Model Sheet Monday: Pepe’ Le Pew

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Click the image to see the full sized model sheet!

Today’s model sheet comes from the classic Warner Bros division run by Darrell Van Citters back in the early 1990’s. Pepe Le’ Pew was an interesting character who would not take no for an answer. He wasn’t my favorite but I admittedly did enjoy him lackadaisically chasing the cat around and the quick cutting, her panicked and him playfully hopping to catch up. Of course at the time I had no idea he was essentially a stalker and that she probably had a restraining order on him! I don’t think you could get away with a  cartoon like this today, except maybe on Family Guy. I have in the past worked with hygienically challenged people who left a waft of stench behind them so I would argue that the science is solid surrounding his scent cloud.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lsQfTaStcs

I was fortunate enough to be able to animate Pepe in a Marshall’s commercial back in the early 90’s myself while working at Warner Bros. Animation.

[video src="http://www.milowerx.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/Marshals.mp4" /]

This particular model sheet was drawn by Shawn Keller.

Here’s more information via Wikipedia about our love starved rodent Pepe’ Le Pew:

Pepé Le Pew storylines typically involve Pepé in pursuit of what appears to be a female skunk (“la belle femme skunk fatale”). But, usually, the supposed female skunk is actually a black cat (retroactively named Penelope Pussycat) who has had a white stripe painted down her back, often by accident (as by squeezing under a fence with wet white paint). Usually Penelope runs away from him anyway because of his putrid odor or because of his overly assertive manner. As Penelope frantically races to get away from Pepé, he hops after her at a leisurely pace.

Here’s Chuck Jones talking about creating Pepe’ Le Pew.

 

 

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