[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 21 (Tuesday, February 4, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E160-E161]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         CELEBRATING TEX AVERY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN R. CARTER

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 4, 2014

  Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the artistry and 
influence of Tex Avery. A leading innovator of a distinctly American 
form of popular culture, Avery created iconic cartoon characters adored 
the world over by young and old alike and pioneered a new and lasting 
approach to animated storytelling.
  Avery, born in Taylor, TX in 1908, was a man of many gifts: animator, 
cartoonist, voice artist, director. A central figure during the Golden 
Age of Hollywood Animation (1935-55), his work was marked by speed, 
sarcasm, and irony. Collaborating with top shelf artists like Chuck 
Jones and legendary voice actors like Mel Blanc, Avery created Bugs 
Bunny, Daffy Duck, Droopy, and developed Porky Pig and Chilly Willy. 
Youngsters loved their cartoons' action and slapstick; grownups loved 
the sly dialogue and clever commentary.
  Avery's artistry reflected the joy of a nation leading the world yet 
restlessly seeking new ways to express itself. He wasn't afraid to 
innovate and regularly pushed the boundaries of the cartoon form. His 
characters would speak directly to the audience, object to the plot of 
the adventure they were starring in, or leap out of the end credits. 
Yet Avery understood that cartoons had to be more than just animated 
hijinx featuring colorful characters. A lifelong perfectionist, he 
would add or cut frames out of the final negative of a cartoon short if 
he felt a gag's timing was not precise.
  Avery's importance to animation cannot be overstated. He saw things 
differently, changed them, and pushed the art of cartoons forward. His 
impact is as permanent as the characters he created are beloved.
  Tex Avery's tremendous legacy will be honored February 22, 2014 by 
the Taylor, TX Conservation and Heritage Society with a memorial being 
placed in Heritage Square. I join all who appreciate fearless 
innovators in celebrating his enormous contributions to animation and 
American culture.

[[Page E161]]



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