Trolley Troubles

Last updated

Trolley Troubles
Trolley Troubles official poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Walt Disney
Story by Walt Disney
Produced by Charles Mintz
George Winkler
Animation by Ub Iwerks
Hugh Harman
Les Clark
Friz Freleng
Ben Clopton
Norm Blackburn
Rollin "Ham" Hamilton
Color process Black and White
Production
companies
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date
  • September 5, 1927 (1927-09-05) [1]
Running time
6:16
CountryUnited States

Trolley Troubles is a 1927 animated short subject film, produced by Charles B. Mintz and George Winkler and directed by Walt Disney. [2] The cartoon is the first appearance of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, a character that Disney and Ub Iwerks created for Universal Pictures and Mintz.

Contents

History

In the early summer of 1927, Walt Disney finished the first Oswald cartoon, entitled Poor Papa , but Universal was not very satisfied. They had expected a more Charlie Chaplin-like character and thought Oswald was too elderly and too fat. Disney agreed to make some changes and the cartoon was not released in theatres at the time. It is possible that the film was inspired by The Toonerville Trolley (1920) short film based on the Toonerville Folks newspaper cartoon. [3]

Instead, Oswald's second-produced cartoon was submitted for release: Trolley Troubles. Universal was pleased and the short was released by Universal on September 5, 1927.

The press loved the new cartoon series Walt made and Oswald became a popular character. From then on, a new cartoon was released every two weeks.

As for Poor Papa, it was released eventually in theatres, although Universal held it back until 1928. In total, nine Oswald cartoons were released in 1927.

The cartoon was reissued on November 23, 1931, after Walter Lantz Productions took over the Oswald series. This re-release was completed with music and sound effects.

The copyright for Trolley Troubles expired in 1955. [4]

Plot

The short film.

Oswald is preparing a trolley to transport his bunny kids and other animal characters, but there are some obstacles. The first is Clarabelle Cow who walks onto the tracks and refuses to move until Oswald drives the trolley underneath her. Oswald thinks that all is well until the hill gets steep. Oswald uses a goat to get the trolley up the hill, then down the hill.

The trolley unexpectedly goes onto a bumpy road, tossing the kids out of the trolley. Oswald prays that he will live, takes off his foot, kisses it and rubs it on his head (as per the saying that a rabbit's foot gives a good luck). Eventually, the trolley crashes into a river and becomes a raft. Oswald uses a big stick to row it downstream.

Home media

The short was released on December 11, 2007, on Walt Disney Treasures: The Adventures of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit . [5] A restored version of the short was released on Disney+ on September 7, 2023, as part of Disney's 100th Anniversary. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ub Iwerks</span> American animator and special effects pioneer (1901–1971)

Ubbe Ert Iwerks, known as Ub Iwerks, was an American animator, cartoonist, character designer, inventor, and special effects technician, known for his work with Walt Disney Animation Studios in general, and for having worked on the development of the design of the character of Mickey Mouse, among others. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Iwerks grew up with a contentious relationship with his father, who abandoned him as a child. Iwerks met fellow artist Walt Disney while working at a Kansas City art studio in 1919.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oswald the Lucky Rabbit</span> Early animated Disney character

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit is an animated cartoon character created in 1927 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks for Universal Pictures. He starred in several animated short films released to theaters from 1927 to 1938. Twenty-seven animated Oswald shorts were produced at the Walt Disney Studio. After Universal took control of Oswald's character in 1928, Disney created a new character similar in appearance to Oswald as a replacement: Mickey Mouse, who went on to become one of the most famous cartoon characters in the world.

<i>Alice Comedies</i> Film series by Walt Disney in the 1920s

The Alice Comedies are a series of live-action animated shorts created by Walt Disney in the 1920s, in which a live action little girl named Alice and an animated cat named Julius have adventures in an animated landscape. The shorts were the first work by what ultimately became The Walt Disney Company.

<i>Plane Crazy</i> 1929 film directed by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks

Plane Crazy is a 1929 American animated short film directed by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. The cartoon, released by the Walt Disney Studios, is the first finished project to feature appearances of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, and was originally a silent film. It was given a test screening to a theater audience and potential distributors on May 15, 1928. An executive from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer saw the film, but the film failed to pick up a distributor. Later that year, Disney released Mickey's first sound cartoon, Steamboat Willie, which was an enormous success; Plane Crazy was officially released as a sound cartoon on March 17, 1929. It was the fourth Mickey film to be given a wide release after Steamboat Willie, The Gallopin' Gaucho and The Barn Dance (1929).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter Lantz Productions</span> American animation studio

Walter Lantz Productions was an American animation studio that was in operation from 1928 to 1972. It was the principal supplier of animation for Universal Pictures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bosko</span> Warner Bros. theatrical cartoon character

Bosko is an animated cartoon character created by animators Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising. Bosko was the first recurring character in Leon Schlesinger's cartoon series and was the star of thirty-nine Looney Tunes shorts released by Warner Bros. He was voiced by Carman Maxwell, Bernard B. Brown, Johnny Murray, and Philip Hurlic during the 1920s and 1930s and once by Don Messick during the 1990s.

Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising were an American animation team and company known for founding the Warner Bros. and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer animation studios. In 1929, the studio was founded under the name Harman-Ising Productions, producing Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies for Leon Schlesinger from 1930 to 1933. From 1934 to 1938, Harman-Ising produced the Happy Harmonies series, with William Hanna as their employee.

<i>Bosko, the Talk-Ink Kid</i> 1929 film by Hugh Harman

Bosko, the Talk-Ink Kid is a 1929 live-action/animated short film produced to sell a series of Bosko cartoons. The film was never released to theaters, and therefore not seen by a wide audience until 2000 on Cartoon Network's television special Toonheads: The Lost Cartoons. The film was produced on May 29, 1929 and directed by Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising.

Charles Bear Mintz was an American film producer and distributor who assumed control over Margaret J. Winkler's Winkler Pictures after marrying her in 1924. The couple had two children, Katherine and William. Between 1925 and 1939, Mintz produced over 370 cartoon shorts.

<i>The Mad Doctor</i> (1933 film) 1933 Mickey Mouse cartoon

The Mad Doctor is a Mickey Mouse cartoon released in 1933. It is known as the first appearance of the title character "The Mad Doctor", or "Dr. XXX". It was the 52nd Mickey Mouse short film, and the second of that year.

<i>Oh Teacher</i> (film) 1927 film directed by Walt Disney

Oh Teacher is an animated cartoon directed by Walt Disney, starring Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, and distributed by Universal Pictures. The film was reissued in 1932 by Walter Lantz Productions with added music and sound effects and is the only known version to survive. The original version entered the public domain on January 1, 2023.

<i>The Mechanical Cow</i> 1927 film by Walt Disney

The Mechanical Cow is an Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoon from 1927. It was distributed by Universal Pictures. The cartoon was re-released by Walter Lantz Productions in 1932 with music and sound effects added.

<i>Great Guns!</i> 1927 film by Walt Disney

Great Guns! is Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoon produced by the Walt Disney Studio and Winkler Productions. It was re-issued by Walter Lantz Productions in 1932. It was originally released on October 17, 1927. Great Guns! is a parody of war films, a popular film genre during the silent era.

<i>Oswald the Lucky Rabbit</i> filmography

The following is a complete list of cartoons, films, video games, etc. featuring Oswald the Lucky Rabbit created or licensed by either Universal Pictures or The Walt Disney Company. This does not include content made by external artists or studios following the character's entry into the public domain in 2023

<i>Bright Lights</i> (1928 film) 1928 film

Bright Lights is a 1928 silent cartoon short by the Walt Disney Studio and Winkler Productions featuring Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. It is among the few short films of the series Walt Disney himself worked on before leaving that same year.

<i>Mickeys Choo-Choo</i> 1929 Mickey Mouse cartoon

Mickey's Choo-Choo is a 1929 Mickey Mouse short animated film released by Celebrity Pictures, as part of the Mickey Mouse film series. Ub Iwerks was the animator. It was the eleventh Mickey Mouse short to be produced, the eighth of that year, and was one of the series of early Disney cartoons that led Mickey Mouse to become a national fad by the end of 1929. Originally produced in black and white, this cartoon was one of 45 Mickey Mouse cartoons colorized by American Film Technologies in 1991.

<i>Oh What a Knight</i> 1928 film

Oh What a Knight is an American animated short film directed by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks and released in 1928 by Universal Pictures. The film features Oswald the Lucky Rabbit trying to save his girlfriend Ortensia from her strict father, Pete, using unusual fighting skills, including him using his own shadow.

<i>Poor Papa</i> 1928 film

Poor Papa is a 1927 animated short subject film, produced and directed by Walt Disney that was released in 1928. The cartoon is the first produced Oswald cartoon, featuring Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, a character that Disney and Ub Iwerks created for Universal Pictures and Charles B. Mintz. Oswald would later serve as the basis for the Mickey Mouse film series. This was the first Oswald short made but the twenty-first Oswald short to be released.

<i>The Ocean Hop</i> 1927 American film

The Ocean Hop is a 1927 animated short subject film, produced by Charles Mintz and George Winkler and directed by Walt Disney. The film was reissued in 1932 by Walter Lantz Productions with added music and sound effects and is the only known surviving version. The short entered the public domain on January 1, 2023.

<i>All Wet</i> (1927 film) 1927 American film

All Wet is a 1927 animated short subject film, produced by Charles Mintz and George Winkler and directed by Walt Disney. The film was reissued in 1932 by Walter Lantz Productions with added music and sound effects and is the only known version to survive. The short entered the public domain on January 1, 2023.

References

  1. ↑ Susanin, Timothy S.; Miller, Diane Disney (April 7, 2011). Walt Before Mickey: Disney's Early Years, 1919–1928. Univ. Press of Mississippi. p. 78. ISBN   9781604739602 . Retrieved September 4, 2012.
  2. ↑ Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. p. 40. ISBN   0-8160-3831-7.
  3. ↑ Merritt, Russell; Kaufman, J.B. (1993). Walt in wonderland. Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 87. ISBN   0-8018-4907-1.
  4. ↑ ref. United States Copyright #L24088
  5. ↑ "The Adventures of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit DVD Review". DVD Dizzy. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Disney+ to Debut 28 Newly Restored Walt Disney Animation Studios Classic Shorts to Celebrate Disney's 100th Anniversary". The Walt Disney Company. June 15, 2023. Archived from the original on June 15, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.