Best Animation Movies of 1922

Max helps the Inkwell Clown prepare for a family reunion.

The ten minute short Tommy Tucker’s Tooth from 1922, is a traditional black and white silent movie, with cards narrating the text and dialogue. It is an educational film, that combined live action and animation. I was surprised how little animation there was. But the scenes that blend live action and animation, though simple in our current day, were likely an interesting challenge for Iwerks.

Felix the Cat becomes a soldier when the rats declare war on the cats.

Boys playing back alley baseball improbably hold their afternoon game at the Polo Grounds. Felix the Cat takes action when his favored team seems poised to lose.

A Disney Laugh-O-Grams short.

A boy falls for a princess, his cat for hers. But her father does not like the idea of a commoner marrying a noblewoman and kicks him out. After seeing a Rudolpho Valensino movie at the local theater his cat has the idea that he could try impressing the king as bullfighter, to win his daughters hand. Bullfighting is relatively easy, when you can hypnotize the bull, but why does his cat need new boots ?

Jack is trying to impress Susie with his ambition to visit the Land of the Giants. She watches as he demonstrates the strength with which he will conquer the giant. Then we see the cat and dog loading up the boat.

Cinderella, the "ash girl," is kept in menial labor by her two wicked stepsisters. Meanwhile the handsome prince of the territory is out hunting bears. His father invites everyone in the country to a ball, and a fairy godmother appears to help Cinderella attend in style. The prince falls for her, but she runs away as her fairy godmother's deadline of midnight arrives. The prince finds her lost slipper and searches the territory for its rightful owner, hoping to live happily ever after when he finds her.

Four animal musicians consisting of a Horse, Cat, Dog, & Rooster set out on their own quest to try to find some fame by playing their own music. Unfortunitly every where they go, trouble always occurs whether they are being chased by town folk, a sword fish, or being attacked by an army.

Mother is making donuts: She throws up a circle of dough, and a cat shoots a hole in it. Later, he fishes them out of the oil with a fishing line; he eats one, and loses all 9 lives. Mother puts together a basket for Red to take to granny. Red uses her cart, which is pushed by her little dog; the cart gets a flat tire, and she inflates a donut to replace it. A wolf (a human lothario) drives by in a flivver, and dashes off to grandma's house, where he finds a note saying she's gone to the movies. He shrinks his car and stashes it in his pocket, then waits for Red, who stopped to watch a dancing flower. Red arrives, and they go into the house, where he attempts to have his way with her. The dog rushes off and gets help from an airplane pilot, who uses a skyhook to remove the house and, ultimately, lift the wolf in his car and drop him in the lake. Written by Jon Reeves

Max and Koko The Clown bet who can blow the biggest soap bubble.

While serenading Kitty, Felix is knocked off the fence by a lamp that is thrown at him. It turns out to be a magic lamp, and when the genie of the lamp appears and grants Felix a wish, he decides to make a trip to Africa, which he believes will make Kitty love him even more.

A grateful mouse promises Felix "if there's anything I can do for you, just call on me" after Felix lets him go from a mousetrap. Felix then goes over to Willie Brown's house, whistles for the kid to come down from his bedroom and go "to the 'ole swimming hole" but Willie's mom spots him and tells the boy to go back inside and "practise his piano lessons."

An early Aesop's Fable from Paul Terry and Commonwealth Pictures

A birthday celebration with Max Fleischer's Inkwell Clown.

A slapstick comedy short with Lige Conley.

Felix goes to the county fair and falls for Marie, the dancing cat.

Felix is picked up by a rum-running ship.

Felix tries to help run a farm.

Felix vs. Kentucky bootleggers.

Felix fends for himself.