The Screwdriver
| The Screwdriver | |
|---|---|
| Woody Woodpecker series | |
 | |
| Directed by | Walter Lantz |
| Produced by | Walter Lantz |
| Story by |
Ben Hardaway Jack Cosgriff |
| Voices by | Mel Blanc |
| Music by | Darrell Calker |
| Animation by |
Alex Lovy R. Somerville |
| Studio | Walter Lantz Productions |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
| Release date(s) | August 11, 1941 (U.S.) |
| Color process | Technicolor |
| Running time | 6' 44" |
| Language | English |
| Preceded by | Woody Woodpecker |
| Followed by | Pantry Panic |
The Screwdriver is the second animated cartoon short subject in the Woody Woodpecker series. Released theatrically on August 11, 1941, the film was produced by Walter Lantz Productions and distributed by Universal Pictures.
Plot
Woody Woodpecker is driving through the countryside and is, shall we say, not a stickler for the rules. He's practically asking for trouble when he confronts a traffic cop who explains he is looking for speeders. Woody reveals himself to be a speeder by driving to Alaska and back in less than a minute. The cop tries to arrest him but Woody states, "I bet ya wouldn't be so tough without that uniform." The officer undresses but Woody attacks him with a boxing glove camera. Woody also gets his goat by dressing as a farmer on horse-and-buggy and as a Chinaboy with rickshaw. Finally, the cop flips out and is sent to a mental hospital with Woody as his caretaker.
Notes
- Like most of the early 1940s Lantz "cartunes", The Screwdriver carried no director's credit. Lantz himself has claimed to have directed this film, which features animation by Alex Lovy and Ralph Somerville, a story by Ben Hardaway and Jack Cosgriff, and music by Darrell Calker.
- The song, performed by Mel Blanc at the beginning of the film, would make a reappearance in Hot Rod Huckster, performed by Grace Stafford.
- Everybody thinks I'm screwy!
- Screwy as a loon, that's me!
- When I get on the driving spree,
- The coppers all get panicky!
- Honk my horn!
- HONK! HONK! HONK!
- Strip my gears!
- SCREECH! SCREECH! SCREECH!
- So I'm screwy, what, what, what can I do?
- I ask you!
- The Screwdriver marks the last time Mel Blanc provided the voice for Woody. However, Woody's famous laugh and "Guess Who?!" signature line (provided by Blanc) would continue to be recycled in the succeeding shorts.
References
- Cooke, Jon, Komorowski, Thad, Shakarian, Pietro, and Tatay, Jack. "1941". The Walter Lantz Cartune Encyclopedia.