Released theatrically on October 16, 1944, the film was produced by Walter Lantz Productions and distributed by Universal Pictures.

The cartoon begins in medias res with vacationer Wally Walrus beating Woody Woodpecker into submission on a beachfront amusement pier.

The pair battle using the firefighting equipment, and Woody escapes by tunneling under the sand, inside a pole, and coming out of a pelican's beak.

The Beach Nut marked the debut of Woody Woodpecker's recurring antagonist, Wally Walrus.

Voiced by actor Jack Mather, Wally became Woody's primary rival until 1948, before being replaced with Buzz Buzzard in Wet Blanket Policy.