characters on the show. and also one of the main antagonists of the show. Monty is voiced by Danny Cooksey. Montana Max is a young, brown haired, male...
, Elmyra Duff
Elmyra Duff
Elmyra Jessica Duff is a cartoon character from the Warner Bros. animated television series Tiny Toon Adventures. She is one of the main characters from the show. Elmyra is voiced by Cree Summer in all of her appearances...
, Perfecto Prep alumni and Arnold the Pit Bull.
Buster and Babs have two end tags:
- 1. Buster: "Say good night, Babs."
- Babs: "Good night, Babs!"
- 2. Both: "ALOHA!" (in reference to Buster and Babs Go Hawaiian)
During introductions, the duo will claim "no relation", and Babs will often interject in Buster's speeches, usually in a less than flattering way, in order to annoy him.
Buster Bunny
Buster Bunny (voiced by Charlie Adler and later John KassirJohn Kassir
John Kassir is an American actor, voice artist, and comedian who is best known as the voice of the Crypt Keeper in HBO's, Tales from the Crypt franchise...
) is the leader of the Tiny Toons gang, a street-smart, blue and white male rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
who has to deal with the challenges of a tough school curriculum, the machinations of rich kid and local bully Montana Max
Montana Max
Montana "Monty" Master Max is a cartoon character from the Warner Bros. animated television series Tiny Toon Adventures. He is one of the main characters on the show. and also one of the main antagonists of the show. Monty is voiced by Danny Cooksey. Montana Max is a young, brown haired, male...
, and the advances of crazed and ditzy animal lover Elmyra Duff
Elmyra Duff
Elmyra Jessica Duff is a cartoon character from the Warner Bros. animated television series Tiny Toon Adventures. She is one of the main characters from the show. Elmyra is voiced by Cree Summer in all of her appearances...
. Like Babs, he will do anything for a laugh, though he is marginally more sane and calm than his female counterpart.
Buster's parents, like many of the main characters on the show, have never been seen on screen. It is known that Buster does live with his mother however, because in Tiny Toons commercials, she has been referenced and has even been spoken to on the phone, mostly as a way to tell Buster that she was on her way home when he was having a party.
Buster has an extreme fondness for Bugs to the point of often imitating his mentor, such as using Bugs' "slap dance" technique from Bully For Bugs
Bully For Bugs
Bully for Bugs is a 1952 Warner Brothers Looney Tunes theatrical cartoon short released in August 1953. It was directed by Chuck Jones and written by Michael Maltese.- Synopsis :...
(though with considerably less success). Although cool and collected for the most part, there are instances where other characters will get the better of Buster, or some unfortunate mishap will befall him, unlike his mentor Bugs, who for the most part was always on top of his game.
It is shown in "Buster and Babs Go Hawaiian" that Buster doesn't like riding on airplanes because he gets motion sickness. There he tried to persuade the script writers to make a rewrite regarding his dislike of air travel. Because they refused, he had no choice but to accept it.
Buster has parodied and portrayed many different characters and actors, from Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
to Chico Marx
Chico Marx
Leonard "Chico" Marx was an American comedian and film star as part of the Marx Brothers. His persona in the act was that of a dim-witted albeit crafty con artist, seemingly of rural Italian origin, who wore shabby clothes, and sported a curly-haired wig and Tyrolean hat.As the first-born of the...
of the Marx Brothers
Marx Brothers
The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
.
Buster's outfit is just a red shirt and white gloves, looking similar to Reader Rabbit's outfit. He wears no pants, which brings up the question implied in "The Looney Beginning" when he asks his creator for some clothes "for the censors". His body is light blue and white.
Like their adult counterpart, Buster (and at times along with Babs) begin any attempts at mischief with, "Of course you realize, this means war." However, in order to make the line his own, Buster then adds, "Buster (and Babs) style!"
Buster's solo end tag alone (spoken without Babs) is: "And that's a wrap!"
Buster is about 13 years old
Voice actor
Buster was the last and hardest voice role to cast. Buster's original voice actor was Charlie Adler, of whom producer Tom RueggerTom Ruegger
Tom Ruegger is an American animation writer, producer, and director.-Career:In the 1980s Ruegger worked for Hanna-Barbera, writing and producing various animated series, most notably The Snorks, The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo and A Pup Named Scooby-Doo.In 1989 he began...
said, "Sometimes he went too gravelly and over the top, but brought a great deal of energy to the role". Executive producer Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
and other producers objected to Adler, but Ruegger and casting director Andrea Romano recommended him. When Adler was chosen for the role he said in an interview, "This is the first time in 30 series I have been in [as a voice actor], that I'm having the best time of my life working". During the third season, when they started production on Animaniacs
Animaniacs
Steven Spielberg Presents Animaniacs, usually referred to as simply Animaniacs, is an American animated series, distributed by Warner Bros. Television and produced by Amblin Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation. The cartoon was the second animated series produced by the collaboration of Steven...
, Adler was disappointed that he did not get a recurring character in the new show, while minor Tiny Toons actors like Rob Paulsen
Rob Paulsen
Robert Fredrick "Rob" Paulsen III , sometimes credited as Rob Paulson, is an American voice actor, best known as the voice behind Raphael from the 1987 cartoon of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Yakko Warner and Dr...
and Frank Welker
Frank Welker
Franklin Wendell "Frank" Welker is an American actor who specializes in voice acting and has contributed character voices and other vocal effects to American television and motion pictures.-Acting career:...
were given main roles. Adler sent angry letters to Ruegger and other producers, citing that his treatment had been "shabby" and that he was going to leave the show.
When Adler dropped out, the studio still had a handful of episodes to record, so they re-cast the role of Buster with John Kassir
John Kassir
John Kassir is an American actor, voice artist, and comedian who is best known as the voice of the Crypt Keeper in HBO's, Tales from the Crypt franchise...
. Kassir's voice was slightly different than Adler's: Adler's voice had been more gravelly and rough, whereas Kassir's was smoother. Kassir finished the last 10% of Adler's lines from "The Horror of Slumber Party Mountain". He performed Buster's voice in "The Return of Batduck" and "It's A Wonderful Tiny Toons Christmas Special" in 1992; in 1994 and 1995 he reprised the role for "Night Ghoulery", and "Tiny Toons Spring Break Special". For the promos on Kids WB, Buster was played by various other voice actors, such as Billy West
Billy West
William Richard "Billy" West is an American voice actor. Born in Detroit but raised in the Roslindale neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, Billy launched his career in the early 1980s performing daily comedic routines on Boston's WBCN. He left the radio station to work on the short-lived revival...
.
Babs Bunny
Barbara Ann "Babs" Bunny (voiced by Tress MacNeilleTress MacNeille
Tress MacNeille is an American voice actress best known for providing various voices on the animated series The Simpsons, Futurama, Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs, Disney's House of Mouse, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Rugrats, All Grown Up!, Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, and Dave the...
) is the lavender pink female rabbit. She is a clown
Clown
Clowns are comic performers stereotypically characterized by the grotesque image of the circus clown's colored wigs, stylistic makeup, outlandish costumes, unusually large footwear, and red nose, which evolved to project their actions to large audiences. Other less grotesque styles have also...
who will do nearly anything for a laugh. She is good at improvisational comedy, and is a comedic impressionist in the vein of Robin Williams
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
. Babs has impersonated or parodied many different actors and fictional characters, including Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers is an American comedian, television personality and actress. She is known for her brash manner; her loud, raspy voice with a heavy New York accent; and her numerous cosmetic surgeries...
, Jessica Rabbit
Jessica Rabbit
Jessica Rabbit is a fictional character from the Roger Rabbit film-and-novel franchise.Jessica Rabbit may also refer to:* Jessica Rabbit vibrator, a sex toy* Melyssa Ford , Canadian model-See also:...
, Mae West
Mae West
Mae West was an American actress, playwright, screenwriter and sex symbol whose entertainment career spanned seven decades....
, Elmer Fudd
Elmer Fudd
Elmer J. Fudd/Egghead is a fictional cartoon character and one of the most famous Looney Tunes characters, and the de facto archenemy of Bugs Bunny. He has one of the more disputed origins in the Warner Bros. cartoon pantheon . His aim is to hunt Bugs, but he usually ends up seriously injuring...
, Pete Puma, Groucho Marx
Groucho Marx
Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx was an American comedian and film star famed as a master of wit. His rapid-fire delivery of innuendo-laden patter earned him many admirers. He made 13 feature films with his siblings the Marx Brothers, of whom he was the third-born...
, Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
and Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
. In "Born To Be Riled", her friends become annoyed with her accurate but unflattering impersonations of them and they retaliate by impersonating her in turn. Like Buster, Babs is usually willing to go out of her way for her friends, such as when she sabotages a troupe of swan ballet dancers who are trying to thwart Shirley's debut. She often does quick costume changes, usually achieved by spinning quickly in a circle. Babs also can speak in a deep, sultry voice, often used to seduce Buster. She distinctly hates being called "Barbara Ann", preferring just "Babs".
Her mother (also voiced by Tress MacNeille
Tress MacNeille
Tress MacNeille is an American voice actress best known for providing various voices on the animated series The Simpsons, Futurama, Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs, Disney's House of Mouse, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Rugrats, All Grown Up!, Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, and Dave the...
), was heard but only shown from the waist down (similar to the appearance of Nanny in the animated series Muppet Babies
Muppet Babies
Jim Henson's Muppet Babies is an American animated television series that aired from September 15, 1984 to November 2, 1991 on CBS. The show portrayed childhood versions of the Muppets living together in a large nursery in the care of a human woman called Nanny...
and the characters of Mom and Dad from Cow and Chicken
Cow and Chicken
Cow and Chicken is an American animated series, created by David Feiss. The series shows the surreal adventures of a cow, named Cow, and her chicken brother, named Chicken. They are often antagonized by "The Red Guy", who poses as various characters to scam or hurt them...
). She has a father (also seen only from the waist down), who appeared in one episode as a monstrously large fellow who intimidated Buster when he dated Babs. However, in another episode ('Love Disconnection') where he drops Babs and her friends off at a party, Babs' father is portrayed differently as a goofy and clueless man who appears way out of touch with his daughter. Although Babs has been seen with dozens of brothers and sisters, only one has ever been named: Mortimer.
In "Fields of Honey", Babs searched for a female mentor
Mentor
In Greek mythology, Mentor was the son of Alcimus or Anchialus. In his old age Mentor was a friend of Odysseus who placed Mentor and Odysseus' foster-brother Eumaeus in charge of his son Telemachus, and of Odysseus' palace, when Odysseus left for the Trojan War.When Athena visited Telemachus she...
, as nearly all prominent classic Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
characters are male. She eventually found one: Honey
Bosko
Bosko is an animated cartoon character created by animators Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising. Bosko is the first recurring character in Leon Schlesinger's cartoon series, and is the star of over three dozen Looney Tunes shorts released by Warner Bros...
, a forgotten character from the old Bosko cartoons. At the time, Bugs did not have a regular female counterpart; Honey Bunny
Honey Bunny
Honey Bunny is a female rabbit cartoon character, designed by Robert McKimson and is the former girlfriend of Bugs Bunny who was used for merchandising purposes beginning in the late 1960s.-Comic books and merchandising:...
had not officially appeared in any Looney Tunes shorts while Lola Bunny
Lola Bunny
Lola Bunny is a cartoon character from Warner Bros. Studios. She is an anthropomorphic rabbit and has been established as having a romantic involvement with Bugs Bunny, as well as being his main love interest and girlfriend.-Space Jam:...
was not created until 1996 with the debut of the feature film Space Jam
Space Jam
Aside from Jordan, a number of NBA players and coaches appeared in the film. Larry Bird portrays a friend of Jordan who joins him for a game of golf. When the Monstars steal the NBA players' talent, they invade a game between the Phoenix Suns and the New York Knicks, causing the Knicks' Patrick...
. The relation between Bugs and Lola is very similar to Buster and Babs, so even though Babs Bunny was created long before Lola, Lola Bunny can be considered Babs' adult counterpart in the current time. Given that the last of the Tiny Toons specials and Space Jam were being produced at approximately the same time, it is possible that Lola coexisted with Babs for at least a part of the series, but as an unseen character
Unseen character
In fiction, an unseen character is a character that is never directly observed by the audience but is only described by other characters. They are a common device in drama and have been called "triumphs of theatrical invention". They are continuing characters — characters who are currently in...
.
Her official outfit includes a yellow blouse and a purple skirt, with matching bows on the tips of her rabbit ears, and her body is pink and white. Unlike Bugs and Buster, she doesn't wear white gloves most of the time, but for some of her disguises, such as in parts of "The Vanderbunnys", "SuperBabs", "Strange Tales of Weird Science", "The Acme Acres Zone" and a few others, she does wear white gloves. Like Buster, Babs has large white marking on her front, usually seen when she is not wearing her usual outfit i.e. swimwear]; she also has a small pink and white fluffy tail.
Her catchphrase is "I just can't help myself!" which is endemic to her frequent inability to exercise self-control, ultimately leading to trouble for herself, Buster, and/or anybody else around her.
Her friends' names are Fifi La Fume and Shirley the Loon, along with Acme Loonerversity's trio of cheerleaders for most of "The Acme Bowl" (until all three abruptly join the football team).
Romance
Babs has been shown many times to have a crush on Buster; sometimes Buster will nervously retreat from her advances, sometimes he returns her affection, and sometimes he even goes out of his way to impress her. Aside from taking her to the prom in one episode, towards the end of the series, in the episode "Thirteensomething" he shows that he harbors deep feelings for her, which he only realizes after she has left Acme; he rescues her and welcomes a kiss from her at the end of the episode. In the episode "Love Disconnection" when Buster (as the host) interviews Babs about her ideal boyfriend, he slyly remarks to the viewer "as if we don't already know" (indicating that he knows Babs is attracted to him).Early in the series, Buster is shown to be easily attracted to Babs when she does her sultry routine (such as her Jessica Rabbit
Jessica Rabbit
Jessica Rabbit is a fictional character from the Roger Rabbit film-and-novel franchise.Jessica Rabbit may also refer to:* Jessica Rabbit vibrator, a sex toy* Melyssa Ford , Canadian model-See also:...
impression in "The Looney Beginning") or just decides to fix herself up to look nicer (her dress and what not for the prom in "Prom-Ise Her Anything"). In the last episode, "It's a Wonderful Tiny Toon Christmas Special", Babs states that Buster is indeed her boyfriend while she's singing with Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
; Buster discovers that Babs' life would be trite and miserable without him, and towards the end of the episode, he willingly initiated a kiss and recognizes the value they have to each other. Presumably after this, he will no longer retreat from her in any way at all. On another occasion their Perfecto Prep rivals, Roderick and Rhubella Rat (also voiced by Adler and MacNeille), refer to Buster and Babs as "Mr. No Money Bunny... and his No Money Bunny Honey", indicating that others perceive Buster and Babs as a couple. In "The Looney Beginning" and elsewhere, he calls her Babsy, showing that he holds a soft romantic spot for her.
See also
- Tiny Toon AdventuresTiny Toon AdventuresSteven Spielberg Presents Tiny Toon Adventures, usually referred to as Tiny Toon Adventures or simply Tiny Toons, is an American animated television series created by Tom Ruegger and produced by Amblin Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation. It began production as a result of Warner Bros....
- AnimaniacsAnimaniacsSteven Spielberg Presents Animaniacs, usually referred to as simply Animaniacs, is an American animated series, distributed by Warner Bros. Television and produced by Amblin Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation. The cartoon was the second animated series produced by the collaboration of Steven...
- Bosko and Honey
- Bugs BunnyBugs BunnyBugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
- Lola BunnyLola BunnyLola Bunny is a cartoon character from Warner Bros. Studios. She is an anthropomorphic rabbit and has been established as having a romantic involvement with Bugs Bunny, as well as being his main love interest and girlfriend.-Space Jam:...
External links
- Tiny Toon Adventures at the Big Cartoon DataBaseBig Cartoon DataBaseThe Big Cartoon DataBase is an online database of information about animated cartoons, animated feature films, animated television shows and cartoon shorts....
- Don Markstein's Toonopedia