KEY CREW BEHIND THE STARS: Chuck Jones (Director); Michael Maltese (Writer); Robert Gribboek, Maurice Noble (Layout artists); Pete Alvarado, Philip DeGuard, Dick Thomas (Background artists).

CAREER HIGH: LICKETY SPLAT (1961) A happy ending for both. The Road Runner gets away, and the Coyote doesn't get blown up.

These words instantly bring to mind one of the great cartoon teams in history, the Coyote and the Road Runner. They are the past masters of the one-joke premise. A simple situation taken to almost infinite proportions.

Wile E. Coyote actually looks almost nothing like an actual coyote. Real coyotes, to a general eye, look very similar to wolves and some dogs. Wile E. is a bipedal (two legged), two tone, light brown canine. His long legs and arms cause him to resemble a human (or perhaps Bugs Bunny) more than he does his animal counterpart. Coyote ears are triangular and medium size. Wile E.'s ears are rabbit like, being quite long. A coyote's tail is long and somewhat bushy. Wile E.'s tail began as a short strappling of a tail and soon progressed to nothing more than a "fluff" of tail. (No wonder he's mixed up... he's built upside down!) In fact, Wile E. seems a much closer cousin to Bugs Bunny than any real canine. He even has Bugs' wide facial cheeks.

The Road Runner is no closer to his real life influence than is the Coyote. The Road Runner seems more closely designed after an Ostrich with long legs, a long neck and a tail that generally sticks straight up. A real road runner does have the long legs, but its neck is no longer than an average bird. Also, its tail lays flat allowing it more speed. Real road runners also don't sport a tuff of "feathers" on their head. The Road Runner's body was basically blue, with purple wings and head tuft.

No matter how hard Wile E. Coyote (his full name) tries, he ultimately fails in his quest. Even his silent partner, the powerful, ever complete Acme Company is of no help - except to the Road Runner. The Coyote has all the desire, all the passion, all the determination of the greatest of heroes. All he doesn't have is success.

Beep Beep, The Road Runner (his full name) has nothing but success. But, just as the Coyote must work so hard for his failures, the Road Runner need do nothing to succeed. To the Road Runner, "Running down the road's his idea of having fun," says the song. All he has to do is run and run and run. It's all fun for the Road Runner. Occasionally he stops, but only to watch the Coyote fail again.

It's no wonder that the team in this wild and wacky series has become one of the most popular superstars in animation. They are the very essence of today's society. Though we may cheer for the Road Runner's continual escape, it is the Coyote that we most often identify with in the cartoons. No matter how hard we work, no matter how clever our schemes, we invariably seem to get out- run by someone of very little thought.

Actually, like many classic works, the simplicity of this team's setup hides a much larger view. One can easily laugh at the antics of the Coyote's attempts to catch the Road Runner. However, as stated earlier, we often find ourselves feeling more for the Coyote. Some may find this rooting for the villain unusual, but these characters and their situations are the kind of stuff psychologists pine for to study.

Wile E. Coyote is the ultimate obsessive personality. He must get the Road Runner. In the early shorts, they link this need to food. In later cartoons, it is simply a matter of pride and determination. While the coyote could undoubtedly catch almost any other desert creature with his arsenal from Acme, he continues his single minded desire.

The Road Runner is merely amused by the Coyote. In only a few instances in their entire career does the bird ever show any actual fear or concern towards his pursuer. Sticking his tongue out and "beeping" is the Road Runner's way of showing up the Coyote's every scheme and desire.

And in the long run, this series is about just that: desire. The Coyote wants the Road Runner more than anything else. He will risk life, limb and falling off that ever present cliff to obtain it. In this era of "just say no," the Coyote will never break his habit. After all, if a room full of monkeys and typewriters could eventually write Shakespeare, then the Coyote could eventually catch the Road Runner. (Which he actually did, but in an unrewarding way in 1980.)

THE CHASE BEGINS

This classic team began when Chuck Jones and writer Michael Maltese were trying to come up with a chase cartoon to end all chase cartoons. They considered various combinations but Jones had been intrigued by coyotes ever since reading Mark Twain's description of them. Jones' crew consisted of a number of top Warners' talent including the previously mentioned Michael Maltese, one of the greatest writers in animation, Robert Gribboek and Maurice Noble (who would become key to many of Jones' later, artier shorts), who did the simple desert layouts, Pete Alvarado, Philip DeGuard and Dick Thomas, who painted the backgrounds and such key animators as Bob Bransford, Ken Harris, Phil Monroe, Tom Ray, Lloyd Vaughn and Ben Washam.

The first film, FAST AND FURRY-OUS (1949), was originally conceived as merely a series of blackouts. However, all the key elements that would continue repeating through the years appear in this first cartoon, from the use of Acme devices to the Coyote using blueprints to plot out his actions.

The short opens with the Road Runner (Accelerati Incredibulis) running down the road. Up on a cliff, a Coyote (Carnivarious Vulgaris) searches with his binoculars. Upon sighting the bird he dons a napkin, grabs a knife and fork and makes chase. When it is obvious he can't outrun his prey, he makes other plans. These plans include a rocket, dynamite, an ACME Super Outfit, disguising himself as a schoolgirl and jet- propelled tennis shoes.

It would be another three years before the team would come back for a film. (Wile E. would make his next screen appearance trying to capture Bugs Bunny.) 1952 saw the release of their second short, BEEP BEEP. Once again, the Coyote hungrily tries for the Road Runner using everything from anvils to rockets. This short features the pair running around inside a mine shaft. Later, Jones would restrict the team to more or less staying on top of the desert.

Later that same year GOING! GOING! GOSH! was released. This time the Coyote tries using giant sling shots, quick drying cement, more anvils and dynamite. The pair was definitely now off and running in their own series. For the next several years, the chase continued with at least one short every year. The "pun"ish titles included ZIPPING ALONG (1953), READY SET ZOOM (1955), ZOOM AND BOARD (1958), HOT ROD AND REEL (1959), and WILD ABOUT HURRY (1960).

As years went by, the team became more and more standardized and so did the cartoons. Running gags (no pun intended) began cropping up. STOP, LOOK AND HASTEN (1954) finds the Coyote installing a steel plate into the road with a special toaster like mechanism that shoots the plate up into oncoming traffic. Of course the device fails when the Road Runner races by, but as the short continues it does come to life. In LICKETY SPLAT (1961) an initial try at using flying dynamite sticks finds various stray sticks popping up throughout the film at the most aggravating moments for the Coyote.

In 1961, the Coyote and Road Runner received their single Oscar nomination for BEEP PREPARED. This short has the Coyote trying to trip the Road Runner, using a magnet, and wearing the ACME Bat Man suit. At the finale, the Coyote is blasted into space where he "creates" a new star constellation: a Coyote. (The short lost out to ERSATZ, the first foreign cartoon to win an Oscar.)

1962 found the pair starring in THE ADVENTURES OF THE ROAD RUNNER. This was an unsold TV pilot, which similar to the popular prime time BUGS BUNNY SHOW (1960-62), featured old and new animation. The 26 minute film received limited theatrical release as a featurette before being cut up into several "new" shorts.

Wile E. appeared in HARE-BREADTH HURRY in 1963. Though this was built like a Coyote-Road Runner short, it actually co-starred Bugs Bunny who was filling in for a slightly injured Road Runner. Wile E. also found work in another "Ralph Wolf" short discussed later in this chapter.

WAR AND PIECES, released in 1964, was the last new theatrical short made by Jones and crew. This one finds the Coyote using grenades, rope, invisible paint and a rocket car in his attempts.

The Warners studio shut down their animation unit in 1963. Ex-Warners' director Friz Freleng teamed with David DePatie to form DePatie-Freleng. They rented the old Warners' animation facilities to produce economical cartoons, including the Pink Panther series. Warners suddenly found that there was still some profit to be made from creating new cartoons so hired DePatie- Freleng to revive some of the classic characters from their early retirement.

1965 saw the release of the first shorts under the new studio. The first film, THE WILD CHASE (1965) saw a race between the Road Runner and Speedy Gonzales. Interfering with the race were the Coyote (after the Road Runner) and Sylvester (after Speedy).

The director on these shorts was usually Rudy Larriva, a former layout artist. Though these shorts often feature some nice poses and expressions, they lack the life of the early adventures.

These later shorts were often based on topics rather than just series of gags. Everything from giant robots (THE TIN COYOTE has Wile E. building a huge mechanical coyote out of junk) to spies (Wile E. finds a spy's attache case in SUGAR AND SPIES) became key themes. These themes were the closest the series ever got to actual "plots." In fact, SUGAR AND SPIES (1966) was the last theatrical Coyote and Road Runner short produced.

However, that same year saw the team get their own Saturday morning show. Always a staple on the BUGS BUNNY SHOW, in 1966 they received their own half hour THE ROAD RUNNER SHOW on CBS. It ran for two years before becoming part of THE BUGS BUNNY/ROAD RUNNER HOUR. In 1971 it went back to its own show for one season, then in 1972 it rejoined Bugs where they ran Bugs until 1981.

By 1967, Warners made the decision to re-start the animation department. DePatie-Freleng moved out and a new crew was brought in. No Coyote/Road Runner shorts were made under this new regime. The department closed again in 1969.

Ten years later, the release of the theatrical feature THE BUGS BUNNY/ROAD RUNNER MOVIE, directed by Chuck Jones, brought the two stars back to the big screen. The feature contained classic shorts with new animation wraparounds. The last portion of the feature was totally devoted to excerpts of the classic Coyote and Road Runner cartoons.

Recently, the team has been the subject of groups who complain about the continual violence of the series. It is hard to discount the amount of pain received by the Coyote, but it should be remembered, it is almost totally self inflicted and he returns relatively unharmed and of his own free will to the battle.

The pair continue to work. They have done occasional TV commercials and a cameo in WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? (1988). In the new series TINY TOON ADVENTURES (1990), they have two young counterparts, Calamity Coyote and Little Beeper.

THE RULES OF THE GAME

Jones once stated there were at least nine rules to the series. A look at just three shows how these rules made some order of the Coyote and Road Runner's world. Rule: The Road Runner cannot harm the Coyote except by going "Beep-Beep." Rule: No outside force can harm the Coyote - only his ineptitude or the failure of the Acme products. Rule: The Road Runner must stay on the road - otherwise, logically, he would not be called a road runner.

The creative team thought that the more restrictions they put on the series, the funnier the shorts would become. However almost every cartoon breaks one of the rules. Some of the rules appear broken because Jones and crew kept adding to the list as the series went on. For example the first short has the Road Runner grab a large metal pan so the Coyote will run into it. Other rules were broken when other personnel took over the series.

Finally, even the ultimate rule of the Coyote never catching the Road Runner fell. In SOUP OR SONIC (1980), the Coyote finally catches the Road Runner. (This short was originally part of the TV special BUGS BUNNY'S BUSTING OUT ALL OVER.) After running through a series of ever narrowing pipes the pair emerge from the pipe's tiny end only a few inches high. They run back through the pipes starting at the narrow end heading towards the larger end. At the larger end, the Road Runner comes out full size, but Wile E. comes out still only inches high. He grabs the Road Runner's leg and has a brief moment of joy. Suddenly, he sees the situation. Looking irritated into the camera he holds up two signs. "Okay, wise guys, you always wanted me to catch him - now what do I do?" The cartoon then fades out.

WILE E. COYOTE'S OTHER LIVES

Of the two, Wile is the most complex of the characters. So much so, that he actually steps into other roles and interacts with other characters. He is the "Super genius" that tries to capture Bugs Bunny in OPERATION RABBIT (1952). Oddly enough, this cartoon is his second animated appearance. The second Road Runner cartoon didn't arrive in theaters until later that same year. He encounters Bugs again in TO HARE IS HUMAN (1956) and the previously mentioned HARE BREADTH HURRY. The Coyote was even less of a match for the quick witted rabbit than he was for the Road Runner.

As "Ralph Wolf," he attempts to steal sheep from Sam, a sheep dog. This series began with DON'T GIVE UP THE SHEEP (1953). This series is similar to his Road Runner series except that at the end of the "work day," both parties quit. He dusts himself off and heads home with his adversary, both planning to "clock in" again the next day for much of the same activity. Other titles in this series include SHEEP AHOY (1954), STEAL WOOL (1957) and READY WOOLEN AND ABLE (1960). It was an amusing concept that the cartoon conceits of the ongoing conflict were merely a 9-to-5 job. It was one of the first indications that toon characters had a much different life outside of the cartoons they appeared in.

Even when he talks, Wile E. has several tongues. His most commonly known is the slightly bland, intellectual tone used in his battles with Bugs Bunny. His Ralph Wolf voice is a bit harsher. This voice is more like a blue collar worker rather than an intellectual "Super Genius". However, he has a number of other "sounds." In several early shorts he has a raspy, creaky laugh.

More common than his voice are his signs. At any time, as cartoon law provides, the Coyote can pull a sign out from behind his back. These can read anything from "Egad!" to "In heaven's name, what am I doing?"

ON THE ROAD

The Coyote and Road Runner have had additional careers outside of their long running (over 40) short subjects from Warners. In 1958 they debuted in their own comic book entitled BEEP BEEP, THE ROAD RUNNER. (It is this comic series that christened the Road Runner with his first name.) The Road Runner spoke in the comic books, but only in rhyme. He also had triplets, three sons, who also spoke in rhyme. Even a Mrs. Road Runner would appear occasionally, all to the distress of the Coyote. The comic book ran 25 years. Both Coyote and Road Runner are also regularly seen in the Bugs Bunny newspaper comic strip.

They are so well known, that they have popped up as a gag in other comic strips ranging from the western Rick O'Shay to the surreal Mother Goose and Grimm and even editorial cartoons. In the late 1960's Plymouth used the Road Runner as a design logo for a series of sports cars. For awhile the tireless twosome were popular advertising figures hawking everything from Hershey's chocolate to Donnelly directories to Purolator Courier. The recent appearance of Warners cartoon related merchandise has produced some new Coyote and Road Runner items.

SUPERSTAR QUALITY

Perhaps their crowning achievement was the appearance in the highly successful WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? The film officially takes place in 1947, two years before the team was created. Spielberg and crew agreed that no post 1947 characters would be viewed. (That's the reason no TV characters were seen.) However director Robert Zemeckis insisted that the Coyote and Road Runner appear. They were his favorite cartoon characters.

To find them, view the end of the film. After Toon Town has been saved and the Toons all come running in to see the dissolved Judge Doom, Wile E. and the Road Runner are seen in the group. They join in and at least dance with the crew through the reprise of "Smile, Darn Ya, Smile."

Of course making audiences smile and laugh is one of the things this team does best. "Beep-Beep." Zoom!

CREATOR COMMENTS

"A fanatic is one who redoubles his effort when he has forgotten his aim." - George Santayana

"My own favorite cartoons are Jones' Road Runners" - Richard Williams, animation director of WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT?

"The coyote is a living, breathing allegory of Want. He is always hungry. He is always poor, out of luck and friendless." - Mark Twain

"The Coyote is victimized by his own ineptitude. I never understood how to use tools and that's the Coyote's problem. He's not at war with the gods, but with the minuscule things of everyday life." - Chuck Jones

"The Road Runner cartoons began as a parody of chase films which everyone seemed to be doing at the time. I remember Maltese and I thought we were very clever coming up with this biting bit of satire. We figured we'd be considered the Jonathan Swifts of our day. But no one else saw it as that." - Chuck Jones

a.k.a. THE COYOTE...
Eatibus Anythingus
Famishus Vulgaris
Hard Hedipus Ravenus
Hungrii Flea Bagius
Caninus Nervous Rex

"The Coyote here isn't merely an egotist; he's almost possessed, he's a fanatic." - Chuck Jones

a.k.a. THE ROAD RUNNER...
Speedibux Rex
Birdibus Zippibus
Super Sonicus
Fastius Tasty-Us
Burn-em Upus Asphaltus

"The best stuff Chuck ever did was the Road Runners and I think the guy that wrote them, Mike Maltese, should get credit too." - Harry Love, animation producer/director (Columbia, Hanna-Barbera, etc.) ---

"You tend to root for both characters. You want the Road Runner to win because he's an 'innocent' and you want the Coyote to win just because he deserves it after all he's been through." - Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets