2004 Obit: Woody Woodpecker (Walter Lantz)

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: GUEST,McGrath of Altcar
Date: 25 Apr 04 - 05:31 AM

Charlie Parker frequently quoted the Woody Woodpecker "Riff" in many of his Sax solos.

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: Once Famous
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 09:48 PM

Also, All I want for Christman Is My Two Front Teeth was done by Spike Jones and His City Slickers." I am sure they have been discussed here before, but Spike Jones and his group were a riot.

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 09:46 PM

... unless you are talking about Ish Kabibble. I'm not sure if that would be considered a "character" or a "stage name".

more drift.... !

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 09:41 PM

...also, I don't think Fred Waring was ever in the Kay Kyser Orchestra.

Sorry for the thread drift!!

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 09:34 PM

Fred Waring and his blender.   He did not invent it the blender however. Fred Waring was the financial backer for the device and one of his stipulations was that the blender take on his name.

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 07:20 PM

NPR did a very nice profile/tribute to him today. They pointed out that he was the "original" Woody Woodpecker from the song---after that the others came into play.

He ended his later years as a Real Estate mogul in Southern California. This after all the years with the Kyser organization and then taking on the Kyser orchestra's name.


Now for a bit of a trivia query. Who knows the name of one of the other great characters to come out of the Kyser Org.   If you get that then think on the query: what famous band leader (U.S.) invented and made a fortune with a kitchen appliance?

Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 06:47 PM

All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth. is one of my favourite songs, especially from childhood.

Any more of his comic songs in the the DT or threads here?

It should be noted in passing that there were cartoons involving two mice, sort of an Abbot & Costello style, in which one of the mice is called Babbit. These cartoons are now apparently out of copyright - not renewed - and are very non-PC by today's standards. perhaps and in-joke?

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: open mike
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 05:44 PM

the word vintage seems to stem from a description of fine wine
fruit of the VINe....Vintner....
are other words form that same root..vine...branch...stem...

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: Don Firth
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 05:11 PM

Ah! But some rare things--and people--are vintage. It takes astutenes and refinement to distinguish the vintage from the merely old, although old is good too. It denotes, among other sterling qualities, durability.

But then, it also depends on what one means by "old." It's relative. Many teenagers think of thirty as being "old," which is foolish. Other cultures value and revere those who have been around and seen more of life than they have because they have more experience, have accumulated more knowledge, and are often very wise.

And one must not forget: barring accident or illness, one will eventually become "old." [But not necessarily either vintage or wise]. A great day in history came when the person who said "Never trust anyone over thirty" turned thirty. The gods were heard to laugh.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: Once Famous
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 04:35 PM

Wait a minute. Everything old is not a vintage antique.

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: Don Firth
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 04:05 PM

Harry Babbitt, light baritone vocalist with the Kay Kayser Orchestra (radio program back in the Forties called "Kay Kayser's College of Musical Knowledge" ("Give that man in the balcony five silver dollars!"), was a fine singer of the pop crooner variety. Sang a lot of straight stuff such as "Two Sleepy People", "Stairway To The Stars", "Slow Boat To China", "I'll Get By", "How Are Things In Glocca Morra?", "Portrait Of Jenny", and "You Were Meant For Me." He often sang and recorded with Ginny Simms and Martha Tilton. But he's probably best known for the novelty songs that he recorded, such as the laugh in "The Woody Woodpecker Song", "Three Little Fishies" (or "Free Wittoo Fishies"), and "All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth."

Being, a vintage human being (vintage is defined by Merriam-Webster as "being of old, recognized, and enduring interest, importance, or quality"), I recall hearing him on Kay Kayser's program when I was quite young.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: Peace
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 03:21 PM

Who's taking a pee in an empty can. I don't get it?

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: John Hindsill
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 03:19 PM

Harry Babbitt was the laugh of Woody Woodpecker only on the Kayser version of the Woody Woodpecker Song...period...finish.

But Babbitt really is not known for that song. He was the guy singer for Kyser for years, a terrific crooner and all-around singer. For many years he had his own local television show in Los Angeles during the infancy of the medium. Additionally he performed on all or most of the local charity raising telethons.

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 03:18 PM

I remember hearing that his wife did the voice also. In this story someone gets far more credit for this one thing than he perhaps deserves, which is a misrepresentation but isn't fraud (as when the grocery clerk in California got all sorts of attention for being the grown up "Our Gang" Alfalfa but actually had no relationship at all).

SRS

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 11:39 PM

Why is:

fun

Isolated in the middle of your original thread?????

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: Don Firth
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 05:11 PM

Just this once, Marty. What happens in the future remains to be seen.

I think I have whiplash. Thanks, Megan. I've taken an aspirin and fixed myself a nice cup of chamomile tea. . . .

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: Once Famous
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 04:26 PM

OK, 99% right is good enough for me.

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: Megan L
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 04:25 PM

actually martin you were only part right Babbit was the laugh in the theme song. remember a pea rattles loudest in an empty can :)

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: Once Famous
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 04:19 PM

Don

You could spend a lifetime repeating that.

So many have!

I have specialized in this kind of trivia for many years.

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: Megan L
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 04:12 PM

Don its allright we have prepared a nice quiet room for you to lie down in :)

The article in the original post came direct from bbc news. the confusion seems to have arisen because he did the laugh on the record of the theme tune.

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: Don Firth
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 04:07 PM

I never thought I would ever say this, but Martin Gibson is right.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: Megan L
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 04:04 PM

woody has had several voices over the years but I can't remember Babbit among them

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: Once Famous
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 03:39 PM

Woody was definately a woman.

A woman with a woody.

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: open mike
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 03:32 PM

now there is a question begging to be reserched!
info on harry babbit
babbitt
kay kyser
big band

Walter Lanz
Grace Stafford
look up lanz, woody here
maybe the guys son just thought he was woody...
or maybe he dide a great imitation at home!

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: Once Famous
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 03:02 PM

This man was not the true voice of Woody Woodpecker, one of my favorite politically incorrect cartoon characters.

Grace Stafford Lantz who was Walter Lantz's wife was the voice of Woody. Anyone who remembers the show knows this. A filmed Walter Lantz used to appear on every show and talk to his audience and give information about his characters to his audience. Two specific things I clearly remember is Gracie Lantz appearing and showing how she did Woody's voice and how is was added to the animation. another thing I remember was that they showed how to draw Woody. His head started with a perfectly round circle.

Doing a search on Woody's voice shows some cartoon sites that justify this. Mel Blanc and Billy west are mentioned, but Gracie Lantz is fully credited. this guy who died isn't.

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: Amos
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 02:31 PM

Aw, I am sorry to hear this. I will never forget that theme, a piece of my childhood! "Ah-uhuh-AH-ah! Ah-uhuh-AH-ah! It's the Woody Woodpecker song!!"

Sigh. Plus ca change...

A

Subject: RE: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 02:24 PM

Woody was always one of my favorite cartoons.

Subject: Obit: Woody Woodpecker
From: Amergin
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 02:21 PM

Voice of Woody Woodpecker dies


Woody Woodpecker with his creator Walter Lantz
Harry Babbitt, the man who voiced the distinctive laugh of popular cartoon character Woody Woodpecker, has died aged 90 in California.
Babbitt was also a member of the Kay Kyser Big Band from 1938 to about 1949, singing on hits such as The White Cliffs of Dover and The Umbrella Man.

He also appeared in seven movies alongside Kyser, who died in 1985.

Babbitt teamed up with a new band in the 1980s but stopped performing in the mid-1990s. He leaves a wife and family.

He obtained the rights to the Kyser band name and back catalogue after Kay Kyser died.

Fun

The St Louis-born tenor also featured on Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge, a popular comedy and musical radio quiz show in the US.

The band were famed for their novelty records including Three Little Fishes and the 1948 hit, Woody Woodpecker, sung by Babbitt.

He also made a solo recording of All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth with his trademark high-pitched voice.

His son Michael said he died of old age on 9 April in a nursing home in Newport Beach.