Mel Blanc Joins Warner Bros. in 1937
On May 30, 1908, Melvin Jerome Blank was born in San Francisco, California. At the age of six, his family relocated to Portland, Oregon. Young Blank developed a passion for music and picked up the bass, violin, and sousaphone, among other instruments. He had a fondness for making up voices, which amused his classmates and annoyed his teachers. Blank was told by a teacher when he was 16 years old, “You’ll never amount to anything. You’re just like your last name: blank.”
Following his graduation, Blanc was hired by KGW, an Oregon radio station, for The Hoot Owls, a late-night variety show that he wrote for and performed on. The incident forced Blank to change the spelling of his last name to “Blanc.”
The youngest musical director in the nation, Blanc was appointed by the RKO Orpheum Theater in Portland on March 26, 1931 (as stated in the previously cited Encyclopedia). Blanc developed his ability to create a range of voices through his work on radio, in part to compensate for the lack of any supporting cast members. Blanc was hired by San Francisco-based NBC affiliate KGO in May 1931 to emcee The Road Show. However, after the show’s failure, he moved to Los Angeles, where he eventually met and wed Estelle Rosenbaum in 1933.
After moving back to Portland, Blanc and his spouse started a new late-night program for KEX called Cobwebs and Nuts. Following the conclusion of the show in 1935, the Blanc family relocated to Los Angeles. In 1936, Blanc secured employment performing impressions on NBC Blue Networks’ The Jell-O Program Starring Jack Benny, in addition to other radio assignments in the vicinity. Blanc had been unsuccessful in her attempts to get a voice acting audition with Warner Bros. at that time. Then destiny intervened, and after the manager who had repeatedly turned Blanc down died in 1936, his successor gave him another chance and ultimately hired him.
After Blanc voiced a drunken bull in his first Warner Bros. project, Picador Porky, he was approached to take over as Porky Pig’s voice actor, according to Encyclopedia. 1937 saw the release of Picador Porky, which was not only Blanc’s first Warner cartoon but also the place where he improvised and came up with the famous “Th-uh-th-uh-th-that’s all, folks!” The same year also saw the appearance of Daffy Duck, and in 1940 Blanc contributed to the creation of Bugs Bunny, the character he would be most closely associated with throughout his career.
Bugs Bunny Saves Mel Blanc After a Serious Car Accident
As they say, the rest is history. According to Britannica, Blanc voiced 90 percent of the Looney Tunes characters, which catapulted her to international stardom. Subsequently, in January 1961, Blanc was hospitalized following a tragic accident. After a recording session in San Francisco, Blanc was driving home in his sports car, heading east on Sunset Boulevard, when he was struck by a college student right at the famous “Dead Man’s Curve.” When he was finally pulled from the wreckage, Blanc was unconscious, and the situation did not look good. Blanc had sustained multiple fractures, including two broken legs, a fractured pelvis, and numerous other broken bones. Blanc spent fourteen days unconscious. Dr. Louis Conway, the neurosurgeon attending to Blanc, and Blanc’s family, would try calling out his name, but to no avail. They feared the worst, as did Blanc’s fans around the world.
Curiously, this is where the story is connected to the Bugs Bunny cartoons. When Dr. Conway arrived in Blanc’s hospital room, the television was on and running a Bugs Bunny cartoon. The doctor had an idea because of the timing, whether it was a coincidence or a sign from God. A crazy notion, some might say. “So finally, he [the doctor] said, ‘Bugs, can you hear me?’ Believe it or not – and I was there with my mom – he responds in character, ‘Yeah, what’s up doc?’ I was stunned.” Blanc’s son, Noel Blanc, narrates what transpired next in an interview with Fox News. “He recuperated and even took on jobs while wearing a full-body cast.”
Among other things, Blanc continued to voice a wide variety of cartoon characters in the years after his accident. At the age of 22, Blanc’s son started working at Mel Blanc Associates, an advertising agency that Blanc had founded shortly before his accident with John Burton, a former executive producer of Warner Bros. (as per the previously cited Encyclopedia). Mel Blanc established the Mel Blanc School of Commercials in 1972, offering classes on voiceovers for radio and television, commercial acting fundamentals, and other subjects. However, financial issues forced the school to close after just two years. In 1988, Blanc provided the voice of the Looney Tunes characters that starred in the hugely popular live-action/animation hybrid movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit. That would be the last film Blanc worked on that was released while he was still alive, with Blanc passing away at 81 years old on July 10, 1989.
The breadth of Blanc’s legacy is astounding. He worked on several Looney Tunes character development projects. Additionally, Blanc’s 1937 opening line and “last words he ever said on-camera or off-camera,” “That’s All, Folks,” are inscribed on his tombstone.
Toddler Calls 911 Accidentally and Saves Dad's Life
A father from Florida collapsed on the floor during a medical episode. Fortunately, his toddler son dialed 911 by accident and saved his life. An officer from the Hernando County Sheriff's Office arrived quickly and administered first aid before transporting him to a nearby hospital.
Woman survives skydiving accident, discovers she's pregnant
2005, a woman performing her first solo skydive jump survived a parachute malfunction which caused her to slam face first into a parking lot at 50 MPH. During surgery doctors discovered she was pregnant. She made a full recovery and the baby was fine.
Mystery of 300-year-old mummified mermaid is being probed
There is a 300-year-old mummified mermaid with 30 centimetres tall and features a human-like head, two hands with what appear to be fingernails, and its lower body that look like a fish tail. The “mermaid mummy” is being probed by Japanese scientists in an attempt to unravel the mystery of its existence.
Croatian teenager wakes up from coma speaking fluent in German In 2010
In 2010, a Croatian teenager awoke from a coma to discover she could no longer speak Croatian but was fluent in German, a language she had just recently begun studying at school in the United Kingdom. reports in the press
Man's Blood Helped Save Millions of Babies
Australian blood donor James Harrison has been one of our most impressive and valued donors, having donated for 60 years. Know his story, how he was a pioneer of our Anti-D program, and why this matters.
Billy Ray Harris: A Story of Kindness and Honesty
In 2013, a homeless man named Billy Ray Harris discovered a $4,000 engagement ring in this cup. A woman had dropped while giving him some change. He returned the ring to her two days later. To thank him for his honesty, she set up a fund with the goal of raising $4,000 for him. It earned more than $185,000.
Water park in japan, ocean dome: Largest indoor water park in the world
The Seagaia Ocean Dome, located in Miyazaki, Japan, was the biggest indoor waterpark in the world. An "Ocean" six times the size of an Olympic pool, filled with 13,500 tons of unsalted, chlorinated water kept heated at 28 degrees Celsius and recognized as the largest simulated pool by the Guinness Book of World Records, measures 12,000 square meters of the sandy beach made from 600 tons of stone.
24-year-old burglar beaten by retired boxer victim
A 24-year-old knife-wielding burglar attempted to get into the home of a 72-year-old senior in Oxford, England, in 2009, but was left battered, bruised, and pinned to the ground. Frank Corti, the elderly, turned out to be a former boxing champion.
Apple Watch saves a 78 year old man from life threatening fall
An Apple watch saved the life of a 78-year-old man from North Carolina. When the man was unconscious and collapsed on his driveway, his Apple watch quickly sent an alert to emergency services.
The Man Who Kept a “Gold” Rock for Years—Only to Discover It Was a 4.6-Billion-Year-Old Meteorite Worth a Fortune
A man cherished a heavy 17-kilogram rock for years, believing it to be solid gold. The surprising twist? Experts later revealed it was a rare, 4.6-billion-year-old iron meteorite—an ancient cosmic relic worth far more than gold. Dive into the fascinating story of this celestial treasure and what makes it so valuable.
Troy Leon Gregg: the death row inmate murdered the same night he escaped
In July 1980, Troy Leon Gregg escaped from Georgia State Prison the night before his execution. However, he was killed in a fight in a bar just a few hours later.
Couple reunites after 60 years apart
A Russian couple were reunited after being separated for 60 years. They were married for 3 days when the husband left to join the Red Army. They were unable to find each other until 60 years later when they randomly visited their hometown on the same day.
Story of Forrest Fenn and who he hid a bronze chest treasure full of gold and other jewels
Forrest Fenn, an art dealer, hid a bronze chest full of gold and other jewels somewhere in the Rocky Mountains ten years ago. In a poem, he hinted at its location. Thousands of people tried and failed to find the treasure, which is said to be worth over a million dollars, and at least four people died in the process. In June 2020, the Fenn treasure was discovered.
Man uses first-class ticket to eat for free at airport's VIP lounge for almost a year
A Chinese man purchased a First Class Ticket, which included admission to a VIP Lounge with free food. Over the course of a year, he rescheduled over 300 times in order to receive over 300 free dinners. When questioned, it was discovered that he is rescheduling his reservation to another date after eating. He eventually cancelled the ticket and got a full refund.
Whang-od Oggay, The legendary tattoo artist from the Philippines
This is Whang-od Oggay, a 106-year-old tattoo artist from the Philippines. She is often described as the last and oldest Kalinga tattoo artist, and has been performing the traditional art of hand-tapped tattoos since the age of 15
How Magic Johnson Missed Out On $7 Billion Nike deal
Magic Johnson turned down a deal with Nike in 1979 that offered him 100,000 shares of stock and $1 for every pair of shoes sold. Instead, he chose Converse, which offered him $100,000 per year. Johnson lost about $5 billion by declining the Nike deal.
ILOVEYOU Virus, the worst computer virus of all time
The ILOVEYOU Virus, also known as Love Letter for You or Love Bug, had a high infection rate due to its ability to spread itself by copying entries from users' email address books. It is a virus that was created in 2000 by a college student in Manilla, Philippines, and was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the worst computer virus of all time, causing more damage than anything before it.
A subway in Chongqing passes through a building (images)
A train has been constructed through an apartment complex in Chongqing, China. The 19-story residential structure is not only passed by the light rail passenger train, but it also serves as a transit stop. Apartment residents can simply get a ride from the sixth to eighth levels.
Unique Dining table with a hole for your cat to peek and join you dinner.
Dinos, a Japanese internet shop, has launched a new range of cat furniture, which includes this oak table with a hole in the middle and a perch underneath. It places your cat companion in the center of the table, making your cat the main focus of your meal, as it should be, because cats are the true proprietors of “your” home.
Lafayette pizza delivery driver who saved 5 from burning house
Nicholas Bostic a 25-year-old pizza delivery man from Lafayette, Indiana, ran into a burning house to rescue four children, who told him there is one more inside. He ran back inside, he found the six-year-old girl, jumped out of a window, carried her to a cop who captured the moment on his bodycam.
Restaurant owner offers burglar a job rather than filing charges
On April 13, 2021, Diablo’s Southwest Grill was robbed, but instead of pressing charges, owner Carl Wallace decided to offer the burglar a job in his business and said “There are better opportunities out there than this path you’ve chosen,”.
The beauty and uniqueness of Fukang Meteorite
This Fukang meteorite is around 4.5 billion years old and weighs more than 2,000 pounds. It was discovered in China in 2014 and is assumed to have formed when our solar system initially formed.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z's Hospital Security Blocked NICU Access for Father of Premature Twins
A father was denied access to see his premature twins in the NICU when Beyonce and Jay-Z had their daughter at the same time.
Before Hollywood, Christopher Walken Was a Teenage Lion Tamer with a Lioness Named Sheba
Before acting, Christopher Walken worked as a lion tamer in a circus at age 16. He performed with a lioness named Sheba and described the job as surprisingly calm—just another day before Hollywood stardom.
Aitzaz Hasan, Pakistani school boy who sacrificed his life from suicide bomber
Aitzaz Hasan, a 15 year old Pakistani school boy, sacrificed his life while preventing a suicide bomber from entering his school of 2000 students. His father said "My son made his mother cry but saved hundreds of mothers from crying for their children."
