Yosemite Sam, nemesis to Bugs Bunny and various other Looney Toons characters, is one of the most vivid yet under-appreciated characters to come out of Warner Bros. Studios.
Yosemite Sam, the "roughest, toughest, he-man stuffiest hombre as ever crossed the Rio Grande", was first introduced in the cartoon Hare Trigger, released May 5, 1945, starring he and Bugs Bunny. He is best recognized by his enormous 10-gallon hat and large red moustache.
The idea of Yosemite Sam was originated by Michael Maltese, a writer for many Looney Toons features; however, the design concept came from Isadore 'Friz' Freleng. Maltese claims he based the peronality of Yosemite Sam on Freleng himself. It is debatable that Yosemite Sam's design concept is based on previous one-shot characters from Warner Bros. productions; these characters were Sheriff Deadeye and Red Hot Ryder.
As with many other Looney Toons characters, Mel Blanc played the voice for Yosemite Sam. Bill Farmer played the voice of Yosemite Sam in 1996's Space Jam, and in 1988's Who Framed Roger Rabbit he was voiced by Joe Alasky.
Yosemite Sam has played many different 'roles'. He has been a pirate, a gunslinger, a hunter, an Arabian sheik, a train robber, a prison guard, a Hessian, a mayoral candidate, a claim jumper, a bank robber, a colonel in the Confederate Army, a Roman centurion, Sam Crusoe, a mountaineer, a sultan, the Black Knight, a mercenary Indian leader, a duke, a Viking, a spaceman, a demon, a Red Baron-type, and, of course, a cowboy.
In addition to all this, an Oscar award was won in 1959 for the cartoon movie Knighty Knight Bugs.
Yosemite Sam has also appeared in several comic books since the 1950s. They include the Dell Warner Bros. comic books of the 1950s, Gold Key comic books (with his own series) in the 1970s and 1980s, and presently makes sporadic appearances in DC's Looney Tunes comic books.
Interesting tidbit: If you will think back to Tiny Toon Adventures, Yosemite Sam has, scarily enough, found a follower of sorts in the form of Montana Max.
Filmography
Movies
"Space Jam" 1996
"Who Framed Roger Rabbit" 1988
"Knighty Knight Bugs" August 23, 1958
Looney Tunes Episodes
"Pancho's Hideaway" October 24, 1964
"Dumb Patrol" January 19, 1964
"Devil's Food Cake" February 9, 1963
"Shiskabugs" December 8, 1962
"Honey's Money" September 1, 1962
"Prince Violent" September 2, 1961
"Lighter Than Hare" December 17, 1960
"From Hare to Heir" September 3, 1960
"Horse Hare" February 13, 1960
"Wild And Wooly Hare" August 1, 1959
"Hare Abian Nights" February 28, 1959
"Piker's Peak" May 25, 1957
"A Star Is Bored" September 15, 1956
"Rabbitson Crusoe" April 28, 1956
"Roman Legion Hare" November 12, 1955
"This Is a Life" July 9, 1955
"Sahara Hare" March 26, 1955
"Captain Hareblower" February 16, 1954
"Hare Trimmed" June, 20 1953
"Southern Fried Rabbit" May 2, 1953
"Hare Lift" December 20, 1952
"14 Carrot Rabbit" February 16, 1952
"Ballot Box Bunny" October 6, 1951
"The Fair Haired Hare" April 14, 1951
"Rabbit Every Monday" February 10, 1951
"Bunker Hill Bunny" September 23, 1950
"Big House Bunny" April 22, 1950
"Mutiny On The Bunny" February 11, 1950
"High Diving Hare" April 30, 1949
"Bugs Bunny Rides Again" June 12, 1948
"Buccaneer Bunny" May 8, 1948
"Along Came Daffy" June 4, 1947
"Hare Trigger" May 5, 1945
Sources
http://tultw.com/bios/marvin.htm
http://tultw.com/bios/sam1.htm
http://www.toonopedia.com/yosemite.htm