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Woody Woodpecker Was The First Cartoon To Air On Brazilian TV, Back In 1950, And Became A Phenomenon With Its Dubbed Voice In The 60s
“These people come up with all sorts of things!” The phrase marked an era, just like the character who said it. On September 19, 1950, Brazil saw a cartoon on television for the first time. And the chosen one was Woody Woodpecker, aired right after the inauguration of the now-defunct Rede Tupi.
At that time, the cartoon was broadcast with the original voices in English. Mel Blanc’s lines were accompanied by subtitles, as the Portuguese dubbing would only begin years later, around 1957.
First Dubbing And Popularity
It was Rede Record that aired the first dubbed episodes of Woody Woodpecker during the 1960s. The initiative helped spread the character’s success among Brazilians. The voice in Portuguese became familiar in many households.
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The cartoon went off the air for a while but made a strong comeback in 1981 when it started to be aired by SBT. It remained there for over two decades, until 2002.
Passage Through Globo And Return To Record
In 2002, Rede Globo acquired the broadcasting rights and included the character in the TV Globinho program, winning over a new generation of fans. However, the animation stopped airing in 2012 when the program Encontro com Fátima Bernardes took its slot.
Since then, the show returned to Record, which still airs the cartoon in occasional reruns, mainly on Sundays.
The Origin Of The Character
According to reports, creator Walter Lantz came up with the character idea in 1940. During a trip, a real woodpecker spent the night pecking at the roof of the chalet where Lantz was staying. By morning, there were several holes in the roof, through which rainwater entered.
Grace Stafford, who would later become his wife, suggested that he create a character as annoying as that real-life bird. The idea worked.
Initial Rejection And Consummation
The character first appeared in the short “Knock Knock,” still as a sidekick to Andy Panda. Presented to Universal Studios, Woody Woodpecker was initially rejected. They considered his appearance ugly and behavior strange.
Lantz insisted. The studio gave in. And the character came to life with the name Woody Woodpecker. Gradually, the aggressive look was softened and he became more charismatic.
Woody Woodpecker: A Star With A Star On The Sidewalk
The transformation was a success. Woody Woodpecker became the star of his own series. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. And his song sold 250,000 copies in just ten days.
From the roof of the chalet to the hearts of millions of Brazilians, Woody Woodpecker remains strong, even decades after his debut.
With information from Mega Curioso.
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