Mel Blanc, the voice of Bugs Bunny, was in a serious car accident that put him in a coma. After many unsuccessful attempts to get him to talk, the doctor asked, "Bugs, can you hear me?" Mel responded in Bugs voice: "Whats up Doc?" They used this technique to lead him out of his coma.
@historyinmemes Find someone that looks at you the way this sweet rescue pup looks at this man
He talks about the accident in his autobiography. He was in the hospital for months and had insurance that would pay him if he was too ill to work, so he didn't have to worry about missing work. They needed to finish up one cartoon however and only need him to read a few lines. They brought the recording equipment into his hospital room and he read the lines. It was a very expensive favor. The insurance company heard about it and stopped paying his policy arguing that he was well enough to work, even though he was in a hospital confined to a be with numerous injuries.
The accident occurred on the night of January 24, 1961, when Blanc was driving his sports car through the dark streets of Los Angeles. He was navigating a notorious stretch of Sunset Boulevard known as “Dead Man’s Curve” when his car was hit by an oncoming vehicle. The 18-year-old driver of the other car sustained only minor injuries, but Blanc was not so fortunate. He was rushed to the UCLA Medical Center with both of his legs fractured, multiple ribs broken, and his pelvis shattered. The most severe injury was a triple skull fracture. Blanc’s condition was critical, and he remained in a coma for two weeks. His family and doctors were unable to get a response from him. Then, about 14 days after the crash, one of Blanc’s neurologists had a unique idea. He bent over Blanc’s bed and asked, "Bugs Bunny, how are you doing today?". After a few moments of silence, a faint voice replied, "What’s up, doc?". This was the first sign of Blanc’s consciousness since the accident. Following this miraculous moment, Blanc began his road to recovery. He fully recovered from his injuries and continued his voice acting career. Blanc passed away in 1989 from complications of both emphysema and advanced coronary artery disease. His legacy as the “Man of a Thousand Voices” lives on, and his remarkable recovery from a near-fatal accident is a testament to the power of the human spirit.
@historyinmemes He also hated carrots and would do a take and spit the carrot out after. They tried other veggies but nothing sounds like a carrot. So Mel had to bite, chew and spit every take.
@historyinmemes so he lived the rest of his life as Bugs Bunny?