This Is the Golden Era Actor Bugs Bunny Is Based On

It might be surprising to learn that Looney Tunes’ central character is, in fact, based on a real person — especially because that would imply that person’s ability to stick their finger in the end of a hunting rifle and have it peel back like a steel banana. 

The hallowed hare, though, is indeed based on an actor from Hollywood’s Golden Age: Clark Gable, specifically his role in a movie named It Happened One Night. In it, Gable plays a fast-talking reporter named Peter Warne, whose mannerisms have a direct parallel to everyone’s favorite stinker.

Of course, you might say that it’s a stretch to connect the two, given that a quick-talking font of charisma isn’t exactly a unique character in fiction. But don’t worry, doubters, I have more evidence in tow, most notably, the character’s connection to one of Bugs’ most common activities: absolutely going to town on carrots. 

Naturally, you’d have assumed that the carrot-eating was a species-based detail, but it turns out the carrot-chomping was also lifted from Gable’s performance. A famous scene from the movie shows Gable as Peter Warne attempting to hitchhike, talking a mile-a-minute while chewing through a raw carrot like a gatling gun. To say nothing of when he punctuates the end of a sentence with a “see.”

That’s not the only vocal quirk that directly points to Gable, either. The second, when combined with the aforementioned munching choice, makes it pretty clear this isn’t a red-yarn conspiracy retcon. Though it’s not Gable himself who says it, his character is addressed in the film by a character named Oscar as “Doc,” with even a single instance of the full-kit-and-caboodle phrasing “What's up, doc?” 

Which makes Bugs Bunny Hollywood royalty twice over.