Woody Woodpecker's Inventor Is Dead At 88

HOLLYWOOD - Gracie Lantz, who conceived of the irreverent cartoon character Woody Woodpecker while on her honeymoon with her animator husband - and a decade later became the character's voice - has died.

A spokeswoman for MCA Universal, which manages the Woody Woodpecker cartoons and properties, said Mrs. Lantz died Tuesday of spinal cancer at age 88 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Burbank, Calif. Her animator husband, Walter, and two brothers survive her.

Over 40 years and for some 200 or so cartoons Mrs. Lantz's voice put the irreverent words in Woody's mouth.