1940

"Elmer's Candid Camera" finally defines Tex Avery's Elmer Fudd as a character while establishing his relationship with his most notable co-star.

Friz Freleng returns to Warner Bros. with his autobiographical "You Ought to Be in Pictures".

"A Wild Hare" finally solidifies the new rabbit character into Warner Bros.' newest star: Bugs Bunny.

1940 would be a significant breakthrough year for Warner Bros. animation, as Tex Avery made the definitive short that would finally establish their rabbit experiment into Bugs Bunny. It also marked the return of Friz Freleng, who would remain at the studio for the remainder of their Golden Age.

Notes

• The finalized versions of Ben Hardaway's Bugs Bunny and Tex Avery's Elmer Fudd debut this year: Elmer in "Elmer's Candid Camera" and Bugs in "A Wild Hare". "Elmer's Candid Camera" also featured the last appearance of the prototypical Bugs Bunny.
• Ben Hardaway leaves the studio to work for Walter Lantz.
• The finalized version of the "That's all Folks!" writing debuts in "Confederate Honey" for the second half of the 1939–40 animation season and would be used on every short from this day forward.

Theatrical Shorts

1.  "Porky's Last Stand" (Clampett/January 6)
2.  "The Early Worm Gets the Bird" (Avery/January 13)  
3.  "Africa Squeaks" (Clampett/January 27)
4.  "Mighty Hunters" (Jones/January 27) 
5.  "Ali-Baba Bound" (Clampett/February 10) 
6.  "Busy Bakers" (Hardaway, Dalton/February 10) 
7.  "Elmer's Candid Camera" (Jones/March 2)
8.  "Pilgrim Porky" (Clampett/March 16)
9.  "Cross Country Detours" (Avery/March 16) 
10.  "Confederate Honey" (Hardaway, Dalton, Freleng/March 30)
11.  "Slap Happy Pappy" (Clampett/April 13)
12.  "The Bear's Tale" (Avery/April 13) 
13.  "Porky's Poor Fish" (Clampett/April 27)
14.  "The Hardship of Miles Standish" (Hardaway, Dalton, Freleng/April 27)
15.  "Sniffles Takes a Trip" (Jones/May 11) 
16.  "You Ought to Be in Pictures" (Freleng/May 18)
17.  "A Gander at Mother Goose" (Avery/May 25)
18.  "The Chewin' Bruin" (Clampett/June 8)
19.  "Tom Thumb in Trouble" (Jones/June 8) 
20.  "Circus Today" (Avery/June 22) 
21.  "Porky's Baseball Broadcast" (Freleng/July 6)
22.  "Little Blabbermouse" (Freleng/July 6) 
23.  "The Egg Collector" (Jones/July 20) 
24.  "A Wild Hare" (Avery/July 27)  
25.  "Ghost Wanted" (Jones/August 10)
26.  "Patient Porky" (Clampett/August 24)
27.  "Ceiling Hero" (Avery/August 24)
28.  "Malibu Beach Party" (Freleng/September 14)
29.  "Calling Dr. Porky" (Freleng/September 21)
30.  "Stage Fright" (Jones/September 28) 
31.  "Prehistoric Porky" (Clampett/October 12)
32.  "Holiday Highlights" (Avery/October 12)
33.  "Good Night Elmer" (Jones/October 26)
34.  "The Sour Puss" (Clampett/November 2)
35.  "Wacky Wild Life" (Avery/November 9) 
36.  "Bedtime for Sniffles" (Jones/November 23) 
37.  "Porky's Hired Hand" (Freleng/November 30)
38.  "Of Fox and Hounds" (Avery/December 7) 
39.  "The Timid Toreador" (Clampett, McCabe/December 21) 
40.  "Shop Look & Listen" (Freleng/December 21)

Character Debuts

• Bugs Bunny (redesigned and finalized appearance)
• Elmer Fudd (redesigned and finalized appearance)
• Willoughby

People

Births

• 1 March - Sheldon Kahn
• 1 June - René Auberjonois
• 7 June - Tom Jones
• 15 June - Michael Barrier
• 25 September - Roberto Del Giudice

Deaths

• 14 February - Norman Spencer

References

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1939

Timeline

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