Puny Express
| Puny Express | |
|---|---|
| Woody Woodpecker series | |
 |
|
| Directed by |
Walter Lantz Dick Lundy |
| Produced by | Walter Lantz |
| Story by |
Ben Hardaway Heck Allen Walter Lantz |
| Voices by |
Grace Stafford Paul Frees Lionel Stander |
| Music by | Clarence Wheeler |
| Animation by |
Ray Abrams Don Patterson Laverne Harding Paul J. Smith |
| Backgrounds by | Fred Brunish |
| Studio | Walter Lantz Productions |
| Distributed by | Universal-International |
| Release date(s) | January 22, 1951 |
| Color process | Technicolor |
| Running time | 6' 25" |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Preceded by | Drooler's Delight |
| Followed by | Sleep Happy |
Puny Express is an American cartoon, and the 32nd animated cartoon short subject in the Woody Woodpecker series. Released theatrically on January 22, 1951, the film was produced by Walter Lantz Productions and distributed by Universal-International.
In the Old West, Cowboy Woody comes to town and notices an ad at a western post office advertising for a new mail delivery rider. He is hired but is warned about the bandit Buzz Buzzard who has been stealing the mail and killing the carriers. Ignoring the warning, Woody sets off. Eventually, Woody runs into Buzz and they begin battling for Woody's mail pouch and it contents. After they use every trick and move they can against each other, Woody finally is able to both outwit and outlast Buzz, and finishes their long battle by knocking him cold. Then with his pouch in hand, Woody goes to finish delivering the mail.
Puny Express was the first Woody Woodpecker short made after a two-year hiatus. Several changes took place in the interim. For starters, Woody's top knot was pushed forward (instead of slicked back), and his head became rounder, thanks to a redesign by animator LaVerne Harding. In addition, the diminutive woodpecker became shorter.
Woody was not the only one to get a new look as his main foil Buzz Buzzard has been redesigned as well. In the previous films, Buzz had brown or black feathers on his head; beginning with this film he would now sport a red/crimson head for most of his appearances in the series.
Puny Express also marked the beginning of a more refined trademark laugh, courtesy of Grace Stafford. Stafford eventually provided the voice for Woody regularly in 1953, while just providing his laugh for the 1951-52 releases. This new version of Woody's trademark cackle is heard at the beginning and end of Puny Express. Mel Blanc's more infectious version of Woody's laugh (heard in all previous Woody entries) was utilized during the short as well. Blanc's laugh would be used sporadically moving forward, until Stafford's version became the "official" sound. However, Woody's "Guess Who?", also supplied by Blanc, would be utilized until the end of the series in 1972.
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