Children sent Mel Blanc carrots while he was recovering from his car accident in the hospital

Children sent letters addressed to Bugs Bunny during Blanc's recuperation.

April 22, 2024, 1:24PM By MeTV Staff

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In 1961, Mel Blanc, best known for voicing animated characters like Bugs Bunny and Barney Rubble of The Flintstones, was involved in a car accident that left him wounded while driving along a road commonly referred to as "Dead Man's Curve." Luckily, Blanc survived the accident but the crash had left him in a coma. Even after he woke up, there was a period of time when he was stuck in the hospital recuperating.

Friends and family, and everyone who had been touched by Blanc's talents and kindness, were quick to ensure that he had the emotional support he needed to get better after the accident. In Blanc's memoir, That's Not All Folks! Blanc wrote, "Already the UCLA Medical Center was besieged with phone calls from so many well-wishers that my family and friends were asked by hospital staffers to help man the switchboards. My private room overflowed with baskets of flowers, which Estelle and Noel [Blanc's wife and son] requested the nurses distribute to other patients."

Just as children were some of Blanc's favorite fans to interact with, their well-wishes seemed to be the most heartwarming to read. "Of all the get-well wishes, I was most touched by the fifteen thousand cards and letters sent from children around the country, many of which were addressed simply, 'Bugs Bunny, Hollywood, U.S.A.'"

Blanc said that children sent letters, drawings, and even carrots wrapped in tin foil to their favorite veggie-loving rabbit.

Fans weren't the only ones to send well wishes to Blanc, with quite a few famous friends reaching out to let the voice actor know they were thinking of him. "I also received dozens of telegrams, from Mickey Rooney, Judy Canova, George Burns, Jerry Lewis, and many other associates past and present."

Those well-wishes weren't just limited to Blanc's hospital stay. Over one hundred friends and family gathered in front of Blanc's house to welcome him home when he was brought home from the hospital for the first time. Moved by the display, Blanc wrote, "I'd never been given to venting my emotions publicly, but let me tell you, I was moved to tears. I just broke down and cried. Besides feeling relieved to be out of the hospital finally, this outpouring of affection — I was speechless."