Oswald the Lucky Rabbit

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit was an animated cartoon character who starred in a series of cartoon motion pictures of 1920s and 1930s released by Universal Studios.

Related Topics:
Animated cartoon - Motion picture - 1920s - 1930s - Universal Studios

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Oswald was first introduced in 1927 after Walt Disney's series of Alice Comedies had run its course. Disney wanted to go with something new and signing a new contract with Universal head Carl Laemmle to produce a series of cartoons under Charles B. Mintz and George Winkler seemed to be just the ticket. The first Oswald cartoon, Poor Papa was rejected by the Universal studio heads. After this, Disney, together with Ub Iwerks created a second cartoon called Trolley Troubles. The short officially launched the series and proved to be Disney's greatest success yet. However, when Disney asked Mintz for an increase in the budget, Mintz instead offered a budget cut. Disney angrily refused and quit, taking Iwerks and a loyal apprentice artist, Les Clark, with him. To replace their lost character, they developed a variation of Oswald, Mickey Mouse.

Related Topics:
1927 - Walt Disney - Alice Comedies - Carl Laemmle - Charles B. Mintz - Poor Papa - Ub Iwerks - Trolley Troubles - Mickey Mouse

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Mintz, meanwhile, opened his own studio consisting primarily of former Disney employees. Dissatisfied with Mintz, Laemmle terminated his contract and opted to have the Oswald cartoons produced right on the Universal lot instead. Laemmle selected Walter Lantz to produce the new series of Oswald shorts (the first of which was 1929's Race Riot ? many sources erroneously list Ozzie of the Circus as the first). Over the next decade, Lantz would produce 140 Oswald cartoons, making for a grand total of 192 films that the character starred in over all three producers. The rabbit's last cartoon was The Egg-Cracker Suite (1943). Oswald made occasional cameo appearances in other cartoons as late as 1951.

Related Topics:
Walter Lantz - 1929 - Race Riot - Ozzie of the Circus - The Egg-Cracker Suite - 1943 - 1951

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