Gretchen

For their honeymoon getaway, Walter and Gracie Lantz rented a romantic cabin in the woods near Sherwood Lake, California. The place was absolutely charming. At dawn, though, an acorn woodpecker started pounding on the roof. The noise made sleep impossible, and it happened every single morning. Worse, when it started to rain, the Lantz’ discovered the woodpecker had given them a very leaky roof. Walter was ready to shoot the menace. But Gracie suggested that her husband make a cartoon of the bird instead. And just like that, Woody Woodpecker was born. Walter was the illustrator, Gracie was the voice. When interviewed on their fiftieth anniversary, Gracie called the woodpecker that spoiled their honeymoon “the best thing that ever happened to us.” But she’s wrong. The best thing was what they did about it.