A look inside Hollywood and the movies incorporating Outtakes, Cinefile and Production Chart. : BIRD BRAINS : And We Thought Tweety Told Him

If the names of the Academy Award winners are top secret until the moment the envelopes are opened, which little bird told Woody Woodpecker that Nick Park’s “Creature Comforts” won the Oscar for best animated short film Monday night? Did Price Waterhouse spring a leak?

Actually, Price Waterhouse did break its vow of silence, but only by a few minutes. Cartoonist David Spafford created three versions of Woody announcing the winner (there were only three nominees in the category) and the show’s director Jeff Margulies wasn’t tipped to the actual winner until five minutes before the animated bird opened the animated envelope.

Price Waterhouse’s Frank Johnson said they’ve broken their silence before for animated presenters. “It doesn’t bother me,” Johnson said. “It’s comparable to (having a star open the envelope on stage). It’s a secret until it’s opened. But in this case it’s opened by me.”