davids animation timeline

First Feature Length Cel-Animated Film

1892

A man in France named Emil Reynaud opened a theatre using an invention called the Praxinoscope. It used turning mirrors to reflect images and produce a 10 to 15 minute "moving picture."

First Synchronized Sound and Dialogue

1899

Using a magnetic recording device, sound was recorded for the first time. Animation enthusiasts would latch onto the technology.

Creation of Disney's Steamboat Willie

1928

Disney's Steamboat Willie is a landmark in the history of animation. It was the first Mickey Mouse film released and the first cartoon with synchronized sound.

First Hand Drawn Animated Film

1937

Many consider Walt Disney's 1937 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs the first animated feature film, though at least seven films were released earlier. However, Disney's film was the first one completely made using hand-drawn animation.

The Multiplane Camera

1937

The camera created the illusion of depth, which helped make animated films look more interesting and realistic. The Multiplane Camera was first used as an experiment in the production of the Silly Symphony “The Old Mill” in 1937.

First Primetime Animated Television Show

1960

The earliest prime-time animation show is The Flintstones created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera which was first aired on the ABC Television network (USA) in September 1960