The year was 1961, and Blanc, the iconic voice of Bugs Bunny, was in rough shape. Bugs Bunny, by the way, debuted 80 years ago on this day, and eventually became one of the most recognizable cartoon characters ever. They decided to try and reach Blanc via Bugs Bunny. So, what was the response from Mel Blanc? Eventually, Mel Blanc recovered, and continued on as a cartoon legend until his death in 1989.