Topics: Studios | Rarebit Early Animation Wiki

"Max Fleischer leaves his creation Koko the Clown stranded on a mountain top so he can get some sleep. Koko gets off the mountain and searches for Fleischer, terrorizing New York (he's grown in size at this point) in the process. The very interesting ..."

Bosko Shipwrecked!

Filed under: animation, 1930s, Early Sound, U.S.A., Vitagraph Studios, 1931

Producer(s): Hugh Harman, Rudolf Ising

Release Date: 19/09/1931

"Bosko attempts to steer a boat through a storm to no avail. He then washes ashore only to be hassled by the local wildlife.Bosko and the lion's alternation between movement towards and away from the spectator deserves particular note for its innovati..."

Candy Town (1933)

Filed under: animation, 1930s, Aesop's Fables, U.S.A., Van Beuren Corporation

Release Date: 01/13/1933

Chilly Willy – Half Baked Alaska

Filed under: animation, 1960s, Color, Technicolor, U.S.A., Universal Studios, Walter Lantz, Walter Lantz Productions, 1965

Producer(s): Walter Lantz

Release Date: 01/04/1965

"Hungry and cold with a failing shoe-shine business, Chilly Willy struggles to get enough money to buy himself a stack of hotcakes."

Colonel Heeza Liar in the Trenches

Filed under: animation, 1910s, Bray Productions, U.S.A., World War 1 ( WW1 )

Crowing Pains

Filed under: animation, 1940s, Technicolor, U.S.A., Warner Bros., 1947

Producer(s): Edward Selzer

Release Date: 12/07/1947

"Foghorn Leghorn fools a young determined chicken hawk into going after Sylvester instead of himself. But when Sylvester gets wise to him, confusion ensues!"

Daffy the Commando

Filed under: animation, 1940s, Daffy Duck, Leon Schlesinger Studios, Looney Tunes, Propaganda, U.S.A., Warner Bros., World War 2 ( WW2 ), 1943

Producer(s): Leon Schlesinger

Release Date: 20/11/1943

"Daffy Duck parachutes onto a German base in WW2 and torments some Nazis. As he is shot by a cannon, he flies over (whilst holding two American flags, none the less) to a Nazi rally, and smacks Hitler with a hammer. Elements of propaganda abound, but ..."

Dinner Time

Filed under: animation, 1920s, Early Sound, Pathe, U.S.A., Van Beuren Corporation, 1928

Producer(s): Paul Terry

Release Date: 17/12/1928 (copyright date, possibly not release date)

"An early example of sound animation. In it, animals square off against each other and then join forces against a Butcher (Farmer Alfalfa)."

Disney’s Education for Death: The Making of a Nazi

Filed under: animation, 1940s, Technicolor, U.S.A., Walt Disney, Walt Disney Studios, World War 2 ( WW2 )

Producer(s): Walt Disney

Release Date: 15/01/1943

"“Education for Death: The Making of a Nazi” (1943) is one of 32 animated short propaganda film that the United States government commissioned Disney to produce. Nearing bankruptcy after the financial failure of Fantasia (1940), Disney entered a c..."

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse

Filed under: animation, 1940s, Color, Hanna-Barbera Studios, Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios, Tom and Jerry, Tom and Jerry, U.S.A., 1947

Producer(s): Fred Quimby

Release Date: 14/06/1947

"A Tom and Jerry cartoon, riffing off of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, in which Tom concocts a deadly potion but finds that it only makes Jerry stronger."

Egyptian Melodies

Filed under: animation, 1930s, Jazz, Musical, U.S.A., Walt Disney Studios, 1931

Producer(s): Walt Disney

Release Date: 21/06/1931

"A spider enters the Sphinx in Egypt. Inside he falls down stairs, hides from dancing mummies and witnesses murals come to life. He then runs away, afraid."

Feed the Kitty

Filed under: animation, 1950s, Merrie Melodies, Technicolor, U.S.A., Warner Bros., 1952

Producer(s): Edward Selzer

Release Date: 02/02/1952

"Marc Antony meets an adorable kitten, but his mistress says he can't bring anything else into the house. He struggles to hide the kitten from her. "

Feline Follies

Filed under: animation, 1910s, Pat Sullivan Cartoons, U.S.A., 1919

Producer(s): Pat Sullivan

Release Date: 01/09/1919

"Master Tom (who would later be renamed Felix the Cat) falls in love with Miss Kitty White. While he is out romancing her, mice create a mess. Master Tom is thrown out due to his ineffective pest control. When he returns to Miss Kitty White he finds a..."

Felix Goes to Hollywood

Filed under: animation, 1920s, Pat Sullivan Cartoons, 1923

Fiddlesticks

Filed under: animation, 1930s, Celebrity Productions, Musical, U.S.A., 1930

Producer(s): Ub Iwerks, Pat Powers

Release Date: 16/08/1930

"A straight forward narrative following flip and assorted animals making music."

Flip the Frog – Funny Face

Filed under: animation, Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios, Ub Iwerks, 1933

Flip the Frog – Spooks

Filed under: animation, 1930s, Animated film history and criticism, Early Sound, Flip the Frog, Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios, U.S.A., Ub Iwerks, 1931

Producer(s): Ub Iwerks, Pat Powers

Release Date: 21/12/1931

"Seeking shelter from a storm, Flip and his horse arrive at a house which, unbeknownst to them, is inhabited entirely by skeletons. Flip sits through a ghoulish dinner with the head of the house before enjoying a bout of dancing with a lady skeleton. ..."

Foghorn Leghorn, “A Broken Leghorn”

Filed under: animation, 1950s, Animation Series, Color, Looney Tunes, Merrie Melodies, U.S.A., Warner Bros., 1959

Producer(s): John Burton Sr.

Release Date: 26/09/1959

"The cartoon opens with three hens gossiping about Miss Prissy, who has failed to produce any eggs. Foghorn Leghorn decides to help her out by placing another hen’s egg in her nest. When the egg hatches, Foghorn Leghorn is affronted when he discover..."

Hell’s Bells (1929)

Filed under: animation, 1920s, Silly Symphonies, U.S.A., Ub Iwerks, Walt Disney, Walt Disney Studios

Producer(s): Walt Disney

Release Date: 30/10/1929

"In this Silly Symphony, we are introduced to the many creatures of Hell. Satan sits while creatures entertain him and feed him firemilk. When Satan tries to feed a little demon to his hound Cerberus, it runs away and kicks him off the cliff of Hell."

Hell-Bent for Election

Filed under: animation, 1940s, Color, Cultural Industries, Propaganda, U.S.A., United Productions of America (UPA), World War 2 ( WW2 )

Producer(s): Stephen Bosustow

Release Date: 1944

"It's just a normal day for Joe, a railway worker, until he realizes that two trains - the Win the War Special and the Defeatist Limited - are on their way to the same tracks. While Joe is stuck deciding which one to let pass first, a wealthy-looking ..."

Hollywood Steps Out

Filed under: animation, 1940s, Cultural Industries, Merrie Melodies, U.S.A., Warner Bros., 1941

Humorous Phases of Funny Faces

Filed under: animation, 1900s, Silent, U.S.A., Vitagraph Studios, 1906

Release Date: 06/04/1906

"Often considered to be the earliest surviving U.S. animated film. The film follows chalkboard sketches that seemingly come to life."

I Love to Singa (1936)

Filed under: animation, 1930s, Animation Series, Color, Merrie Melodies, Musical, Technicolor, U.S.A., Warner Bros., 1936

Producer(s): Leon Schlesinger

Ko-Ko Trains ‘Em

Filed under: animation, 1920s, Inkwell / Fleischer Studios, Koko the Clown, Silent, U.S.A., 1925

Producer(s): Max Fleischer, Alfred Weiss

Release Date: 09/05/1925

"Ko-Ko becomes jealous of Max's attention to his young ward and her dog, and tries to create a circus by training animals, then fleas."

Krazy Kat Goes A-Wooing (1916)

Filed under: animation, 1910s, Early Sound, Krazy Kat, U.S.A., Vitagraph Studios

Making ‘Em Move

Filed under: animation, 1930s, Early Sound, U.S.A., Van Beuren Corporation, 1931

Release Date: 1931

"A classic 1931's cartoon from Van Beuren Studios, Make 'Em Move depicts a mischievous female character whom stumbles in onto the scene of a cartoon factory bursting with drawings and jazz music. The animals depicted create animation much like themsel..."

Making ‘Em Move (1931)

Filed under: animation, U.S.A., Van Beuren Corporation

Minnie the Moocher

Filed under: animation, 1930s, Betty Boop series, Dave Fleischer, Inkwell / Fleischer Studios, Jazz, Max Fleischer, U.S.A., 1932

Producer(s): Max Fleischer

Release Date: 11/03/1932

"“Minnie the Moocher” begins with a live action performance by Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner Cab Calloway of “St. James Infirmary Blues,” which segues into the Betty Boop cartoon. The cartoon begins with a typical mealtime setting i..."

Motor Mania

Filed under: animation, 1950s, Goofy, U.S.A., Walt Disney Studios, 1950

Producer(s): Walt Disney

Release Date: 30/06/1950

"In this Goofy cartoon from the 50's, a Jekyll and Hyde dynamic illustrates how Mr. Walker, who is friendly and normally mild tempered turns into Mr. Wheeler, a crazed maniac who experiences road rage when behind the wheel of an automobile. An intere..."

Neighbours (1952)

Filed under: animation, 1950s, Canada, Color, National Film Board of Canada, Norman McLaren, Pixilation

Oswald – All Wet

Filed under: animation, 1920s, Oswald, Silent, U.S.A., Universal Studios, 1927

Producer(s): Charles Mintz, George Winkler

Release Date: 31/10/1927

"Oswald has a hotdog stand that is plagued by mice. He closes the stand to pursue Fanny romantically. After Fanny rejects Oswald's advances, he bribes a lifeguard to let him take over in order that Oswald can impress Fanny. After Fanny notices Oswald ..."

Pigs is Pigs

Filed under: animation, 1930s, Color, Early Sound, Looney Tunes, Merrie Melodies, U.S.A., Warner Bros., 1937

Producer(s): Leon Schlesinger

Release Date: 1937

"This 1937 Merrie Melodies short stereotypes pigs as gluttonous, insatiable beings whose mortal sins have explosive consequences. Piggy has a hunger that cannot be fulfilled, and much to the chagrin of his mother all he does throughout the day is fant..."

Popeye the Sailor

Filed under: animation, 1930s, Early Sound, Inkwell / Fleischer Studios, Paramount Pictures, Popeye, U.S.A., 1933

Producer(s): Max Fleischer

"This Popeye The Sailor cartoon features Betty Boop, as well as a live action intro featuring Popeye on the cover of a real newspaper. In this cartoon short Olive and Popeye go to the fun fare, and play games in attempt to win prizes, only to be usu..."

Popeye the Sailor: Seasin’s Greetinks!

Filed under: animation, 1930s, Dave Fleischer, Early Sound, Inkwell / Fleischer Studios, Max Fleischer, Musical, Popeye, U.S.A., 1933

Producer(s): Max Fleischer

Release Date: 17/12/1933

"Popeye and Olive Oyl go for a skate on a chilly winter day. Bluto tries to spoil their fun, but of course he's no match for Popeye and his spinach. "

Puddle Pranks

Filed under: animation, 1930s, Celebrity Productions, U.S.A., 1930

Producer(s): Ub Iwerks, Pat Powers

Release Date: 1930

"Flip and his sweetheart ride a cricket drawn wagon only to be pursued by a relentless stork."

Punch and Judy (1966)

Filed under: animation, Czech Republic, Krátký Film, Stop Motion

Rooty Toot Toot (1952)

Filed under: animation, 1950s, Jazz, John Hubley, Racial representation, United Productions of America (UPA), 1952

Release Date: 1952

"This cartoon depicts with transfiguring lines and shapes a courtroom-style musical drama. Characters are called up to the stand, each telling their side of the story, flashing back to each scene punctuated by the musical script. The opening sequence ..."

School Days (1932)

Filed under: animation, 1930s, Early Sound, Flip the Frog, Iwerks Studio, U.S.A., Ub Iwerks

Release Date: 14/05/1932

"School Days features Flip trying to prevent his dog from coming to school with him. His dog eventually comes all the way to school, however, wreaking havoc in the classroom by chasing a skunk in. Everyone runs from the classroom, ending school early."

Shiver Me Timbers!

Filed under: animation, 1930s, Inkwell / Fleischer Studios, Max Fleischer, Popeye, 1934

Producer(s): Fleischer Studios

Sinkin’ In The Bathtub

Filed under: animation, 1930s, Early Sound, Leon Schlesinger Studios, Looney Tunes, U.S.A., Warner Bros., 1930

Producer(s): Leon Schlesinger

Release Date: 19/04/1930

"Both racist and a blatant ripoff of Mickey Mouse, this is the first Looney Tunes cartoon. It follows Bosko bathing and then having an adventure on a tiny anthropomorphic train, during this he courts Honey."

Snow White (1933)

Filed under: animation, Betty Boop, Dave Fleischer, Inkwell / Fleischer Studios, Max Fleischer, Musical, U.S.A.

Space Ghost: “The Heat Thing”

Filed under: animation, 1960s, Animation Series, Bill Hanna, Color, Hanna-Barbera Studios, Joe Barbera, Space Ghost, U.S.A., 1966

Release Date: 10/09/1966

"Space Ghost imagines intergalactic adventures through the superhero Space Ghost and his sidekicks Jace and Jan, and their pet monkey Blip, who assist in keeping outer space free from trouble. Space Ghost was pivotal in the rising popularity of superh..."

Special Delivery

Filed under: animation, 1970s, Canada, Color, National Film Board of Canada, 1978

Producer(s): Derek Lamb

Release Date: 1978

"Ralph Phelps ignores his wife's orders to clean the snow off their porch and goes for a walk instead. His day spirals into anarchy when he returns to find the mailman on his front yard, his neck broken from slipping and falling down the stairs."

Spring Hits a Snag (1961)

Filed under: animation, Bill Hanna, Color, Hanna-Barbera Studios, Joe Barbera, U.S.A.

Release Date: 1961

Steamboat Willie

Filed under: animation, Early Sound, Mickey Mouse, U.S.A., Walt Disney Studios, 1928

Producer(s): Walt Disney, Roy O. Disney

Release Date: 29/07/1928

"The first Mickey Mouse cartoon with synchronized sound. Disney agonized over the synchronization of sound to the animation in Steamboat Willie. The cartoon also introduces a prototypical Minnie mouse. Mickey's pretty much a jerk within the narrative ..."

Swing Shift Cinderella (1945)

Filed under: animation, 1940s, Jazz, Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios, Musical, U.S.A., World War 2 ( WW2 ), 1945

Swooner Crooner

Filed under: animation, 1940s, Jazz, Merrie Melodies, Porky Pig, U.S.A., Warner Bros., 1944

The Band Concert

Filed under: animation, 1930s, All Music, Color, Donald Duck, Goofy, Mickey Mouse, Musical, Technicolor, U.S.A., Ub Iwerks, Walt Disney, Walt Disney Studios, 1935

Producer(s): Walt Disney

Release Date: 23/02/1935

"Mickey and his friends Peter Pig, Paddy Pig, Horace Horsecollar, Clarabelle Cow, and Goofy try to put on an outdoor concert. As they attempt to play the William Tell Overture they face many problems, chief among them Donald Duck and a pesky bee. "

The Bandmaster

Filed under: animation, 1930s, Oswald, U.S.A., Universal Studios, 1931

Producer(s): Walter Lantz

Release Date: 18/05/1931

"Oswald conducts, and then a slew of seemingly random events ensue. Although at moments narrative causality matters, for the most part spectacle drives the cartoon (for example, when objects seemingly magically transform)."

The Cobweb Hotel (1936)

Filed under: animation, Color, Dave Fleischer, Inkwell / Fleischer Studios, Max Fleischer, U.S.A.

The Flintstones: Cave Scout Jamboree

Filed under: animation, 1960s, Bill Hanna, Color, Hanna-Barbera Studios, Joe Barbera, U.S.A., 1966

Producer(s): William HannaJoseph Barbera

Release Date: 01/04/1966

"After flooding the quarry where he works, Fred is laid off work for a few days. He convinces Wilma and Betty to accompany he and Barney on a camping trip, promising them a peaceful getaway. However, when they learn that their campground is the site o..."

The Sliphorn King of Polaroo

Filed under: animation, Racial representation, U.S.A., Universal Studios

The Tell-Tale Heart

Filed under: animation, 1950s, Technicolor, U.S.A., United Productions of America (UPA), 1953

Producer(s): John Hubley Stephen Bosustow

Release Date: 27/12/1953

"Based on Edgar Allan Poe's short story of the same name. The caretaker of an old man suffers paranoid delusions surrounding his employer's blind eye. In a fit of rage, he murders the old man and hides his body under the floorboards. Facing police inv..."