Bugs Bunny may be more closely associated with Warner Bros. than any other star in the studio's history, more so even than such heavyweights as Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis, and James Cagney. According to Guinness World Records, Bugs Bunny has appeared in more films than any other animated character and is the ninth most portrayed character in film. From 1940 to 1967, Bug Bunny appeared in 167 theatrical animated shorts, and has appeared in even more since then. It should come as no surprise that he has often served as Warner Bros.' mascot.
This month Bugs Bunny will be Turner Classic Movies' star of the month, a first for any animated character. From February 2 to February 9, TCM will show 45 different Bugs Bunny animated shorts. What is considered the first Bugs Bunny cartoon "A Wild Hare" (1940), will kick things off tomorrow, February 2. Over the next several days, TCM will air such classic shorts s "The Rabbit of Seville" (1950), "What's Opera, Doc?" (1957), "Hair-Raising Hare" (1947), "Bugsy and Mugsy" (1957), "Broom-Stick Bunny" (1957), "Rabbit Fire" (1951), and yet others. The shorts will air alongside curated classic feature films.
As to why Bugs Bunny is TCM's Star of the Month (beyond the fact that he obviously deserves it), it is tomorrow, February 2, 2026, that Turner Classic Movies becomes the ongoing home of the Warner Bros. Cartoon library. This is part of a new six-year licensing deal. Here I must point out that this is not the first time Warner Bros. Cartoons have aired on TCM. Long time TCM fans might remember the channel's anthology series Cartoon Alley, which ran from 2004 to 2007. Cartoon Alley aired the classic Warner Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, as well as cartoons from Fleischer Studios, Famous Studios (Paramount), and MGM. More recently, during TCM's celebration of Warner Bros.' 100th anniversary, they showed classic Warner Bros. Cartoons.
As a long-time fan of Warner Bros. Cartoons, I am elated that Bugs Bunny is this month's Star of the Month. My only complaint is that Bugs isn't getting a whole month. TCM 31 Days of Oscar begins on February 13 (a Friday, fittingly enough) and runs into March, so my favourite theatrical cartoon star is being shorted by my least favourite programming block on TCM. I can only hope that they devote a day during Summer Under Stars to Bugs to make up for that....