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Episode Review
Filmography
Gallery
History of Wally Walrus
Quick Facts
Voice Cast
Wally Quotes
History of Wally Walrus:
One
of my all-time favorite cartoon characters! Typically the foil of
Woody Woodpecker, but also seen at times with Andy Panda and Chilly
Willy. There's just
something very funny about a fat Swedish walrus. The man who
first did
his voice was Hans Conreid, who just happens to be one of my favorite
classic actors. Hans could do comedy, he could do drama...he's
probably best known as eccentric Uncle Tonoose on TVs "The Danny Thomas
Show" aka "Make Room For Daddy". But Wally Walrus had to be one
his all-time greatest accomplishments in my book. The voice...the
delivery...combine that with an interesting personality of an animated
character and you have something endearing for all of time.
What's interesting about Wally Walrus is that he is not usually the antagonist. More often than not, it is Woody Woodpecker who drives Wally to the edge. Wally is a big, dopey fellow...usually kind...who puts up with Woody's shenanigans as long as he can before blowing up. But even at that, Wally never goes "psycho". He just gets to the point where he thinks enough is enough and once he gets the better of Woody, he's more than willing to go along his merry way. But Woody always keeps coming back.
Wally Walrus came at a time in Woody's early years (1944) when the red-headed bird was a lot crazier and more of a troublemaker. In the 1950s when Woody morphed into a cuter, smaller, kinder, and more heroic bird, Wally was phased out until finally we didn't see him at all. Then the perenially mean characters like Buzz Buzzard, Mrs. Meany, Gabby Gator, and others became Woody's co-stars.
Hans played Wally regularly from 1944 to 1948. I love the voices of his successors, but in my mind, Wally will always be Hans Conreid.
There was one cartoon during this time where Hans Conreid did NOT do Wally's voice. It was "Reckless Driver" in 1946 where Lionel Stander (better known in later years as Max the butler in TVs "Hart to Hart"). In this cartoon Wally was the cop in charge of traffic school, where a daffy Woody tries to renew his driver's license.
Paul Frees took over the reins of Wally Walrus from 1953 to 1961. Hollywood voice god and voice of Pillsbury Doughboy, his Wally debuted in "What's Sweepin'" where the famous walrus was an Irish cop.
Wally Quotes:
"Oh, gooty, gooty, gooty!"
The Beach Nut (1944)
"Vat's goot for da goose iss bad for da voodpeckers!"
Ski For Two (1945)
"Oh, yunior!"
"Pass da ball to papa, yunior."
Wacky-Bye Baby (1948)
"By yimeny!"
Said frequently throughout his cartoons
What's interesting about Wally Walrus is that he is not usually the antagonist. More often than not, it is Woody Woodpecker who drives Wally to the edge. Wally is a big, dopey fellow...usually kind...who puts up with Woody's shenanigans as long as he can before blowing up. But even at that, Wally never goes "psycho". He just gets to the point where he thinks enough is enough and once he gets the better of Woody, he's more than willing to go along his merry way. But Woody always keeps coming back.
Wally Walrus came at a time in Woody's early years (1944) when the red-headed bird was a lot crazier and more of a troublemaker. In the 1950s when Woody morphed into a cuter, smaller, kinder, and more heroic bird, Wally was phased out until finally we didn't see him at all. Then the perenially mean characters like Buzz Buzzard, Mrs. Meany, Gabby Gator, and others became Woody's co-stars.
Hans played Wally regularly from 1944 to 1948. I love the voices of his successors, but in my mind, Wally will always be Hans Conreid.
There was one cartoon during this time where Hans Conreid did NOT do Wally's voice. It was "Reckless Driver" in 1946 where Lionel Stander (better known in later years as Max the butler in TVs "Hart to Hart"). In this cartoon Wally was the cop in charge of traffic school, where a daffy Woody tries to renew his driver's license.
Paul Frees took over the reins of Wally Walrus from 1953 to 1961. Hollywood voice god and voice of Pillsbury Doughboy, his Wally debuted in "What's Sweepin'" where the famous walrus was an Irish cop.
Wally Quotes:
"Oh, gooty, gooty, gooty!"
The Beach Nut (1944)
"Vat's goot for da goose iss bad for da voodpeckers!"
Ski For Two (1945)
"Oh, yunior!"
"Pass da ball to papa, yunior."
Wacky-Bye Baby (1948)
"By yimeny!"
Said frequently throughout his cartoons