Born to Peck
Born to Peck is the 39th animated cartoon short subject in the Woody Woodpecker series.[1] Released theatrically on February 25, 1952, the film was produced by Walter Lantz Productions and distributed by Universal International.[2]
Born to Peck | |
---|---|
Directed by | Walter Lantz |
Produced by | Walter Lantz |
Story by | Walter Lantz |
Music by | Clarence Wheeler |
Animation by | Ray Abrams Don Patterson Laverne Harding Paul Smith |
Backgrounds by | Fred Brunish |
Color process | Technicolor |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Universal International |
Release date |
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Running time | 6' 35" |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Plot
In the future, Woody is an elderly woodpecker who tries in vain to peck away at a tree. Unfortunately, his best years are behind him, and his beak was too weak. Depressed, he begins to reminisce about his younger days when he was a little bird in the care of his father. It becomes apparent that from Day 1, Woody was a mischievous, rascally bird who made his hapless father's life a living nightmare.
After spending several minutes recalling his youth, a despondent Woody jumps over the side of a cliff in an effort to commit suicide. At the last minute, an offscreen cartoonist breaks the fourth wall, erases the grave Woody was bound for, and replaces it with a Fountain of Youth. Rejuvenated, Woody returns to the forest, ready to peck away at his first tree in years. Unfortunately, he chooses a petrified tree, which knocks him cold upon impact.
Production notes
- There is no director's credit for this film. Lantz himself has claimed to have directed Born to Peck.
- Beginning with Born to Peck, the 1951 big band rendition of the Woody Woodpecker theme song was modified into a more jazzier version; this version would be used until The Great Who-Dood-It, when the theme (and intro) was shortened.
- There is no dialogue in this film. The vocal effects were recycled recordings archived from Wicket Wacky, Slingshot 6 7/8 and The Redwood Sap.
References
- Cooke, Jon, Komorowski, Thad, Shakarian, Pietro, and Tatay, Jack. "1952". The Walter Lantz Cartune Encyclopedia.
- Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 157–158. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7.