A Little Soap and Water
Filed under: animation, 1930s, Betty Boop, Betty Boop series, Dave Fleischer, Inkwell / Fleischer Studios, Max Fleischer, U.S.A., 1935
Producer(s): Max Fleischer Adolph Zukor Dave Copeland
Release Date: 21/06/1935
"Betty Boop tries to give her dog, Pudgy, a bath, but Pudgy has other ideas."
Acrobatty Bunny
Filed under: animation, Animation Series, Bugs Bunny, Color, Looney Tunes, U.S.A., Warner Bros., 1946
Producer(s): Edward Selzer
Release Date: 29/06/1946
"When the circus arrives they put the lion's cage right over Bugs' rabbit hole."
Ballot Box Bunny
Filed under: animation, 1950s, Bugs Bunny, Merrie Melodies, Technicolor, U.S.A., Warner Bros., 1951
Producer(s): Edward Selzer
Release Date: 06/10/1951
"A political Warner Bros. cartoon in which Yosemite Sam runs a violent campaign for mayor against his challenger Bugs Bunny."
Bedtime
Filed under: animation, 1920s, Inkwell / Fleischer Studios, Koko the Clown, Silent, U.S.A., 1923
Producer(s): Max Fleischer Alfred Weiss
Release Date: 01/12/1923
"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 ..."
Begone Dull Care
Filed under: animation, 1940s, Canada, Evelyn Lambart, Jazz, Music, National Film Board of Canada, Norman McLaren, Painted Animation, 1949
Producer(s): Norman McLaren
Release Date: 1949
"This short film by Canadian animators Evelyn Lambart and Norman McLaren offers an interpretation of jazz music by the Oscar Peterson Trio by a unique style of painting colours, shapes, and transformations directly onto filmstrip. It reflects the cont..."
Betty Boop for President
Filed under: animation, 1930s, Betty Boop, Betty Boop series, Inkwell / Fleischer Studios, Max Fleischer, U.S.A., 1932
Producer(s): Max Fleischer
Release Date: 04/11/1932
"Betty Boop runs a wildly popular presidential campaign against the despised Mr. Nobody."
Colonel Heeza Liar in the Trenches
Filed under: animation, 1910s, Bray Productions, U.S.A., World War 1 ( WW1 ), 1915
Producer(s): John Randolph Bray
Release Date: 13/05/1915
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 ..."
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 ), 1943
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): William Hanna 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."
Excerpt from Destination Moon
Filed under: animation, 1950s, George Pal, Technicolor, U.S.A., Woody Woodpecker, 1950
Producer(s): George Pal
Release Date: 27/06/1950
"In this excerpt from the film Destination Moon (1950), the physics of rockets and space travel are explained with the iconic cartoon character Woody Woodpecker. "
Feline Follies
Filed under: animation, 1910s, Felix the Cat, 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 the Cat – Felix the Ghost-Breaker
Filed under: animation, 1920s, Felix the Cat, Pat Sullivan Cartoons, U.S.A., 1923
Producer(s): Patrick (Pat) Sullivan
Release Date: 01/01/1923
"Felix (the cat) is trying to sleep in a graveyard, but a ghost keeps waking him up. The ghost escapes to a nearby farm and terrorizes the old farmer. When Felix chases after the ghost, suspecting something fishy is going on, he helps the farmer as a ..."
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. ..."
Hell-Bent for Election
Filed under: animation, 1940s, Color, Cultural Industries, Propaganda, U.S.A., United Productions of America (UPA), World War 2 ( WW2 ), 1944
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
Producer(s): Leon Schlesinger
Release Date: 24/05/1941
""A tour of Ciro's Nightclub packed with caricatures of many top stars.""
I Can Remember
Filed under: animation, 1970s, Color, Racial representation, Sesame Street, U.S.A., 1972
Producer(s): Sesame Street
Release Date: 15/11/1972
"An animated short from season four, episode eight of Sesame Street, a young girl is instructed by her mother to purchase a loaf of bread, a container of milk, and a stick of butter from the grocery store. "
Interplanetary Revolution
Filed under: animation, 1920s, Cultural Industries, Russia, Stop Motion, 1924
Release Date: 08/18/1924
"Comrade Kominterov undertakes an intergalactic mission to defeat the capitalists and fascists of Mars, and beyond, in this experimental parody of Aelita (Protazanov, 1924)."
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."
Koko’s Earth Control
Filed under: animation, Koko the Clown, 1928
Producer(s): Alfred Weiss Max Fleischer
Release Date: 31/03/1928
""Koko the Clown and his dog Fitz walk into a building where levers that control various aspects of the Earth are located. After Fitz presses a particular lever, the world goes topsy-turvy and out-of-control.""
Krazy Kat and Ignatz Mouse at the Circus
Filed under: animation, 1910s, Animated film history and criticism, Krazy Kat, Silent, U.S.A., 1916
Producer(s): William Randolph Hearst
Release Date: 17/03/1916
"While at the circus, Krazy Kat and Ignatz Mouse enter into a rivalry over whether cats or mice are braver."
Krazy Kat Goes A-Wooing
Filed under: animation, 1910s, Early Sound, Krazy Kat, U.S.A., Vitagraph Studios, 1916
Release Date: 29/02/1916
Let’s Celebrake!
Filed under: animation, Early Sound, Popeye, U.S.A., 1938
Producer(s): Max Fleischer
Release Date: 1938
""Popeye invites Olive's grandmother along for a New Year's Eve party.""
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..."
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 ..."
Popeye the Sailor
Filed under: animation, 1930s, Early Sound, Inkwell / Fleischer Studios, Paramount Pictures, Popeye, U.S.A., 1933
Producer(s): Max Fleischer
Release Date: 14/07/1933
"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. "
Porky’s Romance
Filed under: animation, 1930s, Looney Tunes, Porky Pig, U.S.A., 1937
Producer(s): Leon Schlesinger
Release Date: 03/04/1937
"Porky attempts to woo Petunia with flowers and candy. Though she initially spurns him, she invites him in when she sees the chocolate. Porky proposes to her, only to be cruelly rejected. He attempts to hang himself, only for the branch to break under..."
Professor Balthazar – Izumitelj cipela/The Inventor of Shoes
Filed under: animation, 1960s, Color, Professor Balthazar, Technicolor, Yugoslavia (Croatia), Zagreb Film, 1967
Producer(s): B. Šicar
Release Date: 15/05/1967
"The episode begins by the narrator juggling back and forth on which of two stories he should tell: that of a long camel, or a creature named "Double Bertie," before abandoning both to tell a third: the story of an eccentric inventor named Professor B..."
Rooty Toot Toot
Filed under: animation, 1950s, Jazz, John Hubley, Racial representation, United Productions of America (UPA), 1952
Producer(s): Stephen Bosustow John Hubley
Release Date: 24/06/1951
">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 sequ..."
Shiver Me Timbers!
Filed under: animation, 1930s, Inkwell / Fleischer Studios, Max Fleischer, Popeye, 1934
Producer(s): Fleischer Studios
Release Date: 27/07/1934
"Popeye, Olive, and Wimpy stumble across a ghost ship. They climb aboard, and it proceeds to scare them in various ways."
Silly Scandals
Filed under: animation, 1930s, Betty Boop, Early Sound, U.S.A., 1931
Producer(s): Max Fleischer Adolph Zukor
Release Date: 23/05/1931
"This cartoon marks the origin of Betty Boop (at least the name anyway, the character, or at least one with an uncanny resemblance, had appeared before). Bimbo sneaks into a vaudeville theater to see Betty perform. He is enthralled with her performanc..."
Snow White
Filed under: animation, 1930s, Anime, Betty Boop, Betty Boop series, Dave Fleischer, Early Sound, Inkwell / Fleischer Studios, Max Fleischer, Musical, U.S.A., 1933
Producer(s): Max Fleischer
Release Date: 31/03/1933
"A slim musical adaptation of Snow White's tale. Despite the queen's order to behead Betty (Snow White), the two guards, Bimbo and Koko, rescued Betty and entered a cave where Koko's renowned dancing rotoscoped from Cab Calloway. The evil queen pursue..."
Soul (2020)-Jazz Performance Scene
Filed under: animation, 2020s, 3D Animation, Jazz, Pixar Animation Studios, U.S.A., 2020
Producer(s): Dana Murray
Release Date: 11/10/2020 (BFI Fest), 25/12/2020 (Disney+)
"Soul is a story about Joes, a middle-school band teacher, who finds the true meaning of life after encountering journey in another realm. The clip above shows Joe finally fulfilling his dream of playing jazz by performing with Dorothea, the saxphonist. "
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
Producer(s): Joseph Barbera William Hanna
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..."
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
Filed under: animation, 1940s, Jazz, Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios, Musical, U.S.A., World War 2 ( WW2 ), 1945
Producer(s): William Hanna Fred Quimby
Release Date: 25/08/1945
"Bored with chasing Red Riding Hood, the Wolf decides to go after Cinderella, but her fairy godmother takes a shine to him instead - and has an arsenal of magical powers to help achieve her ends."
Swooner Crooner
Filed under: animation, 1940s, Jazz, Merrie Melodies, Porky Pig, U.S.A., Warner Bros., 1944
Producer(s): Leon Schlesinger
Release Date: 06/05/1944
"Porky Pig's egg farm faces production problems when a crooning rooster distracts the hens from their jobs."
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 Friendly Ghost-Casper playing with friends
Filed under: animation, 1940s, Anime, Casper the Ghost, Color, Early Sound, Famous Studios, Joe Oriolo, Painted Animation, Paramount Pictures, U.S.A., 1945
Producer(s): Sam Buchwald
Release Date: 16/11/1945
The Grasshopper and the Ant
Filed under: animation, 1950s, Animation technology, Germany, 1954
Release Date: 1954
""A musical Grasshopper continues to play his violin while the Ant works hard to prepare for the winter. Later as winter arrives Grasshopper realizes he is not ready for winter and falls ill.""
The Mad Scientist / Superman
Filed under: animation, 1940s, Dave Fleischer, Max Fleischer, Superman, Technicolor, U.S.A., World War 2 ( WW2 ), 1941
Producer(s): Max Fleischer Adolph Zukor
Release Date: 26/09/1941
"When a mad scientist holds Lois Lane hostage, only Superman can save her, and the rest of the city, from his diabolical plot."
The Sliphorn King of Polaroo
Filed under: animation, Racial representation, U.S.A., Universal Studios, 1945
Producer(s): Walter Lantz
Release Date: 19/03/1945
"Shipwrecked Jackson, a trombone player, is washed up on an arctic island. His solid technique on the sliding brass captivates the native seals and penguins, who elect him King of Polaroo."
What’s Cookin’ Doc?
Filed under: animation, 1940s, Animation Series, Bob Clampett, Bugs Bunny, Color, Leon Schlesinger Studios, Looney Tunes, Merrie Melodies, U.S.A., Warner Bros., 1944
Producer(s): Leon Schlesinger
Release Date: 08/01/1944
""When James Cagney wins the Oscar, Bugs shows a clip from "Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt" (1941) and demands a recount of the voting.""
What’s Opera, Doc?
Filed under: animation, 1950s, All Music, Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Looney Tunes, Technicolor, U.S.A., Warner Bros., 1957
Producer(s): Edward Seizer
Release Date: 06/07/1957
"In this parody of Wagner's The Ring Cycle, Elmer Fudd plays a viking endowed with a spear, magic helmet, and undying drive to kill the rabbit."