Woody woodpecker


 * woody woodpecker is walter lantz's most famous character. he was not however the first; before woody walter was working on a character named andy panda. andys were very well recieved but just were'nt cutting it. all of that changed when walter found a pesky little bird tapping on his roof. he was going to shoot it when his wife pointed out that he needed a new character for his cartoons and that this was just the kind of thing he needed. and so he let the bird run free and decided to expeiriment with a large woodpecker in the andy panda short "knock knock" in 1940. much to walters suprise this cartoon was a HUGE sucess and audiences laughed the whole time.

the next year walter thought it a good idea to bring the character back in the 1941 cartoon "woody woodpecker". woody then really took off starring in 1941's "the screwdriver", 1941's "pantry panic", 1942's "the hollywood matatador", 1942's "ace in the whole", 1942's "the loan stranger", 1943's "the screwball",1943's "the dizzy acrobat", and 1943's "ration bred".

it was then that his look completly changed to a smaller but still not tiny woodpecker with more his traditional look but with a larger beak, and bigger body. he then hit what many people call his prime with a long run of cartoons going from 1944 with "the barber of seville" to 1948 with "wacky bye baby".

then everything changed in 1948's "wet blanket policy" witch got nominated for an academy award for "the woody woodpecker song" and was the first cartoon in woodys history to feature buzz buzzard.

then in 1951 woody got the series we all remember him for and his more iconic personality and voice (now by walters wife.) with "puny express". this series went on for the rest of woodys career although what wood woody comes out of would often change. he is now one of the most iconic characters ever and is rememberedeverywhere as that rascaly little bird. (oh and if youre wondering where he got his iconic look you can look to AROUND the time of "calling all cukoos" in 1956.)

highlights in his career:
1940 knock knock                                                                                                                                                               1944 the barber of seville

1948 wet blanket policy

1951 puny express