BUGS BUNNY - debuted in 1939 or 1940???
 

In 1989, the world celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Bugs Bunny, which would indicate that somebody important thinks that Bugs Bunny debuted in 1939.

In 1990, the world celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Tom & Jerry, which would be correct since they came out in 1940 with the short Puss Gets The Boot.

The popular theory is that Bugs Bunny came to life in The Wild Hare by Tex Avery in 1940 - and if that's true, why did we celebrate the anniversary in 1989?

The only Bugs cartoons prior to 1940 are what are called "Happy Rabbitt" cartoons:

Porky's Hare Hunt (1938)
Prest-O Change-O (1939)
Hare-um Scare-um (1939)
Elmer's Candid Camera (1940)
Patient Porky (1940) (cameo)
Weird.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...eumscareum.jpg

"Happy Rabbit", in 1939's Hare-um Scare-um, is now a gray rabbit (in the two previous cartoons, he was a white rabbit).

Even though the character being identified as "Bugs Bunny" would not appear until the 1940 Avery cartoon, it's arguable that people could (and would) look at the 1939 gray rabbit and say "That's Bugs Bunny" --even if he isn't identified by that name.
And, apparently, whoever decided that Bugs' 50th was in 1989 felt that way.