In remarks to the New Canaan Men’s Club August 4, Joe Gianquinto, a long-time network television executive, will recount the long Hollywood career of Mel Blanc, the voice actor who enabled Bugs Bunny to ask, “What’s up, Doc?” and supplied Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd and an array of other Warner Bros. Looney Tunes characters with their distinctive voices.
The club’s meeting will begin at 10 a.m. in Morrill Hall at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church with Gianquinto’s comments slated for 10:40 a.m., following the business portion of the meeting.
Gianquinto, an Old Greenwich resident, is a 38-year veteran of the television industry, having worked as a production manager on numerous news, sports and entertainment programs for ABC, NBC, ESPN and Westinghouse Broadcasting.
In his talk, he’ll describe Blanc’s career in Hollywood where the actor was known as the man of 1,000 voices. As a voice actor, he played virtually all the Looney Tunes featured characters. Apart from the cartoons, he was also a cast member on the Jack Benny Show, appearing in comedy sketches in multiple roles. In keeping with Porky Pig’s closing at the end of each Looney Tunes cartoon, Blanc’s gravestone is engraved: “That’s all folks.”
The Men’s Club meets on alternative Fridays during the summer. It has openings for new members, men 55-years and above. For information, email ncmens@ncmens.club