Woody Woodpecker & Oswald the Lucky Rabbit

[filmfreak11]

http://www.nbcuniversalstore.com/detail.php?p=20419

So Universal is going to release this DVD collection of Woody Woodpecker and friends. One of those friends include Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. So can anyone tell me if Universal perhaps has a limited rights to Oswald?? I thought Disney was coming out with an all Oswald DVD collection...

Also, anyone think Woody Woodpecker is the unofficial mascot for Universal? I mean the character at least at USH is a costumed character, plush, on the "under 48" discount admission" sign, recycling bins, and soon a DVD collection. Maybe it's just me.

[FrumiousBoojum]

It says that it's rare material from the Walter Lantz archive. Thus, it's post-Walt. During the post-Walt era, the character changed to be severely unrecognizable from the original. Disney only bought Walt's creation and the shorts during Walt's control (or lack thereof) of Oswald.

[upov]

I see Woody as the unofficial mascot for Universal, esp back when IoA opened. He has his own section at USF as well as a kiddie coaster in that section too.

[filmfreak11]

FrumiousBoojum, that would make sense, thanks.

Baghira, thanks for mentioning the Woody coaster.

[Sweetie]

From wiki:

The deal includes the rights to the character and the original 26 short films made by Disney (namely, most of the Oswald films produced from 1927 to 1928) Rights to the Universal-produced Oswald films and other related products were not included.

I have a handful of Oswald cartoons from the post-Walt era on DVD. I have found them in the dollar store on cartoon compilations. They are not very hard to find.

Oswald did change over time as did Woody Woodpecker:


However, the change was not immediate, and Oswald looked very much the same for about 5 years. Some of the toons I have found look very much like the "Mickey Mouse" version, others look very different.

Still, the spirit of Oswald remained the same.

I am not sure what this set has, but it could have Oswald cartoons that look very much like the ones Walt drew.

Here are a few shots of Oswald over the years:

[Sweetie]

Also, anyone think Woody Woodpecker is the unofficial mascot for Universal? I mean the character at least at USH is a costumed character, plush, on the "under 48" discount admission" sign, recycling bins, and soon a DVD collection. Maybe it's just me.

I am not conivinced they don't consider him the "official" mascot. He is everywhere!