Origins of American Animation

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Origins of American Animation offers a variety of ways to examine the early days of films and its relationship with popular culture. The films in this collection can be used to trace the development of animation during the early-twentieth century and to understand its roots in comic strips. Other animated motion pictures provide an opportunity to assess the role of consumerism in the United States and to analyze the depiction of ethnicity in popular culture.

Chronological Thinking Skills

Pioneers of early animation were required to create thousands of separate line drawings to complete a one-reel film. Between 1914 and 1920, however, technological advances simplified the animation process and yielded economic stability and artistic growth for animators. This collection's Chronological Title List can be used to examine the development of animation in the early-twentieth century.

The artist's hand in Men's Styles (1915).

The artist in The Enchanted Drawing (1900).

• Why do you think that early animated films, such as Fun in a Bakery Shop, (1902) featured both actors and illustrations?
• Why do you think that films such as Men's Styles (1915) included the composition of the cartoon as the first scene?
• How did the topics and presentation of animated films change during the first decades of the twentieth century?
• How do you think that the development of animation compares to the development of live-action motion pictures represented in the American Memory collection Inventing Entertainment: The Motion Pictures and Sound Recordings of the Edison Companies?

Historic Comprehension: Comic Strips to Cartoons

Some early animated characters made the leap from the newspaper comics page to the movie screen. Rudolph Dirks started chronicling the adventures of twins Hans and Fritz in The Katzenjammer Kids for the New York Journal in 1897. The series was first adapted for the stage in 1903 and spawned a number of plays and cartoons throughout the years. Policy and Pie (1918) features the pranks of the Katzenjammer Kids. After their surrogate father, the Captain, buys a life insurance policy and lists their mother as a beneficiary, Hans and Fritz put toads in their mother's freshly baked pie to make the Captain think that she's trying to poison him.

The same year that the Krazy Kat films reached the screen, Tom Powers's "Phable" series also transformed itself into an animated series. The difference, however, was that films such as The Phable of a Busted Romance, The Phable of the Phat Woman, and Never Again! The Story of a Speeder Cop didn't feature common main characters. One of the few recurring elements in the pieces were personifications of emotions such as "Joy" and "Gloom."

• Why do you think that comic strips developed into animated cartoons?
• How did the narrative and stylistic elements of comic strips translate into animated cartoons?
• How do you think that these cartoons changed or expanded the comic-strip characters?
• Do you think that both forms of media targeted the same audience? Why or why not?
• Can you think of any contemporary cartoons that originated in comic strips?
• Why do you think that comic strip characters later become animated?
• How did early animation reflect conventions of comic strips?

Historical Analysis and Interpretation: Animating the Prehistoric

In 1858, the first nearly-complete dinosaur skeleton was excavated from a pit in Haddonfield, New Jersey. The project became the basis for the founding of the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia and sparked an interest in dinosaurs and fossil hunting. Charles Darwin's theory of evolution appeared a year later in his book, On the Origin of Species. The notion of "survival of the fittest" and a prehistoric populace including dinosaurs became familiar features of popular culture in subsequent decades.

Other animators kept their dinosaurs in a prehistoric age but that didn't stop them from commenting upon contemporary culture. Willis O'Brien's The Dinosaur and the Missing Link, A Prehistoric Tragedy (1917) presented a tale of three stone-age suitors competing for the affections of Miss Araminta Rockface. The stone-age story contains plenty of modern references such as a character bringing a bouquet of cactus and Ms. Rockface requesting, "Won't you come into the drawing room? I should offer you tea, but tea has unfortunately not yet been discovered."

Theophilus Ivoryhead ultimately wins out over his rivals after it appears that he killed Wild Willie, the Missing Link. An irate dinosaur, however, caused Willie's untimely extinction after the dim ape mistook the lizard's tail for an edible snake. The prehistoric humans fare slightly better with animals that outwit, but never really hurt them.

Four years after Sarg's films, the famous Scopes trial tested the theory of evolution in a Dayton, Tennessee courtroom. Biology teacher John Thomas Scopes was ultimately convicted of teaching the theory of evolution in a Tennessee high school and fined $100. Both evolutionists and fundamentalists claimed the case as a victory for their side.

• Why do you think that Gertie's 1914 debut on the vaudeville stage was so popular?
• Why do you think that animators were interested in depicting dinosaurs? What advantages did the medium offer?
• What is the significance of Gertie's dreams of being around other dinosaurs in the sequel?
• How do these different films depict the relationship between prehistoric humans and animals? Why do you think that this relationship might have been a resonant topic?
• What is the significance of the fact that Wild Willie, the Missing Link, is killed in The Dinosaur and the Missing Link . . .?
• Fifteen years after creating Wild Willie, O'Brien created one of the most famous early-movie monsters, King Kong. How does the great ape of the motion picture compare to the prior primate?
• What is the purpose of combining elements of the prehistoric with elements of contemporary culture?

Historical Issue-Analysis and Decision-Making: Ethnicity in Animated Films

Media often reflects and influences the culture in which it appears. Political cartoons and animated films in particular, rely upon common stereotypes and caricatures to convey an idea in a limited amount of space. A number of films in this collection depict various classes and ethnicities in different lights. Please note that when viewing these works, it is important to keep in mind the cultural climate in which these films first appeared.

The Katzenjammer Kids film, Policy and Pie (1918), focuses on the adventures of a German-immigrant family while a caricature of an Irishman appears at the end of the film, Fun in a Bakery Shop (1902). The Irish are also represented in the film, The Phable of a Busted Romance (1916), when a workman named Dennis O'Shay returns a purse to its wealthy owner. He imagines possible rewards before receiving a Canadian dime for his effort.

Bobby Bump and his black companion in Bobby Bump Starts a Lodge.

The collection's only representation of African Americans occurs in Bobby Bump Starts a Lodge (1916). Bobby offers to initiate his black friend into a club but sets him up for a goat to hit him from behind. The boy turns around to stop what he thinks will be a paddle and butts heads with the goat--only to knock the goat unconscious. Bobby chases his friend into the woods until they run into a bear. The black child saves Bobby after he promises to let him into the lodge. The boys plan to be initiated into their lodge by submitting to being hit by the goat. When the goat approaches them, however, both children jump out of the way.

• What do you think that Bobby Bump Starts a Lodge (1916) implies about race relations in the early-twentieth century? What does the film imply about exclusive clubs?
• What is the significance of the animator's use of children to discuss race relations at a time when the segregation of African Americans was still in effect? Do you think that social expectations (and segregation) were different for children and adults?
• How do the films featuring German Americans and Irish Americans reflect the social standing of these ethnic groups in the early-twentieth century?
• What do you think is the tone and intent of these depictions?
• How do you think that audiences might have responded to these depictions?
• Why might social and racial tensions have been such a popular topic for humor?

Research Capabilities: Tony Sarg