Slobbering Woody

Andy Panda tries to capture Woody Woodpecker by putting salt on his tail in the bird’s debut cartoon “Knock Knock” (1940). The woodpecker thwarts it when he backs Andy to the edge of the roof of the Panda home, growing and expanding as he threatens to tear him apart. Here are a few of the drawings. Woody spends a great deal of time slobbering; I guess it was to make him look more crazed.



Woody is animated on both ones and twos in this scene, but when he’s not moving, Andy moves ever-so-slightly, so there’s always a bit of action on every frame.

Alex Lovy and his brother-in-law, Frank Tipper, are the only two animators to receive screen credit.