Photo: Alan Light / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Walter Lantz was credited as a film director, screenwriter and animator. Born on April 27, 1899, Walter Lantz was from New Rochelle, New York, United States. Death is recorded on March 22, 1994, at the age of 94. Awards on record include Annie Award, Winsor McCay Award (1973), Academy Honorary Award (1979) and 1 more.
My Take
What floors me about Walter Lantz is the sheer durability of his creation. Woody Woodpecker's manic laugh has outlived its maker by decades, and that's the real test of an animator: not awards, though Lantz collected the Annie, the Winsor McCay, an Academy Honorary Award, but cultural permanence. Running your own studio for half a century in a brutal industry takes stubbornness as much as talent. I admire that he built something simple enough for a child yet sturdy enough to survive him. The man from New Rochelle quietly shaped how generations laughed, and that legacy speaks louder than any statuette.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Walter Lantz
- Name (Japanese)
- ウォルター・ランツ
- Reading
- うぉるたー・らんつ
- Born
- April 27, 1899 – March 22, 1994
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Taurus / Boar
- Origin
- New Rochelle, New York, United States
- Occupation
- film director / screenwriter / animator / film producer / comics artist
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- Annie Award
- 1973 Winsor McCay Award
- 1979 Academy Honorary Award
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
3. Links
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Walter Lantz born?
Born April 27, 1899.
When did Walter Lantz die?
Died March 22, 1994, aged 94.
Where was Walter Lantz from?
Walter Lantz was from New Rochelle, New York, United States.
What did Walter Lantz do?
Walter Lantz worked as film director, screenwriter, animator, film producer, comics artist.
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