Inspiration for an artist sometimes comes when least expected. The idea for cartoon's Woody Woodpecker is a story of legends when the bird made his film debut in November 1940 "Knock Knock." Director Walter Lantz found himself in need of a new character for Universal Pictures' animated division. During his honeymoon at a Nevada ranch with bride actress Grace Stafford, the newlyweds heard a persistent woodpecker doing his work on the roof. Grace, knowing Walt was searching for a new cartoon protagonist, suggested he use the irksome bird.
Although Lantz was a bit dubious a bird could successfully carry a cartoon series, he assigned animator Ben Hardaway to draw the pesky avian (Some, including the director, claim drawer Alex Lovy deserves credit for its initial design). Hardaway, who drew the first sketches of Bugs Bunny, promptly outlined a rendition of the Woody Woodpecker seen in "Knock Knock." He showed the drawing of the woodpecker to voice actor Mel Blanc who spoke for Woody in the first three cartoons, only to be replaced by a number of actors, including Lantz's wife Grace in 1950. She's uncredited because she felt kids shouldn't know the pecker's verbal skills were voiced by a woman. Meanwhile, Blanc sued Lantz in 1948 for using his laughter in the Academy Award-nominated "The Woody Woodpecker Song." While a judge ruled Blanc had no standing because he failed to copyright his Woody voice, Lantz paid him an out-of-settlement amount on appeal.
Andy Panda, who appears in "Knock, Knock," was Universal studio's primary character at the time before Woody knocked him off his mantle. Earlier Andy had replaced Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (originally a Walt Disney creation) series in 1939. The bear's popularity soared until Woody arrived on the scene. In Woody's debut Andy Panda and his father, Papa Panda, are irritated by the woodpecker's constant drilling on the roof of their house. Woody's first words when he breaks through the roof is "Guess who?" which soon became his trademark phrase. In a series of misdirected attempts to capture the woodpecker, both pandas are frustrated by the crafty Woody. A trick Andy always was successful in using, sprinkling salt on the bird's tail, boomerangs on the bears, resulting in a surprise ending.
At first Bernie Krieser, the distributor for Universal, didn't want to handle the cartoon, telling Lantz, "He's the ugliest thing I've ever seen." Walter replied, "You're not paying for these pictures, all you're doing is distributing them, so release him, because I'm taking a chance." The response to Woody was overwhelmingly off the charts by the enthusiastic paying public. Universal green lit Lantz's new character for further cartoons in the woodpecker's new series, with his solo cartoon, 1941's "Woody Woodpecker," the first to call him that name. Since then, Woody's physical appearance has somewhat been altered with the times. As a mainstay and official mascot for Universal studio, the bird's popularity remains consistent in film and on television. Woody is ranked by TV Guide as the 46th Greatest Cartoon Character of All Time. His image is seen on the nose of William Engineering team's racing cars in the Formula One Grand Prix while his balloon is one of the highlights in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
