Go over Mickey Mouse, there’s a new sheriff in town.
Disney is approaching its centenary and is ready to celebrate the anniversary of the founding of the company by Walt and his brother Roy Disney in 1923.
It was a pretty wild century for the company.
What began with a handful of enchanting animated films has now conquered several theme parks around the world, almost every major movie studio and a streaming service as one of the most powerful companies in the world.
Full control over what we see, hear, and think seems right around the corner for Disney as the company tries to diversify its empire, but for now, the centennial also offers the company a chance to look back on its more innocent past.
While many think Mickey Mouse is the star of the studio, Disney has taken the opportunity to remind the world that there was an animated animal that is older than the iconic mouse.
The original cartoon star
In 1927, Walt Disney was asked to shoot the studio’s first fully animated films for Universal Pictures.
And that’s how the first films with Oswald the Lucky Rabbit were born. Oswald starred in 26 Walt Disney Studios films between 1927 and 1938, and although he was a popular character, his life on screen was not without problems.
Oswald hit the big screen with the animated short film “Trolley Troubles,” which showed a young rabbit with zest and charisma. It was a change from the original plan for Oswald, which envisioned him as an older and grumpy character.
However, Universal did not like the original animated film “Poor Papa” with the older Oswald, and so Walt went back to the drawing board. Poor Papa would be released a year later, but by then Oswald was a star.
People immediately recognized the personality of the cartoon bunny and the movies prompted the Disney brothers to hire a studio with 20 employees.
Short-lived success
Unfortunately, Oswald’s career as a star of the Disney brand wasn’t wanted. While trying to renegotiate a cheaper deal for future Oswald films, Walt Disney found that Universal wanted to move on without its studio.
Even worse for Disney, Universal owned the rights to Oswald. Starting in 1928, Disney’s ability to create Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoons ended.
It wasn’t all bad though. Together with animator Ub Iwerks, Disney had an idea for a new character. Similar to Oswald, this cartoon character would be a mouse. Are there any bells ringing?
Mickey Mouse made his debut in 1928 in the film Plane Crazy. From then on, Mickey quickly rose to the studio’s cherished property and is the most successful animated character in history.
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit may have retreated to the corners of the story by comparison, but in 2006 CEO Bob Iger made a swap with NBC Universal to gain access to the rights to Oswald and 27 short films Disney had worked on between 1927 and 1928.
Finally, after 88 years, Oswald was back home.
A reincarnated rabbit
In anticipation of the company’s centenary anniversary, Disney has now made a brand-new short film about Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.
‘Oswald the Lucky Rabbit’ is the one-minute short film directed by animator Eric Goldberg and produced by Dorothy McKim.
“On the eve of Disney’s 100th anniversary, it was a great pleasure to create the first new Oswald short film from our studio since 1928,” says McKim.
“Our hand-drawn animation team—including our hand-drawn legends Mark Henn, Randy Haycock, and Eric Goldberg, as well as our wonderful team of 2D trainees—enjoyed animating in the style of Oswald’s era.”
Goldberg adds: “Oswald is such a brave impostor. We wanted to bring Oswald back, and in short, he is literally returning to his original home: the movie screen. We wanted Oswald to do all the squash-and-stretch and rubber hose animation styles to celebrate the first generation of Walt Disney artists.”
Go over Mickey Mouse, there’s a new sheriff in town.
Disney is approaching its centenary and is ready to celebrate the anniversary of the company’s founding by Walt and his brother Roy Disney in 1923.
It was a pretty wild century for the company.
What began with a handful of enchanting animated films has now conquered several theme parks around the world, almost every major movie studio and a streaming service as one of the most powerful companies in the world.
Full control over what we see, hear, and think seems right around the corner for Disney as the company tries to diversify its empire, but for now, the centennial also offers the company a chance to look back on its more innocent past.
While many think Mickey Mouse is the star of the studio, Disney has taken the opportunity to remind the world that there was an animated animal that is older than the iconic mouse.
The original cartoon star
In 1927, Walt Disney was asked to shoot the studio’s first fully animated films for Universal Pictures.
And that’s how the first films with Oswald the Lucky Rabbit were born. Oswald starred in 26 Walt Disney Studios films between 1927 and 1938, and although he was a popular character, his life on screen was not without problems.
Oswald hit the big screen with the animated short film “Trolley Troubles,” which showed a young rabbit with zest and charisma. It was a change from the original plan for Oswald, which envisioned him as an older and grumpy character.
However, Universal did not like the original animated film “Poor Papa” with the older Oswald, and so Walt went back to the drawing board. Poor Papa would be released a year later, but by then Oswald was a star.
People immediately recognized the personality of the cartoon bunny and the movies prompted the Disney brothers to hire a studio with 20 employees.
Short-lived success
Unfortunately, Oswald’s career as a star of the Disney brand wasn’t wanted. While trying to renegotiate a cheaper deal for future Oswald films, Walt Disney found that Universal wanted to move on without its studio.
Even worse for Disney, Universal owned the rights to Oswald. Starting in 1928, Disney’s ability to create Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoons ended.
It wasn’t all bad though. Together with animator Ub Iwerks, Disney had an idea for a new character. Similar to Oswald, this cartoon character would be a mouse. Are there any bells ringing?
Mickey Mouse made his debut in 1928 in the film Plane Crazy. From then on, Mickey quickly rose to the studio’s cherished property and is the most successful animated character in history.
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit may have retreated to the corners of the story by comparison, but in 2006 CEO Bob Iger made a swap with NBC Universal to gain access to the rights to Oswald and 27 short films Disney had worked on between 1927 and 1928.
Finally, after 88 years, Oswald was back home.
A reincarnated rabbit
In anticipation of the company’s centenary anniversary, Disney has now made a brand-new short film about Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.
‘Oswald the Lucky Rabbit’ is the one-minute short film directed by animator Eric Goldberg and produced by Dorothy McKim.
“On the eve of Disney’s 100th anniversary, it was a great pleasure to create the first new Oswald short film from our studio since 1928,” says McKim.
“Our hand-drawn animation team—including our hand-drawn legends Mark Henn, Randy Haycock, and Eric Goldberg, as well as our wonderful team of 2D trainees—enjoyed animating in the style of Oswald’s era.”
Goldberg adds: “Oswald is such a brave impostor. We wanted to bring Oswald back, and in short, he is literally returning to his original home: the movie screen. We wanted Oswald to do all the squash-and-stretch and rubber hose animation styles to celebrate the first generation of Walt Disney artists.”