Hot Rod Huckster

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Hot Rod Huckster

Woody Woodpecker series
Directed by Don Patterson
Paul J. Smith
Produced by Walter Lantz
Story by Homer Brightman
Voices by Dal McKennon
Grace Stafford
Music by Clarence Wheeler
Animation by Ray Abrams
Herman Cohen
Ken Southworth
Studio Walter Lantz Productions
Distributed by Universal-International
Release date(s) Flag of the United States July 5, 1954
Color process Technicolor
Running time 6' 06"
Preceded by Under the Counter Spy
Followed by Real Gone Woody
IMDb profile

Hot Rod Huckster is the 55th animated cartoon short subject in the Woody Woodpecker series. Released theatrically on July 5, 1954, the film was produced by Walter Lantz Productions and distributed by Universal-International.

[edit] Plot synopsis

Woody Woodpecker and Buzz Buzzard in a scene from Hot Rod Huckster.
Woody Woodpecker and Buzz Buzzard in a scene from Hot Rod Huckster.

Buzz Buzzard is "The Honest Injun'," one of several car dealers with proprietorships on "Used Car Row." Resulting to subterfuge in order to attract business, Buzz causes Woody Woodpecker to wreck his car when he drives by. Since Woody is now in need of a car, Buzz is more than happy to show the woodpecker around the lot. Woody has a hunch that something screwy is going on, but Buzz promises that his cars are clean.

While showing Woody a certain car, Buzz tries to trick Woody by playing a record of hot-rod sound effects under the hood. Unfortunately for Buzz, the plan backfires when the phonograph flips the record to the other side and plays animal sound effects, causing the car to go crazy. The out-of-control vehicle runs over Buzz and destroys several other cars as well. Buzz, angered by Woody for destroying his cars and laughing at him, decides to get even with the woodpecker by rejuvenating Woody’s car (via a "Car Rejuvenator") and selling it back to him. Woody realizes that it is his own car and tries to drive it away but, Buzz hooks the car and demands $1,000 for the car. Outraged, Woody puts Buzz through the Car Rejuvenator, which places a car's body on the buzzard, and Woody rides the half-car-half-buzzard off the lot.

[edit] Notes

At the opening of the cartoon, Woody sings the same song he sang at the beginning of The Screwdriver in 1941.

Everybody thinks I'm screwy!
Screwy as a loon, that's me!
When I get on the driving spree,
The coppers all get panicky!
Honk my horn!
HONKHONKHONK
Strip my gears!
SCREECHSCHREECHSCREECH
So I'm screwy, what, what, what can I do?
I ask you!

[edit] References

  • Cooke, Jon, Komorowski, Thad, Shakarian, Pietro, and Tatay, Jack. "1954". The Walter Lantz Cartune Encyclopedia.