Buzz Buzzard is an animated character who appeared in several Woody Woodpecker films produced by Walter Lantz Productions.[2]

Buzz Buzzard
Woody Woodpecker's character
First appearanceWet Blanket Policy
(August 27, 1948)
Created byWalter Lantz
Dick Lundy[1]
Designed byWalter Lantz Productions
Voiced by
Years Active
  • 1948–present
In-universe information
SpeciesVulture
GenderMale

History

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Buzz is an anthropomorphic vulture and scammer who targets Woody Woodpecker with scams meant to deprive him of money or food. In other appearances, Buzz has been a cowboy, a carnival barker, and a soda jerk yet he still remained a royal pain to Woody. For most of Woody's career, Buzz was the primary foil for Woody, bearing roughly the same relationship to that character as Yosemite Sam had to Bugs Bunny in Warner Brothers' Looney Tunes animated shorts, and Bluto to Popeye in the Fleischer and Famous Studios Popeye shorts, both from the same era.

Buzz's first appearance was opposite Woody in 1948's Wet Blanket Policy, the first and only animated short subject to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song,[3] at which time he was more or less replacing Wally Walrus as Woody Woodpecker's primary foil. Character actor Lionel Stander provided his voice in the 1940s with Dallas McKennon taking over the role in the 1950s. Buzz would continue to appear in Woody Woodpecker shorts until the mid 1950s, and was eventually replaced as the woodpecker's rival himself by Dapper Denver Dooley (also voiced by McKennon) and later Gabby Gator. Bunco Busters would be Buzz Buzzard's final appearance in a Woody theatrical cartoon until Tumble Weed Greed in 1969, though Buzz continued to make appearances in Lantz comic books and on other licensed merchandise.[4] During the 14-year theatrical hiatus, Buzz made an appearance in the 1964 television special Spook-a-Nanny, but was voiced by Daws Butler.

The character's appearance changed dramatically throughout the years with a vest and five o'clock shadow that disappears, different feather colors, and head feathers that disappeared entirely and reappeared sporadically.

Buzz Buzzard appearances

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Other media

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "The Walter Lantz Cartune Encyclopedia: Cartune Profiles: Buzz Buzzard". www.intanibase.com. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  2. ^ Lehman, Christopher P. (January 10, 2014). American animated cartoons of the Vietnam era: a study of social commentary ... - Christopher P. Lehman - Google Books. McFarland. ISBN 9780786451425. Retrieved March 4, 2012.
  3. ^ "Wet Blanket Policy". IMDb. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  4. ^ "Buzz Buzzard". Comic Vine. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  5. ^ "Universal is Producing New Woody Woodpecker Shorts for Youtube". November 23, 2018.
  6. ^ Lafferty, Michael (June 11, 2002). "Woody Woodpecker: Escape from Buzz Buzzard Park for PS2 at GameZone.com". GameZone. Archived from the original on May 14, 2008. Retrieved June 26, 2008.