Foghorn Leghorn

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Eyes: Black
Hair: White feathers
Race: Chicken


Story: Foghorn Leghorn is the overbearing and slightly annoying rooster.


Continuity: Looney Tunes
Publisher(s): Warner Bros.
First app.: Cartoons: Walky Talky Hawky (August 31, 1946)
Creator(s): Robert McKimson
Country of origin: USA


Background notes: Foghorn Leghorn started out as a supporting character in the Henery Hawk cartoon Walky Talky Hawky in 1946. He was just a way of foiling Henery Hawk's attempt at getting a chicken, but his distinct overbearing tone and attitude made him steal the picture and he ended up as the star. His trademark voice was done by Mel Blanc and was based on another character, Senator Claghorn, from the Fred Allen Radio Show. After the success of the cartoon, which even resulted in an Oscar nomination, Foghorn was given his own cartoons. Around 20 Foghorn Leghorn cartoons were made until Banty Raids in 1963 after which he was moved to anthology series like Bugs Bunny Show and The Roadrunner Show. The old cartoons had already been used in these series for a while and apart from a few occurrences like Who Framed Roger Rabbit and a couple of cartoons, no new material occurred until Tiny Toons Adventures started in 1990. By that time, the voice acting was taken over by Jeff Bergman. Though it isn't much, there is still being made new material with the overbearing rooster (latest record is Cock-A-Doodle Duel from 2004). The voice acting today is done by Frank Gorshin who has had the job since 1996.

The transfer of Foghorn to comics would be an obvious attempt. Especially a try-out title like Four Color Comics, which hosted quite a few Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies characters. The earliest occurrence in comics to be found so far is Dell's Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies #144 from 1953, but the first appearance may be before that, especially as Henery Hawk was a regular in that series and had been for a long time when Foghorn Leghorn was created. Foghorn is still seen from time to time in DC Comics' current Looney Tunes series.

Being a Looney Toones character of some fame, Foghorn has managed to be transferred to computer games. So far he has occurred in The Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle 2 from 1991 (Nintendo Gameboy) and Looney Tunes Space Race from 2000 (Sega Dreamcast; released for PS2 in 2002) where he had the role as commentator.

As could be expected, Foghorn Leghorn also made it into merchandise. Mostly the usual things like T-shirts, PEZ-dispensers, buttons etc.


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