Wet Blanket Policy - "The Woody Woodpecker Song" and Buzz Buzzard

"The Woody Woodpecker Song" and Buzz Buzzard

Wet Blanket Policy is notable for several debuts. First, the film was the first appearance of Woody Woodpecker's theme song, "The Woody Woodpecker Song." Written by George Tibbles and Ramey Idriess, the song was performed by Kay Kyser, with Gloria Wood providing vocals and Harry Babbitt chiming in with Woody's trademark laugh. The song was a smash hit, selling over 250,000 records within ten days of its release. Cashing in on the unexpected popularity, Walter Lantz hastily inserted the tune into Wet Blanket Policy, his latest film in production as the time (which explains why the action and music do not match up for the first minute of the film). As a result of including "The Woody Woodpecker Song" in Wet Blanket Policy, the song became the first and only tune from an animated short subject to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Lantz adopted the song as Woody's theme music from then on.

Secondly, Wet Blanket Policy prominently featured Woody's new adversary, Buzz Buzzard. Buzz proved to be a more popular foil for Woody than Wally Walrus, who appeared less frequently in Woody cartoons after this film. Buzz would appear with the famous woodpecker steadily until 1955's Bunco Busters, when he was replaced by Dapper Denver Dooley. Dooley would stay on board until 1959's The Tee Bird; Buzz would only reappear ten years after Dooley's final appearance, in 1969's Tumble Weed Greed.

Lionel Stander provided the voice of Buzz Buzzard for his earliest appearances. When Stander was blacklisted in 1951, Dal McKennon stepped in as Buzz as well as Wally and Dooley.