"I'd like to share with you this ad from Brazilian TV featuring our fast, feathery friend, the Road Runner. It's for a courier service by the name of Sedex (not to be confused with Fedex, although I don't know if they could be an international division.) "
Alex also wrote about his feelings on the later Rudy Larriva RR shorts as well as his search for commercials from a RR and Coyote ad campaign for the Yellow Pages:
"Among Termite Terrace's esteemed stable of characters, I personally enjoy the Coyote & Road Runner 'toons the most, as I'm sure a good number of toon fans out there (including a select group of Harvard's past and present illuminati), and I'll admit, I even keep a soft spot in my heart for the Rudy Larriva-produced ones from the 60's, so don't feel too guilty for harping on them so much. I hadn't been aware of the existence of the 60's shorts until I'd seen them on "The Bugs Bunny Show" back in the late 70's. Even if some 'toon critics agree that the 60's versions were nothing more than cheapjack imitations of the classic characters all LT fans have come to recognize and endear themselves to, I will say that, at least, the 60's "Wile E." was somewhat less "ugly" in appearance (the stereotype that's usually applied to all coyotes in general, although even nature lovers would agree that real-life coyotes have a beauty all their own) than Chuck Jones' more popular version. In fact, in certain scenes where, i.e., he's in a state of wanderlust over how a certain Acme product performed to expectation, he shows a kind of "cute" side of himself. Maybe it was just unintentional on Larriva's part, but that's just one reason I found this particular coyote to be so charming, I guess, as well as for moments of utter failure where I can't help but feel heartfelt sympathy for the poor creature.
On that note, let me get back to my reason for posting. In one of those articles concerning the desert deuling duo, you focused on the many TV ads of the past that featured Wile E. & RR. Coincidentally, I've been busy searching videoblog sites all over for a particular ad campaign that featured them. It was for Pennsylvania Bell's Donnelly Directory, which were shown on certain stations in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and perhaps other markets throughout Pennsylvania (I particularly recall watching them on Philadelphia's then CBS affiliate, Channel 10). The campaign even included printed ads in Yellow Pages directories, and billboard ads, featuring Wile E. As far as I can fathom, it is possible that other states at the time also had their own Donnelly Directories. So, chances are, I'm willing to bet someone out there has either an old Donnelly hiding somewhere in their attic, in a crawlspace,or in an office desk, or even an old Yellow Pages with a Donnelly ad in it, or, much hopefully, an old VCR tape with at least one of the TV ads. I'd sure appreciate it if you could help me out in this search. Who knows? You guys might have better luck than me. At any rate, I'll keep forging ahead undaunted."
1 comment:
That bird can sell anything!
I would love to see an animated short set in a similar 3D style. That would be incredible.
Post a Comment