Helter Shelter (film)
| Helter Shelter | |
|---|---|
| Woody Woodpecker series | |
 | |
| Directed by | Paul J. Smith |
| Produced by | Walter Lantz |
| Story by | Michael Maltese |
| Voices by | Grace Stafford |
| Music by | Clarence Wheeler |
| Animation by |
Robert Bentley Herman Cohen Laverne Harding Gil Turner Art Landy |
| Studio | Walter Lantz Productions |
| Distributed by | Universal International |
| Release date(s) |
|
| Color process | Technicolor |
| Running time | 6' 12" |
| Language | English |
| Preceded by | Convict Concerto |
| Followed by | Witch Crafty |
Helter Shelter is the 59th animated cartoon short subject in the Woody Woodpecker series. Released theatrically on January 17, 1955, the film was produced by Walter Lantz Productions and distributed by Universal International.
Plot
Woody is happily singing "Home! Sweet Home!" after building a brand new birdhouse until neighborhood dog Happy sets fire to the woodpecker's domicile. Frustrated, Woody builds a second birdhouse, only to have it thrown over the side of a mountain by a malicious Happy. Soon, it begins raining, and Happy takes refuge to his owner's home. The kindly mother Phoebe takes the dog in, but her towering husband Claude complains that she is letting the wet dog into the house. A soaked Woody then knocks on the door as well, and Phoebe takes pity on the drenched woodpecker. Claude, who openly declares "I hate animals!" angrily inquires, "What is this: a zoo?!" He then storms off to bed.
Only moments after Happy and Woody try to get some sleep, Claude begins sleepwalking and works his way right into the refrigerator. This leads to a series of mishaps resulting in Happy getting booted out of the house repeatedly. Finally, Claude's bed ends up landing in the basement, and he quickly accuses Happy (who tried to saw off the ground on which Woody's bed stood, but Woody himself replaced it with the couch on which Claude was sleeping). The frantic dog rolls up the saw he used, and hides it in his mouth. Woody then comes up behind him, asks "Hiya, pal! What's new?" and slaps his back, causing the saw to unroll in his mouth. Happy then bounces off into the night, with the saw twanging away inside his body.
Woody tries to win Claude's friendship, but gets booted out in the rain once again. Phoebe comes running down the stairs to rescue the woodpecker, leading Claude to threaten "Phoebe, either that woodpecker goes, or I go!" Phoebe then promptly throws Claude out the door, and tucks Woody into bed.
Notes
Helter Shelter was remade as 1968's Woody the Freeloader.
References
- Cooke, Jon, Komorowski, Thad, Shakarian, Pietro, and Tatay, Jack. "1955". The Walter Lantz Cartune Encyclopedia.