See below for more Woody!

With his shock of wild red feathers, unmistakable laugh, inability to sit still and endless hi-jinx (among them womanizing, stealing and drinking), Woody Woodpecker wasn't what you'd call a particularly admirable character when he first came onto the scene in the early '40s. In fact, he has often been called "the most politically incorrect of cartoon characters". But interestingly enough, his irritating ways and hyperactive personality are the very things that have endeared him to generations of fans. As far as Woody's origin, however, creator Walter Lantz used to tell a story - the validity of which was somewhat uncertain...

Though versions of his story seldom matched up, the basic premise was always the same. It went something like this: there was a loathsome woodpecker that incessantly pecked at the Sherwood Lake, CA mountain cabin where Lantz was honeymooning in 1941 with his wife, Grace Stafford. This relentless bird drilled holes in the shingles of the cabin's roof, poked holes in the door, and generally so disturbed the peace that Walter took to throwing rocks at it! Grace wouldn't let him shoot the bird, however, so he decided to flip the situation around and draw inspiration from the evil thing - and Woody Woodpecker was born. Now, this would make a fantastic story, if the dates matched up...

The fact is, Woody first appeared a year before Lantz' 1941 honeymoon - in a 1940 Andy Panda short, Knock, Knock, written by the famed Ben "Bugs" Hardaway. The antagonistic woodpecker was then voiced by the legendary Mel Blanc, with Bugs Hardaway and Lantz' wife, Grace, providing his voice in later years. Though unnamed (it wasn't until 1941's The Cracked Nut that Woody received his name), he gained instant popularity and soon became the star of his own cartoon shorts.

So despite Lantz' questionable honeymoon story, the truth was, he had a hit on his hands. Whether he was stealing food, foiling the cops, or trying to attract the ladies, Woody Woodpecker was adored. He totally broke the mold of what cartoon heroes were supposed to be, and no one seemed to mind that he encouraged stealing, conniving and instigating all sorts of devilry. Comic book appearances followed in 1942, as well as more film roles - with the adorable Andy Panda, Wally Walrus, Gabby Gator, Buzzy Buzzard, Oswald the Rabbit, and that sweet, quiet penguin Chilly Willy often featured alongside him (for the hell-raiser that Woody was, his friends were considerably gentler, more lovable characters). In 1948, "The Woody Woodpecker Song" was released - where it promptly went to the top of the charts and even won an Academy Award. Then, in 1952, Woody got his own radio show - The Woody Woodpecker Show - which ran until 1954. The '50s, however, were a bit of a transformation time for the dear old bird. Not only did his bill become shorter and his features less pointy, but his personality also became slightly more refined. While still a mischief-maker, Woody became noticeably less sinister...and even more charming.

The Woody Woodpecker Show hit television in 1957, and though the last Walter Lantz Woody cartoon was made in 1972, he has far from disappeared. Woody cartoons can often be seen in syndication, and in 1999, an all-new Woody Woodpecker Show debuted on the Fox Kids network. Along with Woody, this show featured a decidedly more mature "Buzz" Buzzard, Wally Walrus, Chilly Willy (and Chilly's dog Smedley), Woody's best gal Winnie Woodpecker, his nephew Knothead, niece Splinter, bully extraordinaire Dapper Denver Dooley, and the pompous Mrs. Meany. Woody has made quite a showing today in the collecting world as well, with Kellogg's cereal premiums, toys, figurines, and so much more out on the market. Ha-ha-ha-HA-ha!

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See below for more Woody!		Above and right: according to noted collector Peter Merolo, this daily from the early '40s may be the earliest known from Walter Lantz		This daily has been split in two so that we can show you a larger image