Mike Maltese tossed a great baking gag into Rabbit Hood (1949), where Bugs goes to the time and trouble of quickly baking a cake just so the Sheriff of Nottingham can fall into it.
He pulled a twist on the gag when he went over to Walter Lantz to write. In Real Gone Woody (1954), Woody Woodpecker goes to all the trouble of moulding, baking and painting a vase just so he can throw it at Buzz Buzzard.
Maltese fills the story with other great material, including parodies of Johnny Ray and Guy Lombardo, and a good ending. The cartoon was directed by Paul J. Smith and may be his finest. Gil Turner, La Verne Harding and Bob Bentley are the credited animators.
A good 1950s Woody cartoon - I like how they forgot to include Woody's laugh on the soundtrack before he goes into the classroom.
ReplyDeleteThe only debit: Dal McKennon's Buzz BUzzard voice - grating and irritating.
Lionel Stander had real menace as Buzz. I loved his work. McKennon was hired, I'd guess, for his versatility.
DeleteIf Smith had only directed for about two years at Lantz, like Don Patterson did in the 50s, his reputation would be way better than what it is today (once you get past "Niagara Fools" it's pretty much all downhills from there).
ReplyDeleteI've thought of Woody as being like a fast-talking version of Bart Simpson, plucky and mischievous.
ReplyDelete