Wile E. Coyote's Middle Name

[E. Q. Taft]

Apparently, more than one thousand websites claim that the "E" in Wile E. Coyote stands for "Ethelbert."

Mark Evanier explains the origin of this alleged fact -- and why you should take it with a grain of salt.

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

One of The Looney Toons Golden Collection discs contains an explanation by Chuck Jones of where the J. in Michigan J. Frog's name came from, BTW.

Seaboe

[diddy]

If I recall correctly, the only time the Coyote actulay speaks his name during one of his shorts, its to the audience (breaking the forth wall) and saying "My name is Wile E. Coyote, Super Genius" .

Its a joke on the pronciation of "Wiley" I say there is no deep meaning to the middle name.

I always thought the E meant Einstein (or is it Einstien?) because of his supreme intelligence.

Either way i love him hes the coolest coyote i know

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

Originally Posted by diddy

If I recall correctly, the only time the Coyote actulay speaks his name during one of his shorts, its to the audience (breaking the forth wall) and saying "My name is Wile E. Coyote, Super Genius" .

Its a joke on the pronciation of "Wiley" I say there is no deep meaning to the middle name.

He speaks regularly when he is in cartoons with characters other than the Road Runner (who does not say "beep-beep," by the way, but "mheep-mheep." This according to the man who created the sound).

Seaboe

[Cervus]

Originally Posted by Seaboe Muffinchucker

He speaks regularly when he is in cartoons with characters other than the Road Runner (who does not say "beep-beep," by the way, but "mheep-mheep." This according to the man who created the sound).

Is it commonly thought that the roadrunner says "beep-beep"? Because I always knew it as "meep-meep".

[Signora Del Drago]

Originally Posted by diddy

Its a joke on the pronciation of "Wiley" I say there is no deep meaning to the middle name.

My former son-in-law called the character "Wiley E. Coyote" and would become irate if I tried to tell him the correct name. But he's an idjit--my former son-in-law, not Mr. Coyote.

Originally Posted by prrrfukt

I always thought the E meant Einstein (or is it Einstien?)

Einstein.

[diddy]

Originally Posted by Cervus

Is it commonly thought that the roadrunner says "beep-beep"? Because I always knew it as "meep-meep".

The official answer from Warner Bros is that he (despite what it sounds liks) is "Beep-Beep" (from the Looney Toons Golden Collection Vol 2)

[diddy]

Originally Posted by Seaboe Muffinchucker

He speaks regularly when he is in cartoons with characters other than the Road Runner (who does not say "beep-beep," by the way, but "mheep-mheep." This according to the man who created the sound).

Seaboe

Yes, please note that i specified him speaking his name

ETA: source

Wile E. Coyote, a pun on "wily coyote". His middle name was revealed to be "Ethelbert" in the story "The Greatest of E's" in Gold Key Comics officially licensed, 1973 comic book, Beep Beep the Road Runner, although its writer, Mark Evanier, says he never intended it to be canon.

True, but only in a comic book and not intended to be cannonical.

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

Originally Posted by diddy

The official answer from Warner Bros is that he (despite what it sounds liks) is "Beep-Beep" (from the Looney Toons Golden Collection Vol 2)

What official answer? Are you talking about Michael Barrier's commentary? MB says that WB says that it is officially spelled "beep-beep", as I recall. He doesn't say it is officially pronounced "beep-beep."

And now we're getting way more technical than the topic deserves...



Seaboe

[Lainie]

The roadrunner says meep-meep, not beep-beep. Except on those stupid Time-Warner commercials for their Roadrunner high-speed internet service. DD and I yell at the TV every time they come on.

[matches]

Originally Posted by Seaboe Muffinchucker

One of The Looney Toons Golden Collection discs contains an explanation by Chuck Jones of where the J. in Michigan J. Frog's name came from, BTW.

Seaboe

You see, now I had always pressumed that the name Michigan J. Frog was a modern contrivence, as his only cartoon had no spoken words except for of course the Frog's singing.

I had presumed the modern name for Michigan J. Frog derived from the fact that his most remmebered song was "The Michigan Rag", he was a Frog, and as is common place in most cartoons today the middle initial of Jay was added to give an added oomph to the name.

Now the origins of the modern use of the cartoon J (Homer J. Simpson, Bartholomew J. Simpson, Philip J. Fry, and Michigan J. Frog) I had always heard was from Rocket J. Squirel and Bullwinkle J. Moose, who were of course the creations of J. Ward.

In all these cases, the J stands for Jay, in honor of Jay Ward, who himself it is said often tired of explaining what Jay stood for.

Do you know which Golden toon collection this is, because I would love to find it.

As far as I know prior to Rocket J. Squiral few cartoon charecters had middle names, and since Rocket, their middle names are most commonly Jay.

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

Originally Posted by matches

Do you know which Golden toon collection this is, because I would love to find it.

Second set, 4th disk, in a Behind the Toons specifically on One Froggy Evening. Chuck Jones mentions being interviewed by someone named Jay who said the name "Michigan Frog" sounded incomplete. So Chuck said, why not give him your initial.

Seaboe

[Little Pink Pill]

Originally Posted by Lainie

The roadrunner says meep-meep, not beep-beep. Except on those stupid Time-Warner commercials for their Roadrunner high-speed internet service. DD and I yell at the TV every time they come on.

I find this passionate display of familial looney loyalty somehow cozy and amusing, all at once.

[matches]

Originally Posted by Seaboe Muffinchucker

Second set, 4th disk, in a Behind the Toons specifically on One Froggy Evening. Chuck Jones mentions being interviewed by someone named Jay who said the name "Michigan Frog" sounded incomplete. So Chuck said, why not give him your initial.

Seaboe

So I wonder who this Jay Chuck Jones is talking to was?

[Lainie]

Originally Posted by Little Pink Pill

I find this passionate display of familial looney loyalty somehow cozy and amusing, all at once.

Thanks. So do we.

[diddy]

Originally Posted by Seaboe Muffinchucker

What official answer? Are you talking about Michael Barrier's commentary? MB says that WB says that it is officially spelled "beep-beep", as I recall. He doesn't say it is officially pronounced "beep-beep."

And now we're getting way more technical than the topic deserves...



Seaboe

If that is the correct spelling than that would be how it appears on the script when it was recorded. It doesnt matter how it is pronnounced, its the spelling that counts.

[Lainie]

Originally Posted by diddy

If that is the correct spelling than that would be how it appears on the script when it was recorded. It doesnt matter how it is pronnounced, its the spelling that counts.

MMV. I don't read the script. The sound he makes is the sound he makes, regardless of how it's spelled.

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

Originally Posted by diddy

If that is the correct spelling than that would be how it appears on the script when it was recorded. It doesnt matter how it is pronnounced, its the spelling that counts.

It's not in the scripts. It's a sound effect. One of the background painters, I think it was, used to make the sound in the halls when he needed to pass someone and was carrying something large. Treg Brown hauled him off to the recording area and recorded the sound.

So no, it's not the spelling that counts.

Seaboe

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

Originally Posted by matches

So I wonder who this Jay Chuck Jones is talking to was?

I grant you I was sick last week and spent a lot of time with my 4 Golden Collections, but I didn't memorize every blasted word on 'em.

Chuck says who it was. I don't remember. I didn't think (and don't think) it's of world changing importance. I just thought the little tidbit about where the J. came from was interesting.

Seaboe