Roger Rabbit is the titular anthropomorphic rabbit of the film, a frantic over-anxious type who often stutters while screaming. The character first appeared in the book, Who Censored Roger Rabbit? by Gary K. Wolf, which was adapted into the 1988 Academy-Award winning film, Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Mixing both live action and animation to create a believable “toon” universe, Disney studios set up an animation studio in Camden Town, London, whilst the live action was shot at Elstree film studios. Both the animation and live action were then composited by ILM fx studios in LA. In the book, Roger is a sidekick in a popular comic strip called “Baby Herman”, his murder is being investigated by a detective named Eddie Valiant and a slowly evaporating stunt doppelganger of himself that he created hours before being shot. In the film version, he is re-envisioned as a 1940’s character in animated cartoons and a resident of the fictional Los Angeles enclave, Toontown. He is framed for a murder and seeks out Valiant to help clear his name. In the film, the voice of Roger is performed by comedian Charles Fleischer, who was known for electing to wear an actual rabbit costume on the set to get into the role. One of his famous traits is his voice, “P-b-b-b-b-bleeeease!”. He is a white clownish rabbit with a gap between his front teeth, a voice that resonates of Huntz Hall in “The Bowery Boys”, a blue Porky Pig-like bowtie with yellow polka dots, a red-haired Bugs Bunny-like head with blue eyes, a pink nose and round-tipped ears, red Goofy-like pants with a green patch behind and yellow Mickey Mouse-like gloves.

Roger also starred in a comic book series from April 1990 to September 1991 and a spin-off series called Roger Rabbit’s Toontown, published from June to October 1991, which featured Roger in the first story and supporting characters like Jessica Rabbit (Roger’s voluptuous humanoid wife), Baby Herman (his co-star in Maroon Cartoons), Benny the Cab (Roger’s taxicab friend), and The Weasels (Roger’s enemies).

In a 1989 ABC special, Mickey Mouse is punished by a sorcerer for his conceited, “everybody loves me” attitude with a curse which results in no-one knowing who he is. Mickey must now wander the real world as an unknown, until he finally learns humility. After the curse is lifted, Roger Rabbit rediscovers Mickey, and is hailed as a hero.

Disney and Amblin Entertainment attempted to resurrect Roger for a sequel. However, a preliminary budget was deemed too large and the film never got past the script stage. Several 3D CGI tests and a 3D CGI rendering of Roger were completed, however, despite the fact that no actual footage was actually shot or completed. However, Frank Marshall, the producer of the first film, told MTV in late 2007 that he would be open to any plans to bring the Roger sequel back in the works.

Roger Rabbit was originally going to be the star of the animated series now known as Bonkers. However, because of copyright conflicts between Amblin and Disney, the show was forced to create original characters.

Jessica Rabbit is Roger’s human cartoon wife in the book and movie. In the book, she was an amoral, up-and-coming star and former comic character, over whom her estranged husband, comic strip star Roger Rabbit, obsessed. She is re-imagined in the film as a sultry, but moral, cartoon singer at a Los Angeles supper club called The Ink and Paint Club. Here, she is one of several suspects in the framing of her husband, who is a famous cartoon star. She is voiced by Kathleen Turner. Amy Irving was cast to sing Peggy Lee’s “Why Don’t You Do Right” for Jessica’s first scene in the movie.

Jessica was based on Veronica Lake, and even fashioned her famous “Peek-A-Boo” hairstyle. She is one of the most famous sex symbols on animated screen. She claims to Eddie Valiant, “I’m not bad, I’m just drawn that way.” She deeply loves her husband Roger and the main reason is that he makes her laugh.

After the film, Jessica also appeared in the Roger Rabbit/Baby Herman shorts Tummy Trouble as a nurse, Roller Coaster Rabbit as a damsel in distress, and Trail Mix-Up as a park ranger. In Tummy Trouble and Roller Coaster Rabbit she made no impression, but in Trail Mix-Up Roger fantasizes over her, calling her a ‘babe in the woods’ and panting like a dog. She also appeared frequently in the Roger Rabbit comic book series, and she had her own feature in most issues of Roger Rabbit’s Toontown such as “Beauty Parlor Bedlam,” where she comes face to face with female weasel counterpart, Winnie.

With the success of the film and upon the opening of Disney’s MGM Studios on May 1, 1989, the film’s characters featured prominently in the company. After taking the Backlot Tram Tour, various props decorated the streets including two different photo opportunities with Jessica: a glittery cardboard cutout and “The Loony Bin” photo shop which allowed you to take pictures in costume standing next to an actual cartoon drawing of characters from the film. There was also a plethora of merchandise including Jessica Rabbit rub-on stickers called “pressers”.

Disagreements between the Disney Company, Amblin Entertainment and Gary Wolf (jointly owning rights to the characters) made it difficult for any merchandise or projects to get off the ground and caused the halt of the short film, Hare in My Soup, and the next film Who Discovered Roger Rabbit. In this prequel, Roger meets his bride-to-be, Jessica Krupnick. A completed score by Alan Silvestri is said to exist as well as test footage and computer generated versions of the characters. Also cancelled was an animated TV series, which was replaced by a show called Bonkers about a feline cop. Many park attractions never got out of development, such as Roger Rabbit’s Hollywood.

In 2000, Disney – MGM Studios stopped using any character memorabilia in the park, though some props are still present. These include a Maroon Cartoon billboard featuring Roger, Jessica, and Baby Herman across from the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular show, Eddie Valiant’s office and a cut-out of Roger on the blinds of a neighboring window near the 50’s Prime Time Cafe, and the “ton o’ bricks” hanging near the “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” Movie Set Adventure.