Reckless Driver Outlines

“The Reckless Driver” (released 1946) is another Walter Lantz cartoon where outlines of characters are used to quicken the action. You can find them in one scene where lazy cop Wally Walrus is taking Woody Woodpecker’s reflexes. It’s a variation on the old bop-knee-foot-kicks gag. Instead, Woody pecks the cop. Here are a few drawings to give you an idea of the outline effect.





Later in the scene, Wally contemplates how to test the reflexes without getting jabbed by Woody’s beak. These are consecutive drawings leading to Wally drumming his fingers against his face. You’d have no idea Wally’s shrug is in there unless you freeze the scene as it’s there for one drawing. You can see the outlines again.







Les Kline and Grim Natwick get the on-screen animation credits. Mark Kausler reports Natwick animated this scene.

Wally doesn’t have his Swedish accent in this one. It sounds like he’s played by Will Wright in this cartoon. Voice actor and historian Keith Scott says Wright is the devil conscience of Andy Panda in “Apple Andy,” which has the same voice as Wally in this short (and the wolf in “Fair Weather Fiends”).