I gather this interview with the famous cartoon man, Tex Avery, was made sometime in the 1970s or 1980s as he mentions his career with Warner Brothers "started about 40 years ago." The place where he and producer Leon Schlesinger began working was affectionately called "Termite Terrace," he relates to us in this short documentary.

Avery tells us his first two animators were Chuck Jones and Bob Clampett. Wow, those guys are legends in the animation business. Later, they show a picture of Tex and his animator friends all dressed up as women and having a lot of laughs. I would like to have been a "fly on the wall" and listened to all the jokes and ideas these guys discussed! "Some of our best material never made it on screen," Avery laughs.

Avery also explains that "I couldn't compete with Disney so I did things they wouldn't do, such as exaggeration in films, wild takes, distorted fairy tales and I laid off the fuzzy-wuzzy little bunnies. It wasn't my bag, being along the cute lines."

Well, speaking for fans of this man's work, this is a big reason why we love his cartoons - they ARE wild and unpredictable. He also played to the audience, to us, and that also is appreciated. Also, when asked if he did his cartoons for kids, he emphatically answered, "No, I never thought of them. If I got laughs from the people in the studio, I would go that route." 

He gave examples of some of his work and why he exaggerated things as he did. That, and more, can be seen on this feature which is on disc one of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume Two DVD.

Animation is a form of visual storytelling that involves creating visual art and motion through the use of various techniques and technologies. In animation, images are manipulated to create the illusion of movement, bringing characters, objects, and environments to life. Animation can encompass a wide range of styles, themes, and intended audiences, making it a diverse and versatile form of storytelling.

Daveigh Chase, Rumi Hiiragi, and Mari Natsuki in Spirited Away (2001)

The biography, or "biopic", is a genre that portrays the life story of a real person, often a notable individual or historical figure. They aim to provide a depiction of the subject's personal history, achievements, challenges, and impact on society.

Ben Kingsley, Rohini Hattangadi, and Geraldine James in Gandhi (1982)

The documentary is a form of non-fiction storytelling that aims to present factual information, insights, and perspectives on real-world subjects, events, issues, or people. Documentaries can cover a wide range of topics, including history, science, culture, social issues, nature, biographies, and more.

Dziga Vertov in Man with a Movie Camera (1929)

The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)

Behind the Tunes: A Conversation with Tex Avery

Behind the Tunes: A Conversation with Tex Avery (2004)

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood's perfect pairs.

Hollywood Power Couples

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood&#39;s perfect pairs.

"The Gentlemen" and "Slow Horses" return this fall, while the "Reacher" spin-off series "Neagley" makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

2026 Fall TV and Streaming Watch Guide

&quot;The Gentlemen&quot; and &quot;Slow Horses&quot; return this fall, while the &quot;Reacher&quot; spin-off series &quot;Neagley&quot; makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Behind the Tunes: A Conversation with Tex Avery

Photos

Top Cast8

User reviews2

More like this

Related interests

Storyline

Did you know

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed