How many of you have sat through one of Walt Disney's hilarious Silly Symphonies, and wondered how these animated cartoons are produced? Probably you have wondered how Mickey and Minnie Mouse are able to be so life-like, and probably many more questions have run through your mind when you have gone to your favorite movie house and watched these little actors perform. As briefly as possible, we shall try to clear up some of these questions.
The creator of the famous symphonies is Walt Disney of Hollywood, California. He does not know, he has protested, how the idea came to him in the first place. The trick of animated cartoons was not his invention and was not new when, in 1928, the motion picture industry was almost completely demoralized by the sudden introduction of sound and dialogue. Disney had made his share of the cartoons with no outstanding distinction. Early in 1928 he conceived the notion of having a mouse as a character. In the late Spring, he hit upon the idea which was to bring him success. He decided to synchronize Mickey's actions with music. Disney peddled his "child" among large producers for some weeks, and finally found an independent backer in New York. The film was shown in a small theater in September. In a few days, it was playing to tremendous applause at the Roxy Theater. Soon the exhibitors were howling for it. Today, "The Three Little Pigs" and the villainous wolf are practically household bywords. Animated cartoons have become very definite parts of theater programs. With this bit of history, let us follow the actual production of an animated cartoon.
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