Virgil Ross (1907-1996) Artist Biography and Art Gallery Collection
Virgil Ross (August 8, 1907 – May 15, 1996) was an American artist, cartoonist, and animator best known for his work on the Warner Bros. animated shorts Looney Tunes. His introduction to cartooning was in high-school, where he took a class in that art form. Early work was done for Charles B Mintz (later at Screen Gems), Ub Iwerks studio, and then on to Walter Lantz, where he began animation work. In 1935, Virgil Ross moved on to work for Leon Schlesinger at Warner Bros., where he stayed about 30 years, first under Tex Avery's supervision, until 1942, then for Bob Clampett and finally with Friz Freleng. He remained at Warner Bros. until 1964. From there he went to work for other Animation Studios such as Filmation where he worked on the early 1970's Star Trek: The Animated Series, Hanna Barbera, DePatie Freleng (where he followed Friz Freleng, the director to whose unit Ross worked for twenty years) and Marvel Comics. In 1979 Virgil Ross animated Woody Woodpecker for a special scene at the 51st Academy Awards.
Virgil Ross created many cartoon characters, but he is most closely associated with Bugs Bunny, but also did a great deal of work involving other Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes cartoon characters such as Daffy Duck, Yosemite Sam, Tweety and many others, including Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote. When handling long-eared characters such as Bugs or Wile E., Ross occasionally tilted or waved an ear in otherwise-static scenes. As the animator for "A Wild Hare", generally regarded as the first appearance of Bugs Bunny, Ross had a first person view of the creation of the character. In a magazine interview, Ross Virgil recalls how the character of Bugs Bunny came to be. He says in the interview, "We received orders from the story department that they needed a drawing of a bunny. We all did drawings and tacked them on the wall, and the story men voted on them. We had one writer named Bugs Hardaway and for some reason, this one drawing became known as Bugs' Bunny. Leon Schlesinger liked the sound of the name and told them to keep it, and that's how Bugs Bunny got his name. Years later, before he died, Hardaway tried to get some credit for making the character, which he probably deserved. But Warner Bros owned the rights to everything we created.
Virgil Ross received the highest awards available in his profession: Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists Golden Award (1984) and the Winsor McCay Award (1988). Three of the cartoons he had animated won Oscars: Tweety Pie (1947), Birds Anonymous (1957), and Knighty Knight Bugs (1958). He passed away in May of 1996 after suffering a stroke earlier that year. Ross worked as he advanced in years, though he spent much of his later public life attending gallery and store openings dedicated to his and other’s work in the golden age of animation. In the twilight of his life his work achieved the true arts status denied his craft as animation slipped past its golden age.
Porky Pig (Circa 1990's) by Tom Ray (1919-2010) is an Original Pencil Layout Drawing on Paper featuring one of Warner Bros Looney Tunes Favorite Characters Porky Pig, and is Hand Signed by the Artist's widow, Brenda Ray. Measures approx. 12.5" x 10.5" (No Border). Gallery List Price: $750.00 USD. Tom Ray was an Animation...
$ 750.00 $ 150.00
Porky Pig (Circa 1990's) by Tom Ray (1919-2010) is an Original Pencil Layout Drawing on Paper featuring one of Warner Bros Looney Tunes Favorite Characters Porky Pig, and is Hand Signed by the Artist's widow, Brenda Ray. Measures approx. 12.5" x 10.5" (No Border). Gallery List Price: $500.00 USD. Tom Ray was an Animation...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Porky Pig (Circa 1990's) by Tom Ray (1919-2010) is an Original Pencil Layout Drawing on Paper featuring one of Warner Bros Looney Tunes Favorite Characters Porky Pig, and is Hand Signed by the Artist's widow, Brenda Ray. Measures approx. 12.5" x 10.5" (No Border). Gallery List Price: $500.00 USD. Tom Ray was an Animation...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Porky Pig & Daffy Duck (Circa 1990's) by Tom Ray (1919-2010) is an Original Pencil Layout Drawing on Paper featuring two of the Warner Bros Looney Tunes Favorite Characters, Porky Pig and Daffy Duck, and is Hand Signed by the Artist's Widow, Brenda Ray. Measures approx. 12.5" x 10.5" (No Border). Gallery List...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Puddy Tats Can't Fly (1994) by Warner Bros Looney Tunes is a Limited Edition Three Dimensional Sericel Bearing the Official Seal of Authentication from Warner Bros and is Numbered in Sequence out of a total Edition Size of 1000. Comes Custom Framed using acid free and archival materials, and includes a...
$ 650.00 $ 143.00
Rabbit of Seville III (1993) by Chuck Jones (1912-2002) is a Limited Edition Animation Cel from a Sold Out Edition with Hand Painted Coloring on a Sericel Outline Bearing the Official Holographic Seal of Linda Jones Enterprises, Numbered in Sequence a total Edition Size of only or 750 and Hand Signed by...
$ 950.00 $ 200.00
Red Hot (Red Sox) by Tom McKimson (1907-1998) is a Limited Edition Animation Cel with Hand Painted Coloring and Bearing the Official Warner Bros Seal, Numbered in Sequence at 15 out of a total Edition Size of only 250 and Hand Signed by the Artist. Includes a Full Color Lithograph Background and...
$ 1,050.00 $ 210.00
Robin Hood: Bow and Error (1996) by Chuck Jones (1912-2002) is a Limited Edition Animation Cel from a Sold Out Edition with Hand Painted Coloring on a Sericel Outline, Bears the Official Holographic Seal of Linda Jones Enterprises, Numbered in Sequence out of a total Edition Size of only 500...
$ 1,075.00 $ 225.00
Santa on Trial (1995) by Chuck Jones (1912-2002) is a Limited Edition Animation Cel from a Sold Out Edition with Hand Painted Coloring on a Sericel Outline Bearing the Official Holographic Seal of Linda Jones Enterprises, Numbered in Sequence out of a total Edition Size of only 500 and is Hand...
$ 975.00 $ 487.50
Sausage Factory (1996) by Chuck Jones (1912-2002) is a Limited Edition Animation Cel from a Sold Out Edition with Hand Painted Coloring on a Sericel Outline Bearing the Official Holographic Seal of Linda Jones Enterprises, Numbered in Sequence out of a total Edition Size of only 500, and is Hand...
$ 975.00 $ 200.00
Sir Loin of Beef (1995) by Chuck Jones (1912-2002) is a Limited Edition Animation Cel from a Sold Out Edition with Hand Painted Coloring on a Sericel Outline Bearing the Official Holographic Seal of Linda Jones Enterprises, Numbered in Sequence at 491 out of a total Edition Size of only 500...
$ 1,200.00 $ 250.00
Sound Please (1997) by Chuck Jones (1912-2002) is a Limited Edition Animation Cel from a Sold Out Edition with Hand Painted Coloring on a Sericel Outline, Bears the Official Holographic Seal of Linda Jones Enterprises, Numbered in Sequence out of a total Edition Size of only 500 and is Hand Signed...
$ 1,125.00 $ 225.00
Suspended Animation (1991) by Chuck Jones (1912-2002) is a Limited Edition Animation Cel from a Sold Out Edition with Hand Painted Coloring on a Sericel Outline that is Bearing the Official Holographic Seal of Linda Jones Enterprises, Numbered in Sequence at 633 out of a total Edition Size of only...
$ 1,450.00 $ 300.00
Sylvester and Tweety Bird (Circa 1990's) by Tom Ray (1919-2010) is an Original Pencil Layout Drawing on Paper depicting two of Warner Bros. Looney Tunes Characters, Sylvester the Cat and Tweety Bird, and is Hand Signed by Tom Ray's widow, Brenda Ray. Measures approx. 12.5" x 10.5" (No Border). Gallery List Price: $500.00 USD....
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Sylvester and Tweety Bird (Circa 1990's) by Tom Ray (1919-2010) is an Original Pencil Layout Drawing on Paper depicting two of Warner Bros. Looney Tunes Characters, Sylvester the Cat and Tweety Bird, and is Hand Signed by Tom Ray's widow, Brenda Ray. Measures approx. 12.5" x 10.5" (No Border). Gallery List Price: $500.00 USD....
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
The Neurotic Coyote (1995) by Chuck Jones (1912-2002) is a Limited Edition Animation Cel from a Sold Out Edition with Hand Painted Coloring on a Sericel Outline Bearing the Official Holographic Seal of Linda Jones Enterprises, Numbered in Sequence out of a total Edition Size of only 500 and Hand Signed...
$ 1,050.00 $ 225.00
Tom & Jerry (Circa 1990's) by Tom Ray (1919-2010) is an Original Pencil Layout Drawing on Paper depicting two Hanna Barbera Characters, Tom & Jerry, and is Hand Signed by Tom Ray's widow, Brenda Ray. Measures approx. 12.5" x 10.5" (No Border). Gallery List Price: $500.00 USD. Tom Ray was an Animation Artist and Director...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Tom & Jerry (Circa 1990's) by Tom Ray (1919-2010) is an Original Pencil Layout Drawing on Paper depicting two Hanna Barbera Characters, Tom & Jerry, and is Hand Signed by Tom Ray's widow, Brenda Ray. Measures approx. 12.5" x 10.5" (No Border). Gallery List Price: $500.00 USD. Tom Ray was an Animation Artist and Director...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Touch Down Taz (Bears) by Charles McKimson (1914- 1999) is a Very Limited Artist Proof Edition Animation Cel with Hand Painted Coloring and Bearing the Official Warner Bros and NFL Seals, AP Numbered in Sequence at 14 out of a total Edition Size of only 20 and is Hand Signed by...
$ 1,150.00 $ 230.00
Tweety Bird (Circa 1990's) by Tom Ray (1919-2010) is an Original Pencil Layout Drawing on Paper depicting one of Warner Bros. Looney Tunes Characters, Tweety Bird, and is Hand Signed by Tom Ray's widow, Brenda Ray. Measures approx. 12.5" x 10.5" (No Border). Gallery List Price: $500.00 USD. Tom Ray was an Animation Artist and...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Wile E. Coyote on Rocket by Chuck Jones (1912-2002) is a Limited Edition Sericel Stamped with the Official Chuck Jones Stamp Signature and includes a Chuck Jones Gallery Certificate of Authenticity. Measures approx. 8" x 6" (Image). Gallery List Price: $250.00 USD. Own this amazing piece of Animation Art based on the...
$ 250.00 $ 54.99
Wile E. Coyote (Circa 1970's) by Virgil Ross (1907-1996) is an Original Pencil Layout Drawing on Studio Animation Paper, and is Hand Signed by the Artist. Includes a Certificate of Authenticity provided by Lennyland Ebiz. Measures approx. 15" x 11" (With border) and 2" x 5" (Image). Gallery List Price: $1,000.00...
$ 1,000.00 $ 250.00
Wile E. Coyote (Circa 1970's) Virgil Ross (1907-1996) is an Original Pencil Production Drawing on Warner Bros. Studio Animation Paper, has the Warner Bros Stamp located on back, and is Hand Signed by the Artist. Includes a Certificate of Authenticity provided by Lennyland Ebiz. Measures approx. 15" x 11" (With border)...
$ 1,000.00 $ 250.00
Yosemite Sam (Circa 1990's) by Tom Ray (1919-2010) is an Original Pencil Layout Drawing on Paper featuring one of Warner Bros. Looney Tunes Favorite Characters, Yosemite Sam. This Original Drawing by Tom Ray is Hand Signed by his widow, Brenda Ray. Measures approx. 12.5" x 10.5" (No Border). Gallery List Price:...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Yosemite Sam (Circa 1970's) by Friz Freleng (1906-1995) is an Original Pencil Production Drawing on Studio Animation Paper, is Hand Signed by the Artist, and features the Warner Bros character, Yosemite Sam. Includes a Certificate of Authenticity provided by Lennyland Ebiz. Measures approx. 15" x 11" (Image). Gallery List Price: $500.00 USD. Warner...
$ 1,000.00 $ 200.00