Drooler's Delight
- Studio
- Walter Lantz Productions
- Distributor
- United Artists
Synopsis
Woody Woodpecker, suffering from heat and commercials, plans to spend his last quarter to cool off with a "super-duper delight ice cream soda," the "Drooler's Delight," but con man Buzz Buzzard has other ideas. Woody finds that he must outsmart Buzz on his way to the fountain.
Characters
Woody Woodpecker, Buzz Buzzard
Credits
Directing
- Director
- Dick Lundy
Producing
- Producer
- Walter Lantz
Writing
- Writer
- Ben Hardaway, Heck Allen
Voices
- Voice
- Ben Hardaway (Woody Woodpecker), Mel Blanc (Woody's Laugh), Lionel Stander (Buzz Buzzard)
Music
- Music
- Darrell Calker
Animation
- Animator
- Ed Love
Crew
- Background Artist
- Fred Brunish
Production notes
This was the last Walter Lantz Cartune released through United Artists. In 1951, Lantz cartoons were once again released by Universal.
There were no Lantz cartoons released in 1950.
The last time that Ben Hardaway would do the voice for Woody. Grace Stafford would begin to voice Woody regularly in 1953 (while providing his laugh in 1951-52 releases).
Nineteen forty-eight was a banner year for Woody. That was when the novelty tune, "The Woody Woodpecker Song" was released on record. It was immensely successful and climbed rapidly to the No. 1 spot on the charts. Unfortunately, Lantz had used Blanc's laugh on the record and Blanc sued for half a million dollars. Lantz eventually settled out of court and decided that Woody needed a new voice to avoid litigation in the future. That is why this is the last cartune Ben Hardaway would voice Woody.
With arguably the most famous laugh of any cartoon character in history ("ha-ha-ha-HA-ha"), Woody Woodpecker pecked his way into our lives through a 1940 Andy Panda theatrical short entitled Knock Knock. Woody continued to appear in short films throughout the 40's and 50's, and in 1957, the Kellogg's company packaged these theatrical works into the syndicated package The Woody Woodpecker Show.Walter Lantz created the famed bird, and in the show's early days, the animator would host from his office, demonstrating how cartoons were made by showing the viewers at home such essentials as painting cels and drawing storyboards. Woody, an obnoxious mischief-maker, would usually star in the shorts, occasionally taking a backseat to his friends Andy Panda, Wally Walrus, Gabby Gator, Buzz Buzzard, Oswald the Rabbit, and Arctic penguin Chilly Willy.
Woody was by far the most politically incorrect and audacious character of his time. In an era when cartoons were trying to promote a positive message or somehow prove educational, Woody was breaking taboos left and right. The early theatrical shorts were chock full of sexual innuendo, tobacco use, and rampant alcohol consumption. One episode even showed a hotel bill with a charge for "Cocaine" (all of which were later edited out before hitting the airwaves). While other cartoons were trying to do the right thing, Woody was joking, fighting, stealing, and antagonizing.
Another difference between our fine feathered friend and other animated icons is that he didn't always come out on top. Sometimes he'd dig himself too deep into a hole to get out. Perhaps "if Woody had gone to the police, this never would have happened," but then we wouldn't have had so much fun watching him try.
After a three year run from 1957-60, The Woody Woodpecker Show was not seen on network television again until the fall of 1970, when it made its Saturday morning debut. Although his physical appearance was slightly altered and updated, Woody was as big a troublemaker as ever. The immortal show has lived on in syndication ever since leaving network TV in 1977.
In 1999, a brand new Woody Woodpecker Show debuted on the Fox Kids schedule. Woody, Buzz Buzzard, Wally Walrus, Chilly Willy, and Willy's dog pal Smedley were joined by newcomers Winnie Woodpecker, Knothead, Splinter, Dapper Denver Dooley, and Mrs. Meany.
There were no Lantz cartoons released in 1950.
The last time that Ben Hardaway would do the voice for Woody. Grace Stafford would begin to voice Woody regularly in 1953 (while providing his laugh in 1951-52 releases).
Nineteen forty-eight was a banner year for Woody. That was when the novelty tune, "The Woody Woodpecker Song" was released on record. It was immensely successful and climbed rapidly to the No. 1 spot on the charts. Unfortunately, Lantz had used Blanc's laugh on the record and Blanc sued for half a million dollars. Lantz eventually settled out of court and decided that Woody needed a new voice to avoid litigation in the future. That is why this is the last cartune Ben Hardaway would voice Woody.
With arguably the most famous laugh of any cartoon character in history ("ha-ha-ha-HA-ha"), Woody Woodpecker pecked his way into our lives through a 1940 Andy Panda theatrical short entitled Knock Knock. Woody continued to appear in short films throughout the 40's and 50's, and in 1957, the Kellogg's company packaged these theatrical works into the syndicated package The Woody Woodpecker Show.Walter Lantz created the famed bird, and in the show's early days, the animator would host from his office, demonstrating how cartoons were made by showing the viewers at home such essentials as painting cels and drawing storyboards. Woody, an obnoxious mischief-maker, would usually star in the shorts, occasionally taking a backseat to his friends Andy Panda, Wally Walrus, Gabby Gator, Buzz Buzzard, Oswald the Rabbit, and Arctic penguin Chilly Willy.
Woody was by far the most politically incorrect and audacious character of his time. In an era when cartoons were trying to promote a positive message or somehow prove educational, Woody was breaking taboos left and right. The early theatrical shorts were chock full of sexual innuendo, tobacco use, and rampant alcohol consumption. One episode even showed a hotel bill with a charge for "Cocaine" (all of which were later edited out before hitting the airwaves). While other cartoons were trying to do the right thing, Woody was joking, fighting, stealing, and antagonizing.
Another difference between our fine feathered friend and other animated icons is that he didn't always come out on top. Sometimes he'd dig himself too deep into a hole to get out. Perhaps "if Woody had gone to the police, this never would have happened," but then we wouldn't have had so much fun watching him try.
After a three year run from 1957-60, The Woody Woodpecker Show was not seen on network television again until the fall of 1970, when it made its Saturday morning debut. Although his physical appearance was slightly altered and updated, Woody was as big a troublemaker as ever. The immortal show has lived on in syndication ever since leaving network TV in 1977.
In 1999, a brand new Woody Woodpecker Show debuted on the Fox Kids schedule. Woody, Buzz Buzzard, Wally Walrus, Chilly Willy, and Willy's dog pal Smedley were joined by newcomers Winnie Woodpecker, Knothead, Splinter, Dapper Denver Dooley, and Mrs. Meany.
