It was watching Saturday morning cartoons "for research purposes" that inspired Wolf's idea for Roger Rabbit. "It was during the commercials," says Wolf. "I saw Tony the Tiger and the Trix Rabbit, and Cap'n Crunch, cartoon characters, talking to real people. And nobody seemed to think that was odd. I thought, 'What a great idea for a novel. A place where Toons lived side by side with humans.' I wove that into a mystery, and bingo, I had my book."His innovative concept was the basis for the novel Who Censored Roger Rabbit? Wolf found his idea hard to sell -- this time to publishers.

Even with three well reviewed science fiction novels to his credit, it took Wolf two years and 110 rejections to find a publisher for his unusual book. "Publishers told me it was too esoteric. Too weird. Nobody would understand it," Wolf explains. Finally, a small publisher took a chance and brought it out. Soon after, Walt Disney Pictures came calling. Disney and Steven Spielberg teamed up to make Who Framed Roger Rabbit. The film became the most critically acclaimed and highest-grossing film of 1988, bringing in more than $750 million at the box office as well as four Academy Awards.

Who Wacked Roger Rabbit?.