Tree's A Crowd

A sightseeing bus enters the gates of a large estate through the courtesy of its owner, tree-loving millionaire Colonel Mulch. Woody, a hitchhiker atop the bus, hears the driver (a Ralph Kramden clone) announce that the estate is noted for its rare and priceless trees. Woody immediately prepares for a delectable treat by putting on his napkin, and he goes to the arbor to sample the trees. Colonel Mulch, with a large magnifying glass, is inspecting some of the trees, and he suddenly sees an enlarged woodpecker standing on a bunch of one of them. The colonel does a double take and yells for his pet cat Filbert. When the cat arrives, it's immediately told to get rid of Woody. Filbert, hearing Woody pecking a tree, endeavors to carry out the order given to him. He uses various devices and tricks to catch Woody, but in every instance, Woody outsmarts him. As a last resort, Filbert tries to dynamite Woody from a tree hideout. The explosion causes a chain reaction, which fells tree after tree. At the point of a gun in the colonel's hands, Filbert tries to repair the damage with every device- from glue to needle and thread. The sightseeing tour having come to an end, the bus driver announces that they are leaving the "ruins" of Colonel Mulch's estate. Upon turning around to inform his passengers that the damage was caused by a woodpecker, he discovers that the only passenger left is Woody, who has made a shambles of the bus.

Woody Woodpecker, Filbert, Colonel Mulch, Bus Driver

The bus driver, as the bus first enters the estate, identifies is as the estate of what sounds like Colonel Fleabush. Later, when the bus nears the mansion this same sounding name is spoken. What the drives says sounds like Colonel Mulch.

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.