Drooler's Delight
Encyclopedia
Drooler's Delight is the 31st animated cartoon
short subject
in the Woody Woodpecker
series. Released theatrically on March 25, 1949, the film was produced by Walter Lantz Productions and distributed by United Artists
.
called the Drooler's Delight. Finding that he has exactly one quarter on him, he heads for the malt shop but draws the attention of the greedy Buzz Buzzard
. The two adversaries play a variety of sneaky tricks on each other to steal the quarter back and forth; the contest ends when Woody, disguised as a woman, leads Buzz on a chase that causes him to knock himself out against a wall. When Woody reaches the malt shop and orders his Drooler's Delight, he is surprised to find Buzz as the soda jerk
, who stuffs Woody into a glass and mixes him up with the ingredients. However, Woody drinks the whole thing down from inside the glass and gets the last laugh on Buzz.
. It was also the final Woody short Dick Lundy completed as director, although he would direct segments of Puny Express
before leaving the studio.
Drooler's Delight was also the last short to feature the second Woody design, which featured his top knot styled as a pileated woodpecker. The next short, Puny Express
(and those that followed), would feature the third Woody design with a more refined top knot.
Finally, Drooler's Delight marked the swan song for Ben Hardaway
as Woody's talking voice. Around the time the short was in production, Mel Blanc
, who supplied Woody's laugh, filed a lawsuit against producer Walter Lantz
. Though Blanc lost, he eventually settled out of court. Wanting to avoid any future retalliation from voice artists wanting to sue him, Lantz opted to find a new voice and definitive version of the laugh for his star woodpecker. As a result, Drooler's Delight became the last short that Lantz allowed Hardaway to voice. Ironically, neither Hardaway nor co-writer Heck Allen
would work at the studio again (although material they have written was used in some of the 1951 Woody shorts); Hardaway soon retired, while Allen went back to MGM to re-start his long collaboration with Tex Avery
.
Buzz's appearance has changed too. He has become more streamlined with his "vest feathers" no longer drawn, and he does not have a five o'clock shadow on his lower jaw/beak anymore either. (The comics made at the time would follow suit, although Buzz's vest would always still be drawn.) An abridged version of Buzz from this short would be used for The New Woody Woodpecker Show
.
Starting with Puny Express
both characters would be redesign once again (with the comics following suit again).
with Bugs Bunny
.
Animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
short subject
Short subject
A short film is any film not long enough to be considered a feature film. No consensus exists as to where that boundary is drawn: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all...
in the Woody Woodpecker
Woody Woodpecker
Woody Woodpecker is an animated cartoon character, an anthropomorphic acorn woodpecker who appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz animation studio and distributed by Universal Pictures...
series. Released theatrically on March 25, 1949, the film was produced by Walter Lantz Productions and distributed by United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
.
Plot
On a hot summer day, Woody hears a radio commercial for the latest thirst quencher, a 25-cent ice cream sodaIce cream soda
An ice cream soda or float , coke float , or spider , is a beverage that consists of one or more scoops of ice cream in either a soft drink or in a mixture of flavored syrup and carbonated water.-Origins:The ice cream soda was invented by Robert M...
called the Drooler's Delight. Finding that he has exactly one quarter on him, he heads for the malt shop but draws the attention of the greedy Buzz Buzzard
Buzz Buzzard
Buzz Buzzard is a fictional animated cartoon character who appeared in several films produced by Walter Lantz Productions in the 1940s, '50s, and 70’s.-History:...
. The two adversaries play a variety of sneaky tricks on each other to steal the quarter back and forth; the contest ends when Woody, disguised as a woman, leads Buzz on a chase that causes him to knock himself out against a wall. When Woody reaches the malt shop and orders his Drooler's Delight, he is surprised to find Buzz as the soda jerk
Soda jerk
A soda jerk was a person — typically a youth — who operated the soda fountain in a drugstore, often for the purpose of preparing and serving ice cream soda. This was made by putting flavored syrup into a specially designed tall glass, adding carbonated water and, finally, one or two scoops of ice...
, who stuffs Woody into a glass and mixes him up with the ingredients. However, Woody drinks the whole thing down from inside the glass and gets the last laugh on Buzz.
End of an era
Drooler's Delight was the last Woody Woodpecker film released before the 1948-1950 shutdown as well as the last from United ArtistsUnited Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
. It was also the final Woody short Dick Lundy completed as director, although he would direct segments of Puny Express
Puny Express
Puny Express is an American cartoon, and the 32nd animated cartoon short subject in the Woody Woodpecker series. Released theatrically on January 22, 1951, the film was produced by Walter Lantz Productions and distributed by Universal International....
before leaving the studio.
Drooler's Delight was also the last short to feature the second Woody design, which featured his top knot styled as a pileated woodpecker. The next short, Puny Express
Puny Express
Puny Express is an American cartoon, and the 32nd animated cartoon short subject in the Woody Woodpecker series. Released theatrically on January 22, 1951, the film was produced by Walter Lantz Productions and distributed by Universal International....
(and those that followed), would feature the third Woody design with a more refined top knot.
Finally, Drooler's Delight marked the swan song for Ben Hardaway
Ben Hardaway
Joseph Benson "Ben/Bugs" Hardaway was a storyboard artist, animator, voice actor, gagman, writer, and director for several American animation studios during the The Golden Age of Hollywood animation. He was sometimes credited as J.B. Hardaway, Ben Hardaway, Buggsy Hardaway, and B. Hardaway.While...
as Woody's talking voice. Around the time the short was in production, Mel Blanc
Mel Blanc
Melvin Jerome "Mel" Blanc was an American voice actor and comedian. Although he began his nearly six-decade-long career performing in radio commercials, Blanc is best remembered for his work with Warner Bros...
, who supplied Woody's laugh, filed a lawsuit against producer Walter Lantz
Walter Lantz
Walter Benjamin Lantz was an American cartoonist, animator, film producer, and director, best known for founding Walter Lantz Productions and creating Woody Woodpecker.-Early years and start in animation:...
. Though Blanc lost, he eventually settled out of court. Wanting to avoid any future retalliation from voice artists wanting to sue him, Lantz opted to find a new voice and definitive version of the laugh for his star woodpecker. As a result, Drooler's Delight became the last short that Lantz allowed Hardaway to voice. Ironically, neither Hardaway nor co-writer Heck Allen
Henry Wilson Allen
Henry Wilson Allen was an American author and screenwriter. He used several different pseudonyms for his works. His 50+ novels of the American West were published under the pen names Will Henry and Clay Fisher...
would work at the studio again (although material they have written was used in some of the 1951 Woody shorts); Hardaway soon retired, while Allen went back to MGM to re-start his long collaboration with Tex Avery
Tex Avery
Frederick Bean "Fred/Tex" Avery was an American animator, cartoonist, voice actor and director, famous for producing animated cartoons during The Golden Age of Hollywood animation. He did his most significant work for the Warner Bros...
.
Woody's and Buzz's appearance
In Drooler's Delight Woody's top knot is pushed forward for an extended period of time in several scenes (more so than in previous entries), including the title card, thus making him somewhat resemble the characters up-coming third design.Buzz's appearance has changed too. He has become more streamlined with his "vest feathers" no longer drawn, and he does not have a five o'clock shadow on his lower jaw/beak anymore either. (The comics made at the time would follow suit, although Buzz's vest would always still be drawn.) An abridged version of Buzz from this short would be used for The New Woody Woodpecker Show
The New Woody Woodpecker Show
The New Woody Woodpecker Show is an animated television series based on the original cartoon by Walter Lantz, produced by Universal Animation Studios and aired from 1999 until 2002 on FOX and YTV...
.
Starting with Puny Express
Puny Express
Puny Express is an American cartoon, and the 32nd animated cartoon short subject in the Woody Woodpecker series. Released theatrically on January 22, 1951, the film was produced by Walter Lantz Productions and distributed by Universal International....
both characters would be redesign once again (with the comics following suit again).
Continuity
Woody's size varies wildly in Drooler's Delight. In the beginning, he is "normal" height, but at the end he is small enough to be stuffed into an ice-cream glass. A similar discrepancy is seen in Bugsy and MugsyBugsy and Mugsy
Bugsy and Mugsy is a 1957 animated short film in the Looney Tunes series produced by Warner Bros. Cartoons, Inc.The film's plot features Bugs Bunny with Rocky and Mugsy in a remake of the 1950 Merrie Melodies short Stooge for a Mouse...
with Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
.