The Reckless Driver
| The Reckless Driver | |
|---|---|
| Woody Woodpecker series | |
 | |
| Directed by | James Culhane |
| Produced by | Walter Lantz |
| Story by |
Ben Hardaway Milt Schaffer |
| Voices by |
William Wright Ben Hardaway |
| Music by | Darrell Calker |
| Animation by |
Terry Lind Grim Natwick Emery Hawkins Lester Kline |
| Studio | Walter Lantz Productions |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
| Release date(s) |
|
| Color process | Technicolor |
| Running time | 6' 43" |
| Language | English |
| Preceded by | Bathing Buddies |
| Followed by | Fair Weather Fiends |
The Reckless Driver is the 19th animated cartoon short subject in the Woody Woodpecker series. Released theatrically on August 26, 1946, the film was produced by Walter Lantz Productions and distributed by Universal Pictures.
Plot
Woody discovers that his drivers' license is due for renewal, and quickly heads for the nearest Department of Motor Vehicles. Upon arrival, Woody attempts to awaken sleeping Officer Wally Walrus (voiced by William Wright) so he can complete the test.
First up is the eye test, complete with an eye chart whose letters spell out "I CAN'T SEE A THING." Then comes the reflex test, in which Woody violently pecks at Wally's head whenever he gets his knee jabbed. Next, Wally tries to get a fingerprint from Woody, only to have the two stack their hands high into the air.
Finally, Woody must complete the actual driving test. The careless woodpecker accidentally backs up into a wall. A fire extinguisher then falls off the wall and onto the back of Woody's car, providing him with steam propulsion. With this new power, Woody starts zooming in the air and in and out of the office, driving Wally insane. At the conclusion of the driving test, Woody blurts out, "Say, I've changed my mind. I want a pilot's license".
Notes
- The normally Swedish Wally Walrus sports a New York accent in The Reckless Driver.
- Many prints omit the alphabet soup-spitting scene.
- Woody sings "The Old Gray Mare" while driving through the countryside.
External links
References
- Cooke, Jon, Komorowski, Thad, Shakarian, Pietro, and Tatay, Jack. "1946". The Walter Lantz Cartune Encyclopedia.