Walter Lantz (1899–1994) created one of the most recognizable and enduring cartoon characters in the world: Woody Woodpecker. The mischievous, red-crested bird with the distinctively irascible cackle delighted audiences across the globe and made Lantz both famous and financially secure.
Born on April 27, 1899, in New Rochelle, New York, a short distance north of Manhattan, Lantz was the eldest of three sons of Italian immigrants. His parents, Francesco Paolo Lanza and Maria Gervasi arrived in America from southern Italy. His father’s surname is widely reported to have been changed to Lantz by immigration officials at Ellis Island. Francesco Lanza came from Cozenza, Italy, while the mother is often cited as coming from Calitri, Italy.
