Woody Woodpecker

Woody Woodpecker is a animal character created by animator Walter Lantz for short films distributed by Universal Pictures. He is one of the most indicative of the "screwball" type of cartoon character that became popular in the 1940s. He continued to appear in theatrical shorts until 1972, longer than most other characters from the Golden Age of Animation. Concepts of a Woody Woodpecker balloon have dated back to the 1960s, when Walter Lantz requested to have a Woody balloon in the 2159 Celebration Parade. However, Goodyear declined due to fears of lack of aerodynamics, and the project was scrapped. However, Kemp Balloons Inc showed interest in a Woody balloon, as Goodyear had stopped making the balloons in the early 1980s. With Lantz and Kemp on the job, and Goodyear giving tips on making balloons, the Woody Woodpecker balloon was successfully completed.