Since its inception in 1992, Cartoon Network has provided viewers with a wide variety of hilarious cartoons. In the late ’90s, the network introduced a muscular but dimwitted womanizer. This year, 2017, marks the 20th anniversary of this Elvis wannabe. Do you know who this is?
Johnny Bravo was the eponymous character on an animated series created by Van Partible. He lived in Aron City ‒ a nod to Elvis’ middle name ‒ and spent his days attempting to seduce woman. Unfortunately for Bravo, who considers himself to be a real catch, he was typically rejected. Bravo, voiced by Jeff Bennett, was often accompanied by his lively mother Bunny “Momma” Bravo, voiced by Brenda Vaccaro, and his neighbor Little Suzy, voiced by Mae Whitman. In addition to his hilarious rejections at the hand of women, Bravo also finds himself in bizarre situations and predicaments, often accompanied by celebrity guests, such as Adam West, Shaquille O'Neal, Seth Green, and Donny Osmond.
The series also featured cameo appearances by Hanna-Barbera characters including Speed Buggy, Jabberjaw, Fred Flintstone, Yogi Bear, The Blue Falcon, Black Widow, Huckleberry Hound, and the cast of Scooby Doo. Since the show aired on a network intended for children, it occasionally faced backlash for its pop culture references and sly adult-oriented jokes. In spite of the occasional controversy, Johnny Bravo aired for four seasons for a total of 65 episodes, plus two specials A Johnny Bravo Christmas and It's Valentine's Day, Johnny Bravo, as well as the TV film Johnny Bravo Goes to Bollywood.
Over the years, the series was nominated for four Annie Awards, one YoungStar Award and two Golden Reel Awards. It was also notable for helping to launch the careers of the shows animators Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy) and Butch Hartman (The Fairly OddParents). Johnny Bravo has also been adapted into several comic books, collectible toys, and video games. Today, Bravo is considered an iconic Cartoon Network character and many of his catchphrases are common in pop culture.
