The Fabulous Fifties on Reels

While working on the first Road Runner cartoon, "Fast and Furry-Ous"(1949), director Chuck Jones and writer Michael Maltese weren't sure what an animated roadrunner should sound like. The real-life bird has no distinct sound. According to Jones, the answer hit them when they heard studio background artist Paul Julian coming down the hallway with an armload of paintings, making a loud noise similar to that of an automobile horn as a warning for people to get out of his way. They instantly knew th