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Mel Blanc once called the original Woody Woodpecker ugly, and yeah, we sort of agree
He's everyone's favorite little cartoon freak.
Not all cartoon characters were drawn to be cute. They can't all be Granny or Tweety Bird. Some cartoons have to take one for the team and be a little bit ugly in the name of comedy. One of these cartoons just happens to be Woody Woodpecker.
You might remember Woody Woodpecker from his series of cartoons, or from any of your waking nightmares. While Woody Woodpecker is undoubtedly funny, there are a few different qualities that some people might find...annoying, to put it lightly. However, it turns out that the original design for Woody Woodpecker wasn't quite as adorable as the bird you've grown so accustomed to seeing.
According to Mel Blanc's memoir, That's Not All Folks! Woody Woodpecker began his animation journey with a very different appearance when he originated at Walter Lantz Productions. Blanc was actually given a special sneak preview of the early drafts of Woody Woodpecker, drawn by Ben Hardaway, who had previously worked for Warner Brothers. Hardaway wanted Blanc's opinion on his character design, and Blanc certainly didn't mince words.
Blanc wrote, "He [Hardaway] gave me a call, and I drove over to Lantaz's studio to meet him. 'What do you think?' Ben asked me, holding up a prototype drawing. 'Ugliest damn thing I ever saw,' I replied."
At the time, Walter Lantz and Ben Hardaway were already hopeful that Blanc would be willing to provide a voice to the little woodpecker, and while Blanc was eager, he was nothing if not truthful.
Blanc wrote, "The original Woody was repulsive with a capital R: He had a peaked head topped with a sharply angled comb that looked like it had been styled in a wind tunnel. A narrow beak so long, its pointy tip was a zip code away. Short, swollen arms and legs. In all, a sorry spectacle."
Blanc goes on, but we'll spare you all the details, mainly because Hardaway's original design wasn't the one used in finished Woody Woodpecker cartoons. Blanc explained, "Mercifully, he soon underwent a transfiguration. His beak was pruned, his limbs thinned, and his red comb was drawn so that it fell forward like a feathery pompadour, making him much easier on the eyes."
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https://walterlantz.fandom.com/wiki/Woody_Woodpecker_Through_the_Years
The "Ugly Woody" *was* used in the earlier cartoons, and he was more manic - and to me, funnier. The Woody you now know was toned down in both looks and actions - perhaps to appeal to a wider children's audience for TV...
Remember, the theatrical shorts were made (in many cases) for kids *and* adults... Oh, and by the way MeTV writers... "and I drove over to Lantaz's studio to meet him." Another lack-of proofreading gaffe misspelling LANTZ... You guys *really* need a good, sharp peck on the head by Woody! 😒