Chapter 5: Animation

Chapter 5: Animation

Hybrid Entertainment

• Animation is not a mass medium itself.

• Animation combines the fine arts of drawing and painting found in comics with the production techniques of film.

Continued Popularity

• Thanks to cable TV and the Saturday morning time slot of the 1960s, cartoon viewing habits have expanded to 24 hours a day.

• Nickelodeon, the Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, and other channels have increased the number of animated series.

The Golden Age of Movie House Animation

The Golden Age of Movie House Animation

• Audiences in the 1930s and 1940s watched cartoons in the movie theater. The movie theater experience was quite different then. Audiences would see a short film or mini-documentary, a newsreel about current events, a new cartoon, and then the full-length feature film. Live stage shows were typical, as well.

Animated Cartoons in the Television Era

Continued Popularity

• For the first time since the golden age of the 1940s, cartoons are now available for children and adults.

• Current popular animated series include Family Guy, The Simpsons, Bob’s Burgers, and Spongebob Squarepants.

• These included The Flintstones and The Jetsons. These shows reflected the typical American family of the era.

• The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, popular in the 1960s, showed Rocky and Bullwinkle’s battles with the evil Russian spy Boris Badinov. This reflected the times: the United States was involved in the Cold War with the Soviet Union.

• Animation dates back to the early 1900’s, but didn’t break into American culture until the 1930s.

• The birth of Mickey Mouse in 1928 ushered in a 15-year parade of animated characters who still command worldwide attention: Donald Duck, Goofy, Pluto, Popeye, Betty Boop, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Daffy Duck, and Bug Bunny were all created in the 1930’s.

Thank You!

• The new cartoons were advertised and promoted like movies are today.

• Mickey Mouse, Betty Boop, and Bugs Bunny were major stars.

• During this period of time, cartoons were not considered just for children. There were adults who would attend these films. Therefore, there is adult humor found in many of those early cartoons.

Animated Cartoons in the Television Era

• During the 1930s and 1940s, Bill Hanna, Joseph Barbera, and Fritz Freleng worked for MGM. They created Yosemite Sam, the Pink Panther, and Tom and Jerry.

• Hanna-Barbera created their own production team and in the 1950s and 1960s introduced new cartoons to the television market.