Bugs Bunny creator Bob Givens dies, aged 99

From Digital Spy

While Bugs Bunny and his fellow Looney Tunes characters aren't as popular as they once were, they will always be iconic, which is why we're so sad that Bob Givens has passed away.

Givens was a veteran animator who worked at Disney, Warner Bros and Hanna-Barbera, and was most famous for being the creator of Bugs Bunny's first officially used design.

Tex Avery and Chuck Jones had a 'wabbit' character in their portfolio, but deemed him "too cute" to use, until Givens gave him a redesign that became the character we all know and love, as seen here in his debut, 'A Wild Hare':

Givens was an animation checker before working for Disney on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and was later hired by Warner Bros.

After being drafted into the military in World War II, he worked on projects like Popeye and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, and continued to work in animation until the very early 2000s, after which he gave speeches to students.

Givens died of natural causes on Thursday, December 14 at St Joseph's Hospital in Burbank. His daughter announced the passing on her personal Facebook page (via Animation Magazine).

Fans of the animator's work have paid tribute on Twitter: