Tribute to Looney Tunes Voice Eric Bauza

Bauza was the voice of Looney Tunes characters

Last weekend I watched Coyote vs. Acme, an animation and live action film about Wile E. Coyote who sues Acme Corporation for selling him faulty products.

It was a fun movie, interesting premise to keep the adults interested. 

Then this morning on my social media feed, I saw there were tributes to a voice actor called Eric Bauza, who was the voice of Looney Tunes -- Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety, Foghorn Leghorn... and it was he voicing those characters in Coyote vs Acme.

One of his last films was Coyote vs. Acme

Bauza, a Filipino-Canadian, died October 25 in Los Angeles of hypertensive heart disease. He was 46 years old.

When he was a child in Scarborough, Ontario, he would imitate the voice of the Looney Tunes characters and later when he was in high school he would do the announcements in voices from The Simpsons. He also drew cartoons and became an accomplished artist.

He went to Los Angeles and worked for Warner Bros. for 15 years with over 400 voice credits, and also won the first ever Children's and Family Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice Performance in an Animated Program for Looney Toons Cartoons.

Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes gang weren't the only cartoons Bauza worked on. He also did voicing for Ren & Stimpy, The Fairly OddParents, Coconut Fred's Fruit Salad Island, Dick Figures, and Breadwinners among others.

The animation world paid tribute to Bauza. 

Bauza loved watching cartoons as a child

In a statement to Variety, Chris DeFaria, who produced Coyote vs. Acme, said Bauza offered "absolutely tireless dedication" to his craft.

Warner Bros. Television Group and U.S. Networks Chairman Channing Dungey said in a statement that Bauza was a "unique voice talent who brought joy and laughter to millions around the world."

"In addition to his incredible talent, Eric was a treasured part of our animation family. Our hearts go out to his loved ones," Dungey continued.

Bauza was also good friends with Steve Gaskin, and together they started Retrokid, a line of nostalgic clothing and merchandise inspired by childhood television shows. 

"In 2019, Eric and I started Retrokid in my garage," wrote Gaskin on Instagram. "What started out as just a silly idea became something much bigger than either of us anticipated. We both poured everything into it while still trying to find time for our kids, our family's, and our regular jobs. 

"Eric was in LA and had already broken through many ceilings as a voice-actor. His commitment to his craft, dedication to honouring past, present, and future icons, and unrelenting drive to perfect every voice and impression; made him an unstoppable force. Yet, he remained humble, kind, generous, and always put everyone else's needs before his own."

What a big loss for the animation community and his friends and family.