"Road Runner", or "Meep Meep" is an astonishingly athletic prodigy that lives in a very warm, arid climate. He is a blue bird with a capability of being able to run so fast he can not only break the sound barrier but also can cause damage to the surroundings. Additionally, he has the ability to come to an abrupt halt. His foe, Wile E. Coyote, does not have these abilities, yet decides to try to capture him anyways. Not nearly as fast as Road Runner, and certainly unable to stop safely, Road Runner is targeted by various elaborate and exaggerated snares. Wile E. Coyote also utilizes various gear in order to chase him. He is unaware that Road Runner works for The ACME Corporation that profits off of desperate crazed coyotes. Road Runner likes to eat seeds and berries, and does so rapidly without being harmed if the food is bait for a trap. Road Runner communicates almost entirely by two sequential Meep sounds which is supposed to be imitations of vehicle horns. Other times, he sticks his tongue out so fast it sounds like a drumroll. Other times he points with his wings and feet. The remaining moments that require extensive communication are made possible by printed road signs. His voice actor is Paul Julian.
Road Runner appears as follows: 26 entries with Chuck Jones directly involved (3 of which were compiled to make a pilot episode for "Adventures Of The Road Runner", all music composed by Milt Franklyn EXCEPT for Hook, Line and Stinker & Hip Hip-Hurry! which is scored by John Seely ... To Beep Or Not To Beep, War And Pieces, and Zip Zip Hurray! which is scored by William Lava.) as well as The Wild Chase directed by Friz Freleng & Hawley Pratt together (this was a crossover with Speedy Gonzales and Sylvester), and Run, Run Sweet Road Runner directed by Robert McKimson. 11 more entries directed by Rudy Larriva. All of these except for the first one (Run, Run, Sweet Road Runner) utilized stock music, and for the first time, the arranger William Lava made very little attempt to match the music with the behavior of the characters. In fairness, this is NOT the first time that stock music was used and reused in this franchise. The first time it happened was when Milt Franklyn participated in a strike. As a result, several entries from 1958 made use of the music from John Seely & William Loose & Henry Russell, and was carefully arranged by William Lava also, (and all four of them were usually uncredited). A second entry from Robert McKimson was made (Sugar and Spies) with music from Walter Greene. Chuck Jones returns to direct Freeze Frame with Doug Goodwin and Soup Or Sonic with Dean Elliott. Both of these are meant to be footage made for television specials. ... And again with Chariots Of Fur with George Daugherty & Cameron Patrick. Spike Brandt directed Little Go Beep with Richard Stone. Brett Haaland made The Whizzard Of Ow with John Frizzell. After that, the duo began a new chapter with CGI Animation beginning with four mini entries directed by Matthew O'Callaghan with music by Christopher Lennertz, and continuing with The 2011 Looney Tunes Show. So far, if you count all these together, there are 49 theatrically released entries, even if some of them were originally part of television specials. You can also include the appearances in four films, five if you count The Bugs Bunny Road Runner Movie, and six if you count Who Framed Roger Rabbit, because it is not technically Looney Tunes.
Wile E. Coyote also targeted others such as Bugs Bunny, or appeared together with Ralph Wolf, a spinoff franchise. This means that Road Runner appears fewer times. There was one occasion where he appeared without Wile E. Coyote, during a non-theatrical production.for Tiny Toon Adventures. All the remaining times, including Tiny Toon Adventures, he was paired with Wile E. Coyote.
