Dinky Doodle

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Dinky Doodle
Dinky Doodle - Sep 1924 FD.jpg
from a 1924 publication
First appearanceDinky Doodle and the Magic Lamp (1924)
Last appearanceDinky Doodle in the Army (1926)
Created by Walter Lantz
In-universe information
Species Human
Gender Male
FamilyWeakheart (pet dog)

Dinky Doodle was a cartoon character created by Walter Lantz for Bray Productions in 1924. It was also distributed through the Standard Cinema Corporation (SCC). [1]

Contents

Description

Dinky was a standard boy character, sporting a flat cap, a striped shirt, and dark shorts. He and his dog Weakheart appeared alongside Lantz himself (as the cartoonist) in a series of cartoons that combined live-action and animation, similar in style to Max Fleischer's Out of the Inkwell series. [2] Walter Lantz not only acted in this series, but also wrote and directed it. [3] The character of Weakheart, Dinky's black and white pet dog, was based on the 1920s canine film star Strongheart. [4] The series was mainly silent, with some scenes having a gibberish sound when someone talked. Some scenes had sound effects for objects and animal sounds. A few episodes were parodies to fairytale stories such as the Pied Piper and Jack and the Beanstalk. Even the first episode was a parody to the story of Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp. [5]

Dinky Doodle and Walter Lantz (right) in 1925 Dinky Doodle - Aug 1925 EH.jpg
Dinky Doodle and Walter Lantz (right) in 1925

The character enjoyed a degree of popularity among audiences. Contemporaneous reviews stated that Dinky Doodle had become a famous figure in the cinema world and was loved by millions, [6] but was retired from the screen in 1926. [7]

Plot format

An average short would be about eight minutes long and would consist of Dinky and Weakheart hanging out with Walter Lantz in his apartment. A problem would arise and Lantz would get Dinky and Weakheart to deal with it. The story would then have them go on a wacky and fun adventure where it would then cause an even bigger problem in the end, mainly for Lantz. Whether that be them leading a giant into Lantz's apartment and having him fight him, or they think they lead a bunch of mice away and then they show up to tackle Lantz.

Episodes

No.Title [3] Directed By [3] Written By [3] Release Date
1Dinky Doodle and the Magic LampWalter LantzWalter Lantz1924
2Dinky Doodle and the Bad ManWalter LantzWalter LantzSeptember 20, 1925 [3]
3Dinky Doodle in the HuntWalter LantzWalter LantzNovember 1, 1925 [3]
4Dinky Doodle in the CircusWalter LantzWalter LantzNovember 29, 1925 [3]
5Dinky Doodle in the RestaurantWalter LantzWalter LantzDecember 27, 1925 [3]
6The Pied PiperWalter LantzWalter Lantz1926
7The Giant KillerWalter LantzWalter Lantz1926
8Dinky Doodle in Lost and FoundWalter LantzWalter LantzFebruary 19, 1926 [3]
9Dinky Doodle in Uncle Tom's CabinWalter LantzWalter LantzFebruary 21, 1926 [3]
10Dinky Doodle and the ArticWalter LantzWalter LantzMarch 21, 1926 [3]
11Dinky Doodle in EgyptWalter LantzWalter LantzApril 8, 1926 [3]
12Dinky Doodle in the Wild WestWalter LantzWalter LantzMay 12, 1926 [3]
13Dinky Doodle's Bedtime StoryWalter LantzWalter LantzJune 6, 1926 [3]
14Dinky Doodle and the Little OrphanWalter LantzWalter LantzJuly 4, 1926 [3]
15Dinky Doodle in the ArmyWalter LantzWalter LantzAugust 29, 1926 [3]

The character was mentioned as someone supposedly kidnapped when Angelo mocks Eddie Valiant for working for a toon in the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit .

References

  1. Kopfstein, Jacques (August 1924). "Comedy gets a New Character". Exhibitor's Trade Review. p. 30. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
  2. Markstein, Don. "Dinky Doodle and Weakheart". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "Motion Pictures 1912 to 1939". Motion Pictures . 1951. p. 193.
  4. Rovin, Jeff (1991). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cartoon Animals . Prentice Hall Press. p.  282. ISBN   0-13-275561-0 . Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  5. Exhibitor's trade review, inc., New York (November 1924). ""Cartoon Pioneer Says Drawn Comics Offer Laugh Month Variety."". Exhibitor's Trade Review . p. 10. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
  6. Chalmers Publishing Company, New York (December 13, 1924). "Moving Picture World". Chalmers Publishing Company. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
  7. Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons . Checkmark Books. pp.  25-26. ISBN   0-8160-3831-7 . Retrieved June 6, 2020.