Sex and the Woodpecker

Andy Panda’s dad tries to blow up a pesky, unnamed woodpecker with sex in Knock Knock (1940). His bait: a time bomb inside a mechanical female bird emulating Mae West.



The bird thrusts at the camera. You think this could have been done in live action then?



Were “Oh you kid” or “chicken inspector” buttons still a thing in 1940?



Frames of the woodpecker’s reaction to being kissed. Bring on the dry-brush.



The woodpecker makes the next move. The bird bomb blows up into pieces. The woodpecker isn’t even singed, other than emotionally. “Betrayed!” wails Mel Blanc.



You old-time animation fans know the woodpecker stole the show. Walter Lantz wisely gave him his own series, which lasted in first-run on the big screen until 1972, very much watered down.

Today marks the official theatrical release of Knock Knock 85 years ago, though it showed up in Shine’s Miami (Ohio) the day before. It was announced in the trade press at the end of August 1940.

Woody Woodpecker’s debut got mixed reactions in the trade press.

Andy Panda and Papa Panda are disturbed by the pecking of a zany woodpecker. The pursuit of the bird is then the main concern of the cartoon. Their efforts are unsuccessful and not too funny. Running time, 7 mins. (Motion Picture Daily, Nov. 28, 1940)

Andy Panda and his father have a time chasing a woodpecker that is boring holes in their house. At length they catch him. Meanwhile the general order is routine animation and an unimaginative scenario. (Boxoffice, Dec. 7, 1940)

Knock, Knock (Very Good)
Univ. (5243) Cartoon No. 3 7 mins.
Here is a cartoon that while not outstanding by any means is nevertheless better than the previous releases in this series and one that should entertain your patrons, especially the kiddies. It's all about the agitation caused Andy Panda and his papa by a sassy woodpecker who knocks holes in the Panda roof. Every effort to subdue the bird is futile until Andy drops some salt on his tail. Photographed in Technicolor, the cartoon was produced by Walter Lantz. (Showmen's Trade Review Nov. 30, 1940)

"Knock, Knock"
Universal 7 mins.
Funny Cartoon
Andy Panda and his pop have a considerable amount of trouble with a very fresh and pugnacious woodpecker in this subject with laughable results. Pop Panda sets out to get the woodpecker, in a blistering rage after the bird has made the roof of their house look like a sieve. But, although Andy finally gets the bird cornered the pandas get the bird from the bird in the long run and the woodpecker bangs pop around plenty. (Film Daily, Nov. 29, 1940)

Bugs Hardaway and Lowell Elliot wrote the short (Hardaway’s influence is unmistakable), Frank Tipper and Alex Lovy are the “artists,” Edgar Kiechle is the uncredited background man, while Blanc and Sara Berner supply the voices.

An excellent summary of the cartoon can be found in Joe Adamson’s book “The Walter Lantz Story.” Beware of references you read anywhere to a woodpecker and a “honeymoon” as Lantz didn’t marry Grace Stafford until August 1941, months after this cartoon was released.