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The Three Bears are a family that consists of Henry Bear (Papa Bear), Mama Bear and Junyer Bear. The Bears' cartoons most significant impact was perhaps on Chuck Jones himself, as these films (along with the Hubie and Bertie and Charlie Dog shorts) represent some of Jones's earliest work which were strictly intended to be funny. In the golden age, they were voiced by Billy Bletcher, Bea Benaderet, and Stan Freberg respectively.

Background[]

Henry Bear[]

Papa Bear

Henry Bear (better known as Papa Bear) is the father of Junyer Bear and the husband of Mama Bear. The voice actors Billy Bletcher, played Papa. Papa is a loud-mouthed, short tempered and nervous little dwarf bear. He would usually punch or kick Junyer if he does something wrong or say something stupid. He's never abusive with Mama Bear (except for near the end of What's Brewin', Bruin?) but would sometimes act rude to her such as telling her to shut up.

Mama Bear[]

Mama Bear

Mama Bear is the mother of Junyer Bear and the wife of Papa Bear. Mama Bear as the innocent (and deadpan) middle-bear, although she often resorts to thwacking one of them with a rolled-up newspaper to keep the peace. She would usually try to tell Henry something important but Henry just tells her to shut up and don't listen. While she doesn't seem to have much affection for her husband because, she took a romantic interest when Bugs Bunny flirted with her just to distract her and gave her a kiss on the lips. She took it a bit too seriously and becomes instantly smitten. After she stood up and sent her husband and son away, Mama Bear attempted to seduce Bugs for more compliments. He attempts to reject her advances, but is inevitably caught by her in the end. She then forces herself and kisses him repeadtly, leaving red lipstick kiss marks on his face.

Junior Bear[]

Baby Bear

Junior Bear[1] (sometimes spelled Junyer or Joonyer) is the child of Henry Bear and Mama Bear. He is seven-years old, yet he is twice as tall as his parents, and has a heavy voice. He is very dim-witted and childish, but has a good heart. He appears to be an adult because of his size, but still is a child. Junyer still wears diapers even though he is seven years old.

History[]

The Animator Chuck Jones introduced the trio in the 1944 cartoon "Bugs Bunny and the Three Bears". In the short, Papa Bear tries to feed his starving family by having them act out their roles in the traditional fairy tale from which they derive their name. Unfortunately for them, when they were out of porridge, Mama substitutes carrot soup for it, and the "Goldilocks" they lure turns out to be none other than Bugs Bunny.

Jones' bears as introduced in the short are perhaps the first film satire of the American nuclear family and how its traditional roles were coming under increasing scrutiny in the 1940s. As Jones himself was never shy to point out, this cartoon and others in the series anticipated the failings and foibles that would later make the sitcom All in the Family such a success. According to the documentary Chuck Jones: Extremes and In-Betweens, Simpsons creator Matt Groening even acknowledged The Three Bears cartoons as the first animated depiction of the American dysfunctional family.

Jones brought back the Bears for his 1948 cartoon "What's Brewin', Bruin?", without Bugs. Here, alpha-male Papa Bear decides that it's time for the Bears to hibernate. Like any good family should, Mama Bear and Junyer Bear obey, but Mama's snoring and Junyer's creaky cradle keep Papa from getting the sleep he himself advocated. Henry's voice is here supplied by Billy Bletcher, Mama Bear's voice is supplied by Mel Blanc and Junyer's voice is here supplied by Stan Freberg , who would retain the role for all future Three Bears cartoons, including "The Bee-Deviled Bruin" and "Bear Feat", both in 1949.

Mama Bear made a cameo appearance in the 1950 Daffy Duck short "The Scarlet Pumpernickel".

1951's "A Bear for Punishment", the last film in the series, is often considered the funniest, and it is perhaps the most satirical. This time, it's Father's Day, and Mama and Junyer's well-intended gifts do nothing but dishonor the perturbed Papa. Jones later stated that many of the scenarios in the short were derived from his own experiences.

Jones retired the Three Bears in 1951, along with Hubie and Bertie and Charlie Dog, to focus on characters such as Marc Anthony and Pussyfoot, Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner, Porky Pig, Pepé Le Pew, and many others.

Current Media[]

Mama Bear of the Three Bears can be briefly spotted in a brief head shot during the final scene of the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

In the early 1990s, the Three Bears were brought back and featured several times in the TV series Tiny Toon Adventures. Most famously, they appeared in an updated "90's version" of the classic Three Bears fairy tale (with Elmyra Duff playing the part of Goldilocks), which parodied suburbia and the mass commercialism prevalent in American society. Papa Bear also appeared as the vendor in "Garage Sale of the Century".

The Three Bears make a cameo appearance in Space Jam, watching a basketball game.

In Looney Tunes: Back in Action, the Bears are tourists in Paris. They run into DJ Drake Brendan Fraser, whose trousers have rocketed off into the air leaving him in his underwear. DJ steals Papa Bear's trousers so he can save Jenna Elfman from a villain.

The Three Bears appear in the direct-to-video film Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas as one of the Lucky Duck employees.

The Three Bears made a guest appearance in The Looney Tunes Show episode "Ridiculous Journey", with Papa Bear, Mama Bear and Junyer Bear voiced by Maurice LaMarche, Grey DeLisle and John DiMaggio respectively.

In Looney Tunes Cartoons, the Three Bears made a cameo appearance in "Happy Birthday Bugs Bunny!" and later appeared in "Life's a Beach" and "Moody at the Movies".

Voice Actors[]

For the bulk of the series, the voice actors Billy Bletcher, Bea Benaderet, and Stan Freberg played Papa, Mama and Junyer, respectively. However, in the initial entry Mel Blanc played Papa and Kent Rogers played Junyer (Freberg assuming the role after Rogers's death in World War II). After the classic shorts, Will Ryan, Frank Welker and Jeff Bergman play Henry, Joe Alaskey, Tress MacNeille and June Foray play Mama.

Gallery[]

References[]

v - e - d
Looney tunes and merrie melodies logo
Media
Franchises: Show-logo-looneyTunesMerrie Melodies logo

Shorts:
Television: The Bugs Bunny ShowThe Porky Pig ShowThe Road Runner ShowThe Merrie Melodies ShowSylvester and TweetyThe Daffy Duck ShowThe Daffy/Speedy ShowLooney Tunes on NickelodeonMerrie Melodies Starring Bugs Bunny and FriendsThat's Warner Bros.!Bugs N' Daffy
Feature Films: The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner MovieThe Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny MovieBugs Bunny's 3rd Movie: 1001 Rabbit TalesDaffy Duck's Fantastic IslandDaffy Duck's QuackbustersSpace JamThe Looney Tunes Hall of FameLooney Tunes: Back in Action
Specials: Daffy Duck and Porky Pig Meet the Groovie GhouliesCarnival of the AnimalsBugs Bunny's Easter FunniesBugs Bunny in SpaceBugs Bunny's Howl-o-Ween SpecialA Connecticut Rabbit in King Arthur's CourtBugs Bunny's ValentineBugs Bunny's Looney Christmas TalesHow Bugs Bunny Won the WestThe Bugs Bunny Mother's Day SpecialBugs Bunny's Thanksgiving DietDaffy Duck's Easter SpecialBugs Bunny's Bustin' Out All OverThe Bugs Bunny Mystery SpecialDaffy Duck's Thanks-For-Giving SpecialBugs Bunny: All American HeroBugs Bunny's Mad World of TelevisionAn Ounce of PreventionBugs vs. Daffy: Battle of the Music Video StarsBugs Bunny's Wild World of SportsHappy Birthday Bugs! 50 Looney YearsBugs Bunny's Overtures to DisasterBugs Bunny's Creature FeaturesBugs Bunny's Lunar Tunes

Characters
Main characters: Barnyard DawgBeaky BuzzardBugs BunnyCecil TurtleCharlie DogClaude CatDaffy DuckElmer FuddFoghorn LeghornGossamerGrannyHector the BulldogHenery HawkHippety HopperHubie and BertieLola BunnyMac and ToshMarc Anthony and PussyfootMarvin the MartianMichigan J. FrogMiss PrissyPenelope PussycatPepé Le PewPete PumaPorky PigRalph WolfRoad RunnerSam SheepdogSpeedy GonzalesSylvesterSylvester Jr.TazThe CrusherTweety BirdWile E. CoyoteWitch HazelYosemite Sam

Minor characters: Blacque Jacque ShellacqueBoskoThe CrusherGiovanni JonesYoyo DodoTasmanian She-DevilMelissa DuckHugo the Abominable SnowmanSpike and ChesterNasty CanastaThe GremlinPrivate SnafuPetunia PigPlayboy PenguinShropshire SlasherCount BloodcountMama BuzzardColonel ShuffleEgghead Jr.Owl JolsonToro the BullRocky and MugsyMinah BirdInkiBeansLittle KittyHam And ExOliver OwlPiggyGabby GoatBuddyHoneySlowpoke RodriguezThe Three BearsFoxyK-9A. FleaSnifflesConstruction WorkerFrisky PuppyRalph MouseHoney BunnyRoxyThe Martin BrothersRalph PhillipsClyde BunnyFauntleroy FlipDr. I.Q. HiGruesome GorillaSloppy MoeHatta MariBusinessmanThe WeaselWiloughbyThe Two Curious PuppiesCool CatBabbit and CatstelloInstant MartiansBobo the ElephantColonel RimfireSmokey The GenieJose and ManuelMerlin the Magic Mouse and Second BananaConrad the CatAngus MacRoryBanty RoosterThree Little PigsTom TurkeyGoopy GeerNelly the GiraffeAla BahmaDr. LorreCottontail SmithBunny and ClaudeClaude HopperThe Hep CatThe Drunk StorkThe CatSinging CatSouthern SheriffOld Woman's CanaryOld Woman's CatBluebeardPorky's Drunken FriendsOld WomanLittle Red Riding Hood's Grandma • Little Red Riding Hood (Little Red Walking Hood/Little Red Riding Rabbit/Goldilocks and the Jivin' Bears) • Goldilocks (The Bear's Tale/Goldilocks and the Jivin' Bears) • The CrowKing ArthurKing Arthur's Knights

Studios
Warner Bros. CartoonsDePatie-Freleng EnterprisesFormat FilmsChuck Jones EnterprisesReel FX
People
Dave BarryWarren BatchelderMel BlancTed BonnicksenArthur Q. BryanBill ButlerBob ClampettRuss DysonMilt FranklynFriz FrelengManny GouldGeorge GrandpreKen HarrisHugh HarmanRochelle HudsonRudolf IsingUb IwerksChuck JonesCarman MaxwellNorman McCabeChuck McKimsonRobert McKimsonTom McKimsonWillian LavaLou LillyMichael MalteseTedd PierceHawley PrattTom RayVirgil RossLeon SchlesingerRob ScribnerEddie SelzerCarl StallingLarry Storch
Music/Songs
A Hot Time in the Old Town TonightWhistle and Blow Your Blues AwayI Think You're DuckyThe Merry-Go-Round Broke DownMerrily We Roll Along
Other


v - e - d
Space Jam title (A New Legacy)
Media
Space Jam | Video game | Soundtrack | Video | Space Jam: A New Legacy
Characters
Space Jam: Bugs Bunny | Lola Bunny | Daffy Duck | Porky Pig | Michael Jordan | Elmer Fudd | Sylvester the Cat | Tweety | Tasmanian Devil | Mr. Swackhammer | The Nerdlucks | Yosemite Sam | Granny | Foghorn Leghorn | Marvin the Martian | Stanley Podolak | Wile E. Coyote | Road Runner | Pepé Le Pew | Speedy Gonzales | Sylvester Junior | Pete Puma | Toro the Bull | Henery Hawk | Porky's Drunken Friends | Hector the Bulldog | Gruesome Gorilla | The Crusher | Mama Buzzard | Witch Hazel | Three Bears | The Martin Brothers | Spike and Chester | Sniffles | Rocky and Mugsy | Marc Anthony and Pussyfoot | Ala Bahma | Angus MacRory | Barnyard Dawg | Beaky Buzzard | Bobo the Elephant | Slowpoke Rodriguez | The Weasel | Little Red Riding Hood | Michigan J. Frog | Charlie Dog | Cecil Turtle | Claude Cat | Giovanni Jones | Gossamer | Owl Jolson | Ralph Wolf and Sam Sheepdog | Hippety Hopper | Angus MacRory | Juanita Jordan | Jeffery Jordan | Marcus Jordan | Jasmine Jordan | Bill Murray | Larry Bird

Space Jam: A New Legacy: LeBron James | Dom James | Al-G Rhythm | Batman | Parzival | Joker | Nolan Sorrento | I-R0k | Pete | Scooby-Doo | Shaggy Rogers | Superman | Gandalf | Harry Potter | The Mask | Iron Giant | King Kong | Emmet Brickowski | Wyldstyle | Max Rockatansky | Austin Powers | Rick Blaine | Ilsa Lund | Arya Stark | Drogon | Neo | Scorpion | Sub-Zero | Mumble | Osmosis Jones | Dorothy Gale | Toto | Scarecrow | Tin Woodman | Cowardly Lion | Sloth Fratelli | Gizmo | Fred Flintstone | Barney Rubble | Yogi Bear | George Jetson | Lloyd Garmadon | Unikitty | Benny | Willy Wonka | Frodo Baggins | Metalbeard | Samwise Gamgee | Legolas | Gimli | Hermione Granger | Ronald Weasley | Wonder Woman | The Flash | Aquaman | Cyborg | Green Lantern | Alfred Pennyworth | Kai | Cole | Jay | Zane | Master Wu | Nya | Leah Estrogen | Trinity | Imperator Furiosa | Shazam | Robin | Batgirl | Finn | Jake | Starfire | Raven | Beast Boy | Blossom | Bubbles | Buttercup | Rick Sanchez | Morty Smith | Mikey Walsh | Brand Walsh | Chunk Cohen | Mouth Devereaux | Data Wang | Andy Carmichael | Stef Steinbrenner | Lord Voldemort | Lex Luthor | Sauron | Agent Smith | It | The Wicked Witch of the West | Lord Business | Stripe | Immortan Joe | Dr. Evil | Dorian Tyrell | Freddy Krueger | Jason Voorhees | Jack Torrance | Mechagodzilla | Saruman | Gollum | Two-Face | The Penguin | Catwoman | The Riddler | Harley Quinn | Master Chen | Thrax | Shang Tsung | Sinestro | Bane | Scarecrow | Poison Ivy | Mr. Freeze | Black Adam | Deathstroke | Shao Kahn | Darkseid | Goon Squad

Music
Theme Song | Fly Like an Eagle | The Winner | I Believe I Can Fly | Hit 'Em High (The Monstars' Anthem) | I Found My Smile Again | For You I Will | Upside Down ('Round-N-'Round) | Givin' U All That I've Got | Basketball Jones | I Found My Smile Again | I Turn to You | All of My Days | That's the Way (I Like It) | Buggin'| We Win | Jump | Everybody Wants to Rule the World | Tom Sawyer | Run Wild | The Crowd Go Crazy | We're Not Gonna Take It | Space Jam Rap Battle | Everything's Not Awesome | Man in the Mirror | BBC | You Wouldn't Know (feat. Ellen McClain)
Locations
Moron Mountain | Looney Tune Land | The Tune Stadium | Schlesinger Gym | Server-verse | Harry Potter World | DC World | Mad Max World | Austin Powers World | Casablanca World | Game of Thrones World | The Wizard of Oz World | The Matrix World | Wonder Woman World | The LEGO Movie World | The Lord of the Rings World | The Mask World | Ready Player One World | Scooby-Doo World | The Flintstones World | The Jetsons World | Yogi Bear World | Gremlins World | The Goonies World | Beetlejuice World | Ninjago World | Adventure Time World | The Powerpuff Girls World | Teen Titans Go! World
See Also
Looney Tunes | Merrie Melodies | Looney Tunes: Back in Action | Tune Squad | List of cameos in Space Jam | Space Jam/Gallery | Space Jam/Transcript | Dom Ball


v - e - d
Looney-tunes-back-in-action-56d9b780752e2
Media
Looney Tunes: Back in ActionSoundtrackVideo gameVideo
Characters
Live-action: D.J. DrakeKate HoughtonMr. ChairmanDamian DrakeDusty TailsBob Smith

Animated:

Locations
Temple of the Blue Monkey
Vehicles
Objects
Blue Monkey
Songs/Music/Soundtrack
See Also
Looney TunesMerrie MelodiesSpace Jam


v - e - d
The Looney Tunes Show logo 2011
Media
Characters
Bugs BunnyDaffy DuckPorky PigTina RussoLola BunnyPetunia PigGrannyYosemite SamMarvin the MartianElmer FuddThe CrusherPete PumaWitch HazelFoghorn LeghornMac and ToshSpeedy GonzalesGiovanni JonesCecil TurtleGossamerPepe Le PewSylvesterTweetyWile E. CoyoteRoad Runner
Episodes
Locations
Transportations
Songs
See also


v - e - d
New looney tunes logo
Media
Characters
Episodes
Locations
Objects
Songs
Transportations
See also
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