Cartoondom’s most famous rabbit before Bugs made a successful transition from silent pictures to sound though, to be honest, Oswald didn’t have a distinctive voice and the best gags in his sound cartoons were visual ones, at least judging by the few early shorts I’ve seen.
Oswald was created by Walt Disney in 1927 for release by Universal Pictures through middle-man Charlie Mintz, who was running Winkler Productions. Disney’s studio was employed on the basis that Universal owned everything he produced, including Oswald. Mintz apparently figured he could be making all the money that he was giving to Disney, so he raided the Disney staff and set up his own studio. Karma got him in the end in more ways than one. Disney ended up creating an even more popular character, then Universal did to Mintz what Mintz did to Disney.
One of the reasons Disney’s new Mickey Mouse was popular is because of the way Walt, Carl Stalling, Ub Iwerks and others at the studio coordinated the soundtrack to the picture. There was nothing done arbitrarily; sounds weren’t just tossed in for the sake of sound. It was perfect and it was engaging.
By 1929, it would appear both movie studios and theatres came to the realisation that the era of silent films was over. It meant Oswald would have to dance and gag it up in time to a soundtrack. The in-house
Universal News told exhibitors in its issue of January 12, 1929:
SYNCHRONIZED OSWALD
COMEDIES NOW AVAILABLE
Music and Sound Effects to Be in All Future Oswald, the Lucky Rabbit, Cartoon Comedies—First Three Now Being Shipped
THE first of the synchronized Oswald Comedies have arrived in the East and are being printed and rushed to all Universal Exchanges. They are hailed by the Universal home office executives as the last word in cartoon entertainment. Universal, in launching this comedies series with synchronized music and sound effects, is one of the first in the field with a sound cartoon series.
The first synchronized Oswald, the Lucky Rabbit, comedy set for release is “Hen Fruit,” which will officially reach the screen every other week. Three synchronized comedies have been completed to date. The second and third are “Sick Cylinders,” and “Hold ’Em, Ozzy!”
The Oswald Cartoon Comedies, according to the Universal sales reports, are one of the most popular cartoon series on the screen. The addition of sound effects greatly enhances their entertainment value, “U” executives state.
It further announced on March 23, 1929:
The famous Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoon comics now are being released in synchronized form and are very popular with audiences, according to reports reaching the Universal sales executive. They are released every other week. “Sick Cylinders,” “Hen Fruit,” “Hold ‘Em, Ozzie” and “Suicide Sheiks” already have been released. “Alpine Antics” and “Lumberjacks” will reach the screen early in April. There will be fifteen synchronized Oswald Comedies this season.
These Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoons have proven peculiarly well suited to synchronization as they fuse a hilarious element of utterly inconsequential noise into an already laugh provoking and popular short subject. This type of screen fare makes an excellent antidote for heavy photodrama, and will prove a boon to the exhibitor who needs a light and bright spot on his program.
According to the March 15, 1930 edition of the
Motion Picture News, the last silent Oswald was “Yankee Clippers”, released on January 21, 1929. Despite the extra planning, time and expense, Mintz continued to produce a new Oswald every other week. The cartoons were available to theatres with sound on film or sound on disc. The release schedule was:
Hen Fruit, February 4, 1929.
Sick Cylinders, February 18, 1929
Hold ‘Em Ozzie, March 4, 1929
Suicide Sheiks, March 18, 1929
Alpine Antics, April 1, 1929
Lumberjack, April 15, 1929
Fishing Fools, April 29, 1929
Stage Stunts, May 13, 1929
Stripes and Stars, May 27, 1929
The Wicked West, June 10, 1929
Nuts and Jolts, June 24, 1929
Ice Man’s Luck, July 8, 1929
Jungle Jingles, July 22, 1929
Weary Willies, August 5, 1929
Saucy Sausages, August 19, 1929
(I presume “Fishing Fools” was originally silent and had a soundtrack added, as it was reviewed by
Motion Picture News on Dec, 8, 1928).
Ah, but a change was afoot. The
Syracuse Herald of March 11, 1929 reveals “Walter B. Lantz, animated cartoon artist, has arrived in Universal City to do his stuff,” though Leonard Maltin’s book
Of Mice an Magic points out Lantz received a story credit as early as “Bull-Oney,” released October 29, 1928. We read in
Film Daily on April 15, 1929 that “Lester Kline, commercial artist and cartoonist, has been added to the staff of "Oswald, the Lucky Rabbit," according to Walter Lantz, production supervisor.” Lantz received a director credit on “Stripes and Stars” (“The Wicked West” was directed by a chap named I. Freleng. He became somewhat better known at another studio).
Somewhere along the way, Universal figured it could be making all the money that it was giving to Mintz. Joe Adamson’s fine biography on Walter Lantz reveals that studio head Carl Laemmle decided to make cartoons on the Universal lot, and producer Sam Van Ronkel told him that the perfect guy to run it was Lantz, who was spending some time chauffeuring him to poker games at Laemmle’s. Laemmle always seemed to win when Lantz was around the table, so he figured if Lantz brought him good luck at poker, he could bring him good luck in cartoons. Bye, bye, Charlie.
When the decision to dump the Mintz studio was made is unclear but
Universal News announced on July 13, 1929:
Oswald Comedies
The popularity of the Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoons both in sound and silent prints is a matter of short subject history by now. Universal will produce in its own studios twenty-six one-reelers for next season. The addition of sound has greatly enhanced the entertainment value of the lively rabbit and makes him top the one-reel field in box-office appeal.
Walter B. Lantz, animated cartoon artist, has been signed to draw the series of pictured for the pen and ink character of Oswald. William C. Nolan will assist him. Lantz was last with the Bray Studios in New York where he drew the “Unnatural History” series. He drew for the screen “The Happy Hooligans,” “Jerry on the Job.” “The Katzenjammer Kids,” and, recently, “The Colonel Heeza Liar,” after the screen rights were purchased from the cartoonists of the various newspaper comics. He will write the stories for “Oswald the Lucky Rabbit” and arrange novel sound effects for a synchronized version.
The Lantz studio’s first release for Universal was “Race Riot” on September 2, 1929. The others that calendar year (released with sound on film or sound on disc):
Oils Well, Sept. 16, 1929
A Permanent Wave, Sept. 30, 1929
Cold Turkey, Oct. 14, 1929
Pussy Willie, Oct. 28, 1929
Amateur Night, Nov. 11, 1929
Snow Use, Nov. 25, 1929
Nutty Notes, Dec. 9, 1929
Ozzie of the Circus, Dec. 23, 1929
Oddly,
Film Daily had reported on April 15th that “Ozzie of the Circus” was ready for release; the delay is a little puzzling.
Now, the purpose of this post isn’t to run off a bunch of lists. It’s to pass along some of the great full-page ads for Oswald in
Universal News after sound came in.
Universal News provided plot summaries for a number of the sound Oswalds produced by Mintz.
March 2, 1929
“Sick Cylinders”
Oswald Cartoon
OSWALD, with his newly acquired car, made the home of his best girl in “high.” She was delighted and ready for a ride in no time. They hardly got started before the flivver began to act up. Finally Oswald had to crawl under it!
A playful pup appeared and pestered Oswald to throw sticks for him, which delayed matters considerably as the sticks got larger and larger. Long before Oswald got things ship-shape the girl was impatiently looking at her watch. Eventually they got underway and everything was lovely until, on a mountain road, they jarred a big rock loose. That rock seemed possessed and pursued them up hill and down dale!
From then on their ride was a “bust”! They finally fell into a sand pit and the best girl didn’t hesitate to tell Oswald what she thought. In the midst of her tirade her other beau breezed up in a “straight-eight” and the ungrateful minx went off with him, leaving Oswald to take it out on his little car. And what he said!!!
April 13, 1929
“Hen Fruit”
Oswald Cartoon
OSWALD was foreman of the egg factory, but even with every modern device in the way of alarm clocks, it was difficult for him to get on the job. The time clock, however, never missed a trick and didn’t let any late pullets get by. A young cockerel managed to sneak in, and certainly disrupted the business of the egg laying! Oswald was so long pulling his basket that before he got out to his tin lizzie a goat roaming around had swallowed it. Oswald had a terrible time with that goat, but finally made him disgorge his lizzie. Of course, it was chewed to bits, but Oswald collected it in a couple of tin cans and soon shook it together again.
May 25, 1929
“STAGE STUNTS”
An Oswald Cartoon
OSWALD’S debut as actor was attended with much gaiety. Mice musicians tickled the hippo’s ivories, the thousand-leg chorus was spritely and Oswald was making a great success as snake-charmer and xylophone player when an old meanie in the audience broke his instrument, and gosh how bottles flew. Oswald, not to be foiled, returns with a skinny horse and plays on the animal’s ribs, but a pup throws a bomb which the horse swallows. Pandemonium!
Out of the theatre they rush,—though Oswald gets the bomb out of the horse’s mouth the thing follows them and they’re blown up. Oswald has a pleasant dream of kissing a nymph but comes to, finding himself kissing the horse. He has the horse knock him out again so that he can again enjoy his dream.
June 1, 1929
“THE FISHING FOOL”
An Oswald Cartoon
OSWALD was asleep at the line, —the fish were having a grand time diving around him. They stole the bait and carried on generally. Oswald wakes up to find that his sleep hasn’t been profitable. When a stork steps up and ducks his head in the water, fetching out a fish or two for a slight snack, Oswald decides to use the bird’s services—so he hooks Sally Stork on the line and knots her neck so she can’t swallow,—and casts her off. But when a whale comes up as the catch and nearly swallows our Oswald (after devouring Sally Stork), the rabbit decides to rush out of the fish’s way.
Next Oswald tries music, which pleases one fish into doing a dance. Oswald gets the little fish into his clutches, but lo and behold a huge finner comes out of the water,—there is a battle. Oswald, the winner, is just about to carve a neat sirloin from his prize, when a thief comes along and steals it and the fadeout comes with Oswald hot in pursuit of the burglar.
June 8, 1929
“LUMBERJACK”
Oswald Cartoon
WHILE the animals kept things “humming” at the sawmill, little Oswald went gaily through the forest, chopping down trees. But one tree was a tough one — so tough that his axe went back on him and nearly knocked him out. Puzzling what to do, he heard a noise. Aha, an idea! There was a sleeping pup who was sawing a lot of wood in his sleep. He used the sleeping dog’s saw and it worked! Lo and behold, the trunk exposed a bag of gold but, before little Oswald could take it, a Brute Bear reached for it and away he scooted; but Oswald ran right after him. The bear made a getaway down a stream in a canoe, but Oswald catches up to bear by riding on two logs and using his tail, first as a wind-propeller, and then as an outboard motor. Oswald diverts the rushing stream so that it runs over a cliff and grabs the bear as he passes by. While they are both falling, Oswald snatches the money and then flies back to safety on the cliff-top. Meantime the bear fell into the jaws of a huge crocodile and Oswald, in great glee, sees the crocodile salt the bear to taste and (galoomp!) swallow him. The sound version is happily animated with animal noises.
June 15, 1929
“STRIPES AND STARS”
Oswald Cartoon
TIMES were hard for our Oswald when his days were spent in cleaning up the police court floor and he did have such a time keeping it free from tobacco juice—the captain was an old meanie who just would “chaw” while knitting.
Big Bruin Boloney, the gangster, held up the jeweler, and all the big and little Ben clocks threw up their hands in fright and the cuckoo retired into his nest. “The dials all went wrong.” All the available police did their best to catch Big Bruin, but he blew them up.
Little Oswald was promoted to the rank of cop, and he went out to get his “ham” (Boloney). The Big Brute nearly got Oswald, but our hero came to the courthouse triumphantly with the Bear a captive under a manhole.
Oswald is made judge, and the bear has to clean up tobacco juice forever after.
July 29, 1929
“WICKED WEST”
Oswald Cartoon.
OSWALD, a new Lochinvar, a bit weary from much lassoing and riding, reins in his horse and stops at a saloon—produces his own seidel of beer and amuses himself by having the Mouse-on-the-Keys Piano play for him. When the mouse drops on the ivories in exhaustion, Oswald goes in search of further adventure and “noses” in on a checker game which Big Bruin is enjoying in solo. Staking his money bag on the game, Oswald, through brilliant play, turns victor. The loss is too much for the Bruin to Bear and the ensuing battle is a fierce one.
After the “war” is over, our hero gallops away, in triumph, to find new fields to conquer.
August 17, 1929
“ICE MAN’S LUCK”
Oswald Novelty
OUR little hero found his job as iceman not so hot. A feline tried to make a cat-a-away with a huge cake of ice, and only the glace eye of Oswald prevented it. Then, too, just as Ozzie’s favorite maid was about to present him with a delicious hot pie, big Bear butted in and the first thing you know he went off with the burnt offering. But the final deluge of poor luck came when Oswald and his faithful mare were nearly drowned by melted ice—caused through the placing of a bonfire under the ice-truck.
August 24, 1929
“WEARY WILLIES”
Oswald Cartoon
OSWALD is trying a hobo life by an encounter with a copper takes the keenness out of his freedom. But life looks promising again when he meets Brother Bear hobo, who is boiling coffee over a campfire. Oswald donates an egg to the repast—which is promptly stolen.
Suddenly they see a freshly-roasted chicken on a pantry window and Oswald is made to act as a purloiner. His first attempt at theft is squashed by a ferocious bulldog.
Finally a neat-but-not-flashy set of long woollies on a line acts as endman and trolleys the bird to Ozzie.
Foiled again (for a policeman happens on the scene) down the unfriendly road rushes our hero.
The bulldog, spying the policeman who has seized the fowl, chases the officer into the far horizon, much to Oswald’s glee.
Not all the issues of
Universal News are on-line, so we can’t find a précis for the first Lantz produced cartoon, “Race Riot.” We reprinted a review from
Film Daily in a post on the cartoons of 1929. Other opinions were expressed in the trades:
SOME highly amusing and clever cartoon work is to be enjoyed in this Oswald. This series is easily one of the leading cartoon series on the market today. With such high-calibre men as Walter Lang [sic] expending their ability on gag construction and the like, the Oswalds have taken a commanding position in the cartoon field, which they should maintain easily with their high standard. This Oswald cartoon contains plenty of fun. It should please anybody, anywhere, should he be man, beast or exhibitor—RAYMOND GANLY [Motion Picture Herald, August 17, 1929]
Good Cartoonantics. Mopey, the mare, faces the yawn of the big race day without much enthusiasm but Oswald finally gets her up and in action. During the race Oswald, who seems to have dirty characteristics, repeatedly tries to win by foul means, like burning the elephant and puncturing the hippo. And for at least once in screen history such a villain wins. He is blotted out, however, when Mopey, in her final leap for the wire, jumps on him. This is excellent cartoon entertainment. [Film Daily, Sept. 1, 1929].
Globe, New York. Another of the Oswald cartoon series, credited to Walter Laitz [sic] for animation and production (with two assistants, names not caught from screen), and Bert Fiske for synchronization.
Silly Stuff, as usual, with a couple novelty effects in the cartooning and synchronizing to distinguish it and make for a bright program filler. Abel [Variety, July 17, 1929]
Best thing ever made on film. Effects are great. When you play one of these you are assuring your people a real kick. (Carl Veseth, Palace theatre, Malta, Mont.—General patronage.) [Exhibitors Herald-World, Nov. 25, 1929]
Good from every standpoint. (Carl Veseth, Palace theatre, Malta, Mont.—General patronage.) Very good. (G. H. Wright, Jr., Star theatre. Wendell, N. Car.—Small town patronage.) [Exhibitors Herald-World, Dec. 7, 1929]
This sure is a riot, the best Oswald we have seen, and they sure help to fill in the program. (H. G. Williams, Quanah theatre, Fletcher, Okla.—Small town patronage.) [Exhibitors Herald-World, Feb. 15, 1930]
Race Riot was very good for the kids. We are getting tired of cartoons...One a month would be plenty.—FRED FLANAGAN, Flanagan and Heard, Vona theatre, Vona, Colo. [Exhibitors Herald-World, Aug. 9, 1930]
Musician Bert Fiske, by the way, played the piano off-stage during a scene with Al Jolson at the keyboard in
The Jazz Singer at Warners. Fiske moved on, and so did Lantz, though Oswald remained his main box office draw in increasingly lacklustre cartoons in the ‘30s until, after several failed attempts at creating stars, Andy Panda came along in 1939.
