Hypnotic Hick

Last updated
Hypnotic Hick
Directed bySupervision:
Don Patterson
Technical director:

William E. Garity
Story byHomer Brightman
Produced by Walter Lantz
Starring Dal McKennon
Grace Stafford
(both uncredited)
Music by Clarence Wheeler
Animation by Ken Southworth
Ray Abrams
Laverne Harding
Robert Bentley
Herman Cohen
Gil Turner
Backgrounds byRaymond Jacobs
Art Landy
Color process Technicolor
Production
company
Distributed by Universal International
Release date
  • September 26, 1953 (1953-09-26)
Running time
6:25
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Hypnotic Hick is a 1953 Woody Woodpecker cartoon supervised by Don Patterson. The film was produced by Walter Lantz Productions and released on September 26, 1953 by Universal International. [1]

Contents

The short is notable for being the first and only Woody Woodpecker cartoon to be produced in 3D, in an attempt to cash in on the stereoscopic craze started with the film Bwana Devil . [2] Much of the staff credited besides Patterson and William E. Garity are credited in the short as Artists.

Plot

While happily roller skating, Woody (Grace Stafford) gets bullied by an angry Buzz Buzzard (Dal McKennon) who has just avoided being served a summons. Thinking the woodpecker might want to seek mild revenge on Buzz, law officer I. Gypem (also McKennon) tells Woody he will pay him a dollar to serve Buzz with the summons.

Woody happily accepts the offer from Gypem, but Buzz manages to stop all attempts at delivering the summons. Woody then stumbles on a book about hypnotism, which declares: "Influence others and be their master". Woody reads the book cover to cover, and then decides to "practice" his newly acquired skill on Buzz. At first, he has some fun by putting the reluctant buzzard to sleep. Then, Woody turns him into a dog, a monkey, and appropriately enough, a woodpecker.

Finally, Woody blindfolds himself, begins walking on a skyscraper skeleton and tells Buzz (who has been fitted with Woody's roller skates), "I am your master. You must protect me at all times". The two encounter several death defying close calls before Woody manages to secure Buzz and escort him to I. Gypem's office.

Supposedly thankful, Gypem has the audacity to serve Woody with a summons, accusing the woodpecker of "practicing hypnotism out of season". Incensed, Woody hypnotizes Buzz into thinking he is a hungry giant and Gypem is a tasty ham sandwich. While Buzz chases Gypem out of the office and into the city, Woody celebrates his victory by throwing the money into the air and doing his trademark laugh.

Notes

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References

  1. Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 157–158. ISBN   0-8160-3831-7.
  2. Lenburg, Jeff (2006). Who's who in animated cartoons: an ... - Jeff Lenburg - Google Books. ISBN   9781557836717 . Retrieved 2011-12-18.