Editing Walter Lantz Productions (section)

{{Short description|American animation studio}}
{{Original research|date=August 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Walter Lantz Productions
| logo = [[File:Walter Lantz Productions.png|frameless|class=skin-invert]]
| logo_caption = Logo used from 1944 to 1949 and then from 1950 to 1956
| former_name = Universal Cartoon Studios (1928–1935)<br />Walter Lantz Studio (1935–1939)
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1928}} (original)<br />{{Start date and age|1950}} (reopening)
| founder = [[Walter Lantz]]
| fate = Shut down by [[Walter Lantz]] at the recommendation of Joe Rosenberg (first closure)<br />Closed by [[Walter Lantz]] (second closure)
| defunct = {{Start date and age|1949}} (first closure)<br />{{Start date and age|1972|03|10}} (second closure)
| location_country = 100 Universal City Plaza, [[Universal City, California]], U.S. (1928–1947, 1950–1972)<br>861 Seward Street, [[Hollywood, California]], U.S. (1947–1949)
| key_people = [[Walter Lantz]]<ref>{{cite news|title= Meet my boss, Walter Lantz|work=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|date=October 22, 2007|url=https://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedailymirror/2007/10/meet-my-boss-wa.html|access-date=November 22, 2011}}</ref><br />[[LaVerne Harding]]<br />[[Shamus Culhane]]<br />[[Dick Lundy (animator)|Dick Lundy]]<br />[[Paul J. Smith (director)|Paul J. Smith]]
| industry = [[Animation]]
| predecessor = [[Bray Productions]]
| successor = [[Universal Animation Studios]]
| products = Theatrical animated [[short film]]s
| revenue = 
| parent = [[Universal Pictures]]<br />([[MCA Inc.]])
}}
'''Walter Lantz Productions''' was an American [[animation studio]]. It was in operation from 1928 to 1949 and then from 1950 to 1972, and was the principal supplier of animation for [[Universal Pictures]].

The studio was originally formed as '''Universal Cartoon Studios''' on the initiative of Universal movie mogul [[Carl Laemmle]], who was tired of the continuous company politics he was dealing with concerning contracting cartoons outside animation studios. [[Walter Lantz]], who was Laemmle's part-time chauffeur and a veteran of the [[Bray Productions|John R. Bray Studios]] with considerable experience in all elements of animation production, was selected to run the department.

In 1935, the studio was severed from Universal and became '''Walter Lantz Studio''' under Lantz's direct control, and, in 1939, renamed to Walter Lantz Productions. Lantz managed to gain the copyright for his characters. The cartoons continued to be distributed by Universal through 1947, changing to [[United Artists]] distribution from 1947 until its first closure in 1949, and by Universal again from 1950 until its second and official closure in 1972.

The most prominent characters for the studio were [[Woody Woodpecker]], [[Andy Panda]], [[Chilly Willy]], and [[Oswald the Lucky Rabbit]]. Additionally, the music-oriented ''[[Swing Symphony]]'' cartoons were another successful staple, but ended after [[swing music]]'s popularity faded after the end of [[World War II]].