Now an interesting quote from an old discussion group
alt.animation.warner-bros. What did Robert Guthrie, an author of a model sheet of Lola Bunny, thought about Honey Bunny?
Quote:
(Leloni Bunny) wrote:
> Heyya folks.
> Quick question: I've heard and sort of seen that before Space Jam,
> Bugs was in the company of another female rabbit. Honey Bunny wasn't
> she? Anyway, my question is: anyone have any pictures of how she
> looked BEFORE WB decided that a basic Bugs Bunny wannabe in female
> form would be a good idea?
Forget Honey Bunny,... This character was a ill devised way to add a
female companion for Bugs by then Warner Bros. fleeting Consumer Products
Department. The earliest modelsheet of "her" i have seen, places "it"
around 1967. WBSS ocassionally still uses the character, even when they
have the ready available Lola Bunny (Spacejam), or Daisy Lou (A product
of the freleng team at the time). The "why" is unknown. (Unofficially,
everybody in WBCP, including Higuer echelon personnel, have always
consider Honey as just Bugs in drag ).
(...)
Honey Bunny was never used in any animated form, tv or feature wise.
Appearences have been either product wise ( As latest as one appereance
on the latest WBSS catalog ), or in comic book format.
Design consisted generally of two types ( Which i'm looking at rigth
at this moment, Eeeew!. ):
A) The blatanly "Bugs in Drag" design. Take one Bugs, same proportions
in height to "male" counterpart", add eyelashes, bow ( At the base of
the ears ), very minimun curves, add dress.
B) The "Flat as a board" design. 1/2 a head smaller, add eyelashes, "comb
over" ears ( Take right ear, flatten towards left against skull, repeat
with opposite side ), tied on top ( With or without bow ). No curves. Add
dress.
IMHO, a butt ugly design.
Robert Guthrie
WBCP, Creative Services, Burbank
Obviously he isn't a fan of Honey (at least in her 'extremely Bugs-like' versions, an interesting thing is that in no post he is referring to the original yellow version of our girl bunny). And here's what he wrote in
alt.fan.furry:
Quote:
As a matter of animation trivia,with the exception of two mechanical
female rabbits,one
islander bunny,and a pletora of minor background support characters,there was an
misguide,horrible experiment by the 1960's WBCP to provide "Bugs Bunny"(tm)
with a female counterpart...The end result was called "Honey
Bunny"(tm),...We use
her modelsheets as reference to what NOT to draw.
End of info.
Robert Guthrie
WBCP