Walter Lantz Productions

Background

Walter Lantz Studios, formerly known as "Universal Cartoon Studios", was founded in 1929 by director Walter "Walt" Lantz. The studio's first series was Oswald the Lucky Rabbit licensed from Walt Disney Pictures. The company used an in-credit logo until 1941's Mouse Trappers. The biggest characters from the studio were Woody Woodpecker, Chilly Willy and Andy Panda. The studio shut down in 1972 (by then, he later explained, it was economically impossible to continue producing them and stay in business as rising inflation had strained his profits), and Universal serviced the remaining demand with reissues of his older cartoons.

1st Logo (1940-1941)

Logo: On an cream-colored pixelate background are the words:

A WALTER LANTZ Production IN TECHNICOLOR

with the copyright disclaimer below.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: The theme of the cartoon.

Availability: Was seen on some cartoons from this time period.

2nd Logo (1941)

Logo: The words: A Walter Lantz PRODUCTION IN TECHNICOLOR

appear written with wood on a paint palette on an orange background with music notes swirling. The copyright disclaimer appears below.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: The theme of the cartoon.

Availability: Appears on the Woody Woodpecker cartoon Pantry Panic and the infamous Scrub Me Mama with a Boogie Beat.

3rd Logo (1944-1946)

Logo: On a blue background with a bright light are the words "PRODUCED BY" and below is:

Walt Lantz

in big white letters. The copyright disclaimer appears below the logo.

Variant: Starting in 1946, the words were changed to "A Walter Lantz Production".

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: The theme of the cartoon.

Availability: Can be seen on Woody Woodpecker cartoons on The Woody Woodpecker Show.

4th Logo (1946-1949)

Logo: Same as the previous logo, but now it is in a simple blue background.

Variants:

On Musical Miniatures, the logo has music notes swirling on the background.
Starting in 1946, a sign of Woody dressed as a viking, holding a sword and a shield and riding a white stallion with a red cape was added in the right side of the logo.
When Walter Lantz got a deal with United Artists in 1947, the words "A UNITED ARTISTS RELEASE" were added between the words and the copyright disclaimer.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: The theme of the cartoon.

Availability: Can be seen on Woody Woodpecker cartoons on The Woody Woodpecker Show. The variant with the United Artists byline is often replaced by reissue prints.

5th Logo (1951-1956)

Logo: On a wood background (or a customized one for non-Woody Woodpecker cartoons) are the words "A Walter Lantz "CARTUNE"" with the "Woody riding a stallion" sign on the bottom-right corner.

Variants: Later, the copyright disclaimer appears at the bottom of the logo.

Later, the words were changed to "PRODUCED By Walter Lantz" and sometimes with "Color by TECHNICOLOR" below.
Sometimes, the "Woody riding a stallion" sign is dropped.
On I'm Cold (1954), the copyright disclaimer is dropped.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: The theme of the cartoon.

Availability: Can be seen on Woody Woodpecker cartoons from the time.

6th Logo (1956-1972)

Logo: On a customized background (later fixed to blue) are the words "A Walter Lantz PRODUCTION" with the "Woody riding a stallion" sign now put on the left side of the screen.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: The theme of the cartoon.

Availability: Seen on the remaining classic theatrical Woody Woodpecker cartoons.