People who inspired cartoons

Contents

1 Mr. Magoo is the comedian W.C. fields
2 Leslie Nielsen played Mr. Magoo for the big screen
3 Jessica Rabbit is Veronica Lake, Lauren Bacall and Rita Hayworth

There are many examples of caricatures or cartoon series based on aspects, more or less rigorous, of people in real life. The resemblance is usually physical, but as we will see, sometimes it goes beyond the physical resemblance…

Mr. Magoo is the comedian W.C. fields

Mr. Magoo is the brainchild of Millard Kaufman, an American novelist and screenwriter. In the year 1949 he wrote the script for the short film Ragtime Bear, which would be the first appearance of Mr. Magoo. Originally, when Kaufman wrote the first Magoo cartoon, he did not intend it to be based on the comic W.C. Fields. In fact, it wasn’t until a few short films later that creative director Pete Burness (who also participated in the ‘Tom and Jerry’ or ‘Looney Tunes’ series) and other members of the production company United Productions of America decided to look for inspiration in the comedian.

Jules Engel was one of the animators along with William Hurtz, John Hubley or Herbert Klynn, who after leaving Disney created the United Productions of America studio. At the UPA, Engel worked, among other caricatures, with Mr. Magoo.

«What happened with Mr. Magoo, -says Engel-, is that he was W.C. Field, when we met him, when we finished our first movie and were looking for vocal talent, when we heard him… that was it, you don’t have to go any further, that was it«.

Apparently W.C. Field hated it when people stopped him in the street, yelling, ‘Hey, Mr. Magoo!’

W. C. Fields. The inspiration for Mr Magoo

Leslie Nielsen played Mr. Magoo for the big screen

Over time, and thanks to his economic income, it seems that he tempered his discomfort. However, he stated, “I’ve spent all these years to be a good actor and now, here I am, on a piece of paper.”

WC Field was one of the six candidates to voice Mr. Magoo, although when they heard him he prevailed over the others.

Jessica Rabbit is Veronica Lake, Lauren Bacall and Rita Hayworth

The explosive Jessica Rabbit is the combination of three women: Veronica Lake, Lauren Bacall and Rita Hayworth

Animation director Richard Williams initially modeled the character’s seductive wife more than reasonably like actress Rita Hayworth, before using Veronica Lake’s likeness as inspiration for the character’s hair. However, director Robert Zemeckis was the one who insisted that they give it some touches that would lead to think of Lauren Bacall seeing the fabulous Jessica Rabbit.