Woody Woodpecker (1941)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Writers:

Jack Cosgriff (writer)
Ben Hardaway (writer)

Release Date:

17 July 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Family | Short | Comedy

Plot:

The psychiatrist needs a psychiatrist after attempting to treat Woody Woodpecker.

Plot Keywords:

Woody Woodpecker | Woodland | Psychiatrist | Singing | Song

Cast

Sara Berner	...	Bird (voice) (uncredited)
Mel Blanc	...	Woody Woodpecker / Dr. Horace N. Buggy / Voice #2 (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Walter Lantz		(uncredited)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jack Cosgriff		writer
Ben Hardaway		writer

Produced by
Walter Lantz	....	producer

Original Music by
Darrell Calker

Art Department
Ray Fahringer	....	artist
Alex Lovy	....	artist

Animation Department
Ray Fahringer	....	animator (uncredited)
Alex Lovy	....	animator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Walter Lantz Productions

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1941) (USA) (theatrical)
• Castle Films (1947) (USA) (16 mm sound) (retitled)
• Castle Films (1947) (USA) (8 mm and 16 mm silent with titles) (retitled)
• Castle Films (USA) (16 mm) (home movie film market)
• Castle Films (USA) (8 mm)

Also Known As:

The Cracked Nut (USA) (16mm release title)

Runtime:

7 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Company:

Walter Lantz Productions

Quotes:

[first lines]
Woody Woodpecker: Guess who?

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Loan Stranger (1942)

Soundtrack:

Everybody Thinks I'm Crazy

Everybody Thinks He's Crazy- And I'm Crazy About Him!

When Woody Woodpecker debuted as an antagonist for star Andy Panda in KNOCK KNOCK in 1940, his zany antics immediately captivated audiences. Shrewdly aware of the woodpecker's star potential, producer Walter Lantz cast him in his first solo cartoon, WOODY WOODPECKER. Under Lantz's uncredited direction, this cartoon discharges an authentically wacky and convulsive energy that's reminiscent of the contemporary Warner Brothers cartoons. Indeed one of the writers, Ben "Bugs" Hardaway had worked at Warner's before Lantz hired him.

Most of the energy comes from Woody himself. He represents the uninhibited id as he darts all over the screen, pulls prankish stunts, sasses his antagonists, and employs his trademark laugh. And what an appropriately outrageous design for an outrageous character with his extremely long bill, buck teeth, goofy eyes, stumpy legs, and a garish mixture of blue, red, yellow and green all over his body. The brilliant Mel Blanc provides an appropriately loony voice that is as oddly endearing as it is funny. Thank to Blanc's work and the skillful animation, Woody Woodpecker never seems obnoxious; just a lovable nut. One senses his comic aggressiveness is not derived from malice but from a naturally manic temperament.

Undoubtedly the highlight is in the beginning when Woody sings "Everybody Thinks I'm Crazy." The lyrics aren't sensationally funny, but Darrel Calker's jaunty music, Blanc's hilarious singing, and the comical animation of Woody's strutting make this a showstopper. In fact, this song would be Woody's theme in his early cartoons. Some one ought to do a cover of this song.

Mel Blanc would've undoubtedly remained the voice of Woody Woodpecker until his death if Warner Brothers hadn't given him an exclusive contract. (However, he did later did Woody's voice on some children's records.) It's a pity because of all the actors I've heard do the woodpecker (I never heard Billy West's work on THE NEW WOODY WOODPECKER SHOW, Blanc was the most impressive. He conveyed a charismatic craziness that none of the other actors I've heard could capture. Although Lantz continued to produce fine Woody Woodpecker cartoons for some time, I feel the woodpecker lost a little pizazz when Blanc was replaced.