Editing Chuck Jones (section)

== Career ==
=== Warner Bros. Cartoons ===
{{See also|Chuck Jones filmography}}Jones joined [[Leon Schlesinger|Leon Schlesinger Productions]], the independent studio that produced ''[[Looney Tunes]]'' and ''[[Merrie Melodies]]'' for [[Warner Bros.]], in 1933 as an assistant animator. In 1935 he was promoted to animator and assigned to work with a new Schlesinger director, [[Tex Avery]]. There was no room for the new Avery unit in Schlesinger's small studio, so Avery, Jones, and fellow animators [[Bob Clampett]], [[Virgil Ross]], and [[Sidney Sutherland|Sid Sutherland]] were moved into a small adjacent building they dubbed "Termite Terrace". In 1937, Jones' old boss [[Ub Iwerks]] was subcontracted to produce several ''Looney Tunes'' shorts for Schleshinger, with Clampett and Jones brought in to assist him. Iwerks completed only two shorts before he left, with Clampett taking his position soon after.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Animator Breakdown: Bob Clampett's "Porky's Badtime Story" (1937) {{!}} |url=https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/animator-breakdown-bob-clampetts-porkys-badtime-story-1937/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=cartoonresearch.com}}</ref> Jones worked alongside Clampett as an animator and an uncredited co-director (or "supervisor", the original title for an animation director in the studio) before becoming a main director himself in 1938 when [[Frank Tashlin]] left the studio,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Animator Breakdown: "Porky's Hero Agency" (1937) {{!}} |url=https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/animator-breakdown-porkys-hero-agency-1937/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=cartoonresearch.com}}</ref> a position that was initially offered to animator [[Robert McKimson]]. The following year, Jones created his first major character, [[Sniffles (Merrie Melodies)|Sniffles]], a cute Disney-style mouse, who went on to star in twelve Warner Bros. cartoons.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sniffles |url=https://www.chuckjonescenter.org/characters/sniffles |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171216201311/http://chuckjonescenter.org/characters/sniffles |archive-date=December 16, 2017 |access-date=December 16, 2017 |website=Chuck Jones Center}}</ref>

Jones initially struggled in with his directorial style in his formative years. Unlike the other directors in the studio, Jones wanted to make cartoons that would rival the quality and tone to that of ones made by [[Walt Disney Animation Studios|Walt Disney Productions]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chuck Jones {{!}} American animator {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Chuck-Jones |access-date=December 25, 2021 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> However, his cartoons suffered from sluggish pacing and confusing gags, with Jones himself later describing his early conception of timing and dialog to have been "formed by watching the action in the [[La Brea Tar Pits]]".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jones |first=Chuck |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NJzAdheaSc0C&dq=Not+only+Bugs+suffered+at+my+hands,+but+difficult+as+it+is+to+make+an+unassertive+character+like+Elmer+Fudd+into+a+flat,+complete+schmuck,+I+managed.&pg=PA197 |title=Chuck Amuck: The Life and Times of an Animated Cartoonist |date=1999 |publisher=Macmillan |isbn=978-0-374-52620-7 |language=en}}</ref> Schlesinger and the studio heads were unsatisfied with his Disney-esque style and demanded him make cartoons that were more funny.<ref>Chuck Jones: Extremes and In-betweens - A Life in Animation (PBS 2000)</ref> Jones began to change of directorial style starting with the 1942 short ''[[The Draft Horse]]'', but the cartoon that was generally considered his true turning point was [[The Dover Boys at Pimento University or The Rivals of Roquefort Hall|''The Dover Boys'']] later that year. The short became highly-regarded in recent years for its quick-timed gags and extensive use of [[limited animation]]. Despite this, Schlesinger and the studios heads were still dissatisfied and begun the process to fire him, but they were unable to find a replacement due to a labor shortage stemming from [[World War II]], so Jones kept his position. 

He was actively involved in efforts to unionize the staff of [[Warner Bros. Cartoons|Leon Schlesinger Studios]]. He was responsible for recruiting animators, layout men, and background people. Almost all animators joined, in reaction to salary cuts imposed by [[Leon Schlesinger]]. The [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio]] had already signed a union contract, encouraging their counterparts under Schlesinger.<ref name="Sigall">Sigall (2005), pp. 59–61</ref> In a meeting with his staff, Schlesinger talked for a few minutes, then turned over the meeting to his attorney. His insulting manner had a unifying effect on the staff. Jones gave a pep talk at the union headquarters. As negotiations broke down, the staff decided to go on strike. Schlesinger locked them out of the studio for a few days, before agreeing to sign the contract.<ref name="Sigall"/> A Labor-Management Committee was formed and Jones served as a moderator. Because of his role as a supervisor in the studio, he could not himself join the union.<ref name="Sigall"/> 

[[File:The Outpost.ogv|thumb|left|thumbtime=1:59|''Outpost'', a Private Snafu cartoon directed by Chuck Jones in 1944]]
During [[World War II]], Jones worked closely with Theodor Geisel, better known as [[Dr. Seuss]], to create the ''[[Private Snafu]]'' series of Army educational cartoons (the character was created by director [[Frank Capra]]). Jones later collaborated with Seuss on animated adaptations of Seuss' books, including ''[[How the Grinch Stole Christmas!]]'' in 1966. Jones directed such shorts as ''[[The Weakly Reporter]]'', a 1944 short that related to shortages and rationing on the home front. During the same year, he directed [[UPA Animation|UPA]]'s second short subject ''[[Hell-Bent for Election]]'', a propaganda campaign film for [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]].<ref name="imdb">{{IMDb name|0005062|Chuck Jones}}</ref> 

Jones created characters through the late 1930s, late 1940s, and the 1950s, which include his collaborative help in co-developing [[Bugs Bunny]] and also included creating [[Claude Cat]], [[Marc Antony and Pussyfoot]], [[Charlie Dog]], [[Michigan J. Frog]], [[Gossamer (Looney Tunes)|Gossamer]], and his four most popular creations, [[Marvin the Martian]], [[Pepé Le Pew]], [[Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner]]. Jones and writer [[Michael Maltese]] collaborated on the Road Runner cartoons, ''[[Duck Amuck]]'', ''[[One Froggy Evening]]'', and ''[[What's Opera, Doc?]]''. Other staff at Unit A whom Jones collaborated with include layout artist, background designer, and co-director [[Maurice Noble]]; animator and co-director [[Abe Levitow]]; and animators [[Ken Harris]] and [[Ben Washam]].

Jones remained at Warner Bros. throughout the 1950s, except for a brief period in 1953 when Warner closed the animation studio. During this interim, Jones found employment at [[Walt Disney Animation Studios|Walt Disney Productions]], where he teamed with [[Ward Kimball]] for a four-month period. According to Kimball, Jones expected to work at Disney at a higher salary rate then at Warner Bros., but was instead employed at the same salary despite numerous negotiations with [[Walt Disney]]. Furthermore, Jones was not given any directorial assignments but was instead assigned to assists Kimball on the film [[Sleeping Beauty (1959 film)|''Sleeping Beauty'']] (1959),<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Chuck Jones at Disney {{!}} |url=https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/chuck-jones-at-disney/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=cartoonresearch.com}}</ref> which at the time was going through production delays. Upon Warner Bros. Cartoons reopening, Jones was rehired and reunited with most of his unit. Despite the unsatisfying tenure, Jones still holds the Disney studio to high regard, but later joked that the only job he wanted from Disney's was the position held by Walt.<ref name=":1" />

In the early 1960s, Jones and his wife Dorothy wrote the screenplay for the animated feature ''[[Gay Purr-ee]]''. The finished film featured the voices of [[Judy Garland]], [[Robert Goulet]] and [[Red Buttons]] as cats in Paris, France. The feature was produced by [[United Productions of America|UPA]] and directed by his former Warner Bros. collaborator, Abe Levitow. Jones moonlighted to work on the film since he had an exclusive contract with Warner Bros. UPA completed the film and made it available for distribution in 1962; it was picked up by Warner Bros. When Warner Bros. discovered that Jones had violated his exclusive contract with them, they terminated him.<ref name="endofstudio">Barrier, Michael (1999). ''Hollywood Cartoons''. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 562–563; {{ISBN|0-19-516729-5}}</ref> Jones's former animation unit was laid off after completing the final cartoon in their pipeline, ''[[The Iceman Ducketh]]'', and the rest of the Warner Bros. Cartoons studio was closed in early 1963.<ref name="endofstudio" />

=== MGM Animation/Visual Arts ===
With business partner Les Goldman, Jones started an independent animation studio, Sib Tower 12 Productions, and brought on most of his unit from Warner Bros., including Maurice Noble and Michael Maltese. In 1963, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contracted with Sib Tower 12 to have Jones and his staff produce new ''[[Tom and Jerry]]'' cartoons as well as a television adaptation of all ''Tom and Jerry'' theatricals produced to that date. This included major editing, including writing out the African-American maid, [[Mammy Two-Shoes]], and replacing her with one of Irish descent voiced by [[June Foray]]. In 1964, Sib Tower 12 was absorbed by MGM and was renamed [[MGM Animation/Visual Arts]]. His animated short film, ''[[The Dot and the Line|The Dot and the Line: A Romance in Lower Mathematics]]'', won the 1965 [[Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film]]. Jones directed the classic animated short ''[[The Bear That Wasn't]]''.<ref name="imdb"/>

In 1966, he produced and directed the TV special ''[[How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (TV special)|How the Grinch Stole Christmas]]!'', featuring narration by [[Boris Karloff]].<ref name="j502">{{cite web | last=Jones | first=Brian Jay | title=How Dr. Seuss Stole Christmas | website=The Saturday Evening Post | date=December 12, 2019 | url=https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2019/12/how-doctor-seuss-stole-christmas/ | access-date=May 22, 2024}}</ref>

Jones continued to work on other TV specials such as ''[[Horton Hears a Who! (TV special)|Horton Hears a Who!]]'' (1970), but his main focus during this time was producing the feature film ''[[The Phantom Tollbooth (film)|The Phantom Tollbooth]]'', which did lukewarm business when [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM]] released it in 1970. Jones co-directed 1969's ''[[The Pogo Special Birthday Special]]'', based on the [[Walt Kelly]] comic strip, and voiced the characters of Porky Pine and Bun Rab. It was at this point that he decided to start ST Incorporated.<ref name="imdb"/>

=== Chuck Jones Enterprises ===
MGM closed the animation division in 1970, and Jones once again started his own studio, Chuck Jones Enterprises. He produced a Saturday morning children's TV series for the [[American Broadcasting Company]] called ''[[Curiosity Shop|The Curiosity Shop]]'' in 1971. In 1973, he produced an animated version of the [[George Selden (author)|George Selden]] book ''[[The Cricket in Times Square]]'' and subsequently produced two sequels.<ref name="imdb"/>

Three of his works during this period were animated TV adaptations of short stories from [[Rudyard Kipling]]'s ''[[The Jungle Book]]'': ''[[Mowgli's Brothers (TV special)|Mowgli's Brothers]]'', ''[[The White Seal]]'' and ''[[Rikki-Tikki-Tavi]]''. During this period, Jones began to experiment with more realistically designed characters, most of which had larger eyes, leaner bodies, and altered proportions, such as those of the ''Looney Tunes'' characters.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mark Twain inspired Chuck Jones to create this Looney Tunes character |url=https://www.metv.com/stories/mark-twain-inspired-chuck-jones-to-create-this-looney-tunes-character |access-date=March 4, 2022 |website=Me-TV Network |language=en}}</ref>
[[file:Chuck Jones.jpg|thumb|Jones in 1978]]

=== Return to Warner Bros. ===
Jones resumed working with Warner Bros. in 1976 with the animated TV adaptation of ''[[Bugs and Daffy's Carnival of the Animals|The Carnival of the Animals]]'' with Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. Jones also produced ''[[The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie]]'' (1979), which was a compilation of Jones's best theatrical shorts, new Road Runner shorts for ''[[The Electric Company]]'' series and ''Bugs Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales'' (1979). New shorts were made for ''Bugs Bunny's Bustin' Out All Over'' (1980).<ref name="imdb"/>

From 1977 to 1978, Jones wrote and drew the newspaper comic strip ''Crawford'' (also known as ''Crawford & Morgan'') for the [[Tribune Media Services|Chicago Tribune-NY News Syndicate]]. In 2011 [[IDW Publishing]] collected Jones's strip as part of their Library of American Comic Strips.<ref name="lambiek.net">{{cite web |url=https://www.lambiek.net/artists/j/jones_chuck.htm |title=Chuck Jones &#124; Lambiek Comiclopedia |access-date=August 8, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821162408/https://www.lambiek.net/artists/j/jones_chuck.htm |archive-date=August 21, 2016 }}</ref>

In 1978, Jones's wife Dorothy died. He married Marian Dern, the writer of the comic strip ''[[Rick O'Shay]]'' in 1981.<ref name="lambiek.net"/>