Timeline: History and Evolution of Animation

Apr 7, 1906

Humorous Phases of Funny Faces

J. Stuart Blackton created this 3 minute short in which he creates animating drawings of faces and people against a plain blackboard;
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#

Sep 14, 1914

Gertie the Dinosaur

This film is considered the first animated short to feature a distinguishable character. Winsor McCay is the animator that brought the dancing dinosaur to life; https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#

Nov 9, 1917

El Apostol

This feature-length animated film was created by Quirino Cristiani but the only known copy was destroyed in a fire; https://www.google.com/search?q=el+apostol&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS708US709&espv=2&biw=672&bih=592&tbm=vid&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjU8s3Yj6zPAhUM7iYKHcfIDTgQ_AUIBigB&dpr=1#

Oct 2, 1919

Felix the Cat

Otto Mesmer created Felix the cat in the 1920's. This is a funny-animal cartoon created in the silent film era; https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#

Jul 29, 1922

Little Red Riding Hood

The first animated short Walt Disney created was Little Red Riding Hood. Though the original copy was lost, another one was found and restored in 1998; https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#

Jul 29, 1928

Mickey Mouse

The first Mickey Mouse cartoon is technically the film Plane Crazy, but the first Mickey Mouse short to be distributed is Steamboat Willie, which is also the first Disney cartoon with synchronized sound; https://www.google.com/search?q=Walt+disney+little+red+riding+hood+release+date&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS708US709&espv=2&biw=724&bih=585&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjytrWU87XPAhVEOSYKHfzsCXAQ_AUIBygA&dpr=1#

Aug 22, 1929

The Skeleton Dance

This film is one of Disney's iconic line of animated shorts, Silly Symphonies, Kicks off their prolific run with The Skeleton Dance; https://www.google.com/search?q=The+Skeleton+Dance&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS708US709&espv=2&biw=724&bih=585&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjJ9ICa9bXPAhUFeSYKHf2SDKYQ_AUIBSgA&dpr=1#

Aug 9, 1930

Dizzy Dishes

Betty Boop debuts as a woman/dog hybrid in the short Dizzy Dishes; https://www.google.com/search?q=dizzy+dishes+release+date&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS708US709&espv=2&biw=724&bih=585&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiDi8TE9rXPAhVE6CYKHVJHD2MQ_AUIBSgA&dpr=1#

Sep 18, 1931

Peludopolis

This film was created by Quirino Cristiani and it tells the story of a military coup against a corrupt president. There are no surviving copies of the movie in existence; https://www.google.com/search?q=dizzy+dishes+release+date&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS708US709&espv=2&biw=724&bih=585&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiDi8TE9rXPAhVE6CYKHVJHD2MQ_AUIBSgA&dpr=1#

Jan 1, 1932

Flowers and Trees

This is the first full-color, three-strip Technicolor animated short. Flowers and Trees won Disney the first-ever Academy Award for Animated Short Film; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTuIb7BIFqk

Feb 4, 1938

Snow White and the Seven Dwafs

This film was created by Walt Disney and it was his first full-length animated feature and the first one to emerge out of the US; https://www.google.com/search?q=original+snow+white+and+the+seven+dwarfs&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS708US709&espv=2&biw=724&bih=585&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi_iYP1-LXPAhVBej4KHQJ8BZEQ_AUIBSgA&dpr=1#

Nov 12, 1946

Song of the South

This film was Disney's first live-action film and was releases and boasts several animated interludes. Because of its depiction of the African-American character Uncle Remus, the film has never been release on home media in the US; https://www.google.com/search?q=Song+of+the+south&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS708US709&espv=2&biw=724&bih=585&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwikjI7s-bXPAhWMOCYKHavFB7gQ_AUIBSgA&dpr=1#