Bob Givens, one of the team of animators who helped design Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd, has died at the age of 99.

Mariana Givens, the animator’s daughter, said he had passed away on December 14 in Burbank, California, from acute respiratory failure.

The Associated Press said Mr Givens began working for Walt Disney Studios straight from high school and later joined what would become Warner Bros. As such, he was an animator during the industry’s golden era.

His version of Bugs Bunny debuted in 1940. Other characters he illustrated over his six-decade career included Tom & Jerry, Daffy Duck, Alvin and the Chipmunks and Popeye.

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Givens also brought his skills to TV advertising, animating cartoon insects for Raid bug-killer commercials.

Ms Givens said over the weekend she had always likened her father to Popeye when she was growing up. He was always energetic and resilient, and even smoked a pipe.