Woody Woodpecker, Walter Lantz, and the Last Man Standing in Animation (Ep. 378)

Jim Hill and Drew Taylor take a trip through animation history as they explore the life and legacy of Walter Lantz, the creator of Woody Woodpecker. Following Drew's visit to Lantz's historic Toluca Lake home, Jim traces the animator's unlikely career, from inheriting Oswald the Lucky Rabbit to becoming one of the last producers of theatrical cartoon shorts. Along the way, they discuss Disney's latest Netflix licensing strategy, the London Film Festival premieres of Wildwood and Ray Gunn, and the return of Coco to the concert stage. Plus, why Lantz's greatest contribution to animation may have been keeping his artists employed long after other studios had moved on.

NEWS

• Wildwood and Brad Bird's Ray Gunn make their London Film Festival debuts, with Tom Waits lending his voice to both animated features.

• Disney licenses all five Ice Age films to Netflix ahead of Ice Age: Boiling Point, while keeping major franchises like Frozen and Toy Story exclusive to Disney+.

• Pixar's Coco hits the road with a live-to-film concert tour as Disney continues developing a theatrical sequel.

• The stage adaptation of Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away prepares for its exclusive U.S. engagement in Los Angeles in 2027.

• Forgotten Island continues its theatrical run as Wildwood and The Cat in the Hat prepare to enter the family animation market.

FEATURE

• Drew visits Walter Lantz's restored Art Deco home in Toluca Lake, where the legendary animator lived for decades.

• Jim explores how Lantz inherited Oswald the Lucky Rabbit after Walt Disney lost the character, sparking a decades-long professional friendship and rivalry.

• From Andy Panda to Woody Woodpecker, Lantz built an animation studio that followed industry trends while giving generations of artists steady work.

• Why Walter Lantz Studios outlasted Disney and Warner Bros. in theatrical cartoon production, finally closing its doors in 1972.