Walter Benjamin Lantz was an American cartoonist, animator, producer and director best known for founding Walter Lantz Productions and creating Woody Woodpecker.
Lantz in 1939
Lantz in the January 1925 edition of The American Magazine
Lantz at an art store in Honolulu, 1983
Lantz in 1990 with paintings of Woody Woodpecker
Woody Woodpecker is an animated character that appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz Studio and Universal Animation Studio and distributed by Universal Pictures since 1940. Woody's last Woody Woodpecker was produced by Walter Lantz in 1972.
Woody Woodpecker and his captive client in The Barber of Seville (1944), directed by Shamus Culhane.
Wet Blanket Policy, directed by Dick Lundy, introduced Woody's new adversary Buzz Buzzard and featured Woody's Academy Award-nominated theme song, "The Woody Woodpecker Song".
Woody in 1961's The Bird Who Came to Dinner, directed by Paul J. Smith. This cartoon was made several years after Woody's last redesign.
Woody and Winnie Woodpecker, as seen at Universal Studios Florida.