Feb 1940
Puss Gets the Boot (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
Release date: 10 Feb 1940 | Running time: 00:09:00
Puss Gets the Boot is a landmark in animation history - it introduced audiences to the chaotic cat-and-mouse duo that would later be known as Tom and Jerry. Despite studio skepticism, the short was a hit leading to an entire seriesMay 1940
You Ought to Be in Pictures (Warner Bros.)
Release date: 18 May 1940 | Running time: 00:09:44
Black and white
What makes You Ought to Be in Pictures especially notable is Daffy Duck’s early character transformation. Originally portrayed as a zany, anarchic wild card in his earliest appearances, here he becomes something different: manipulative, ambitious, and self-serving.Sep 1941
The Mad Scientist (Fleischer Studios)
Release date: 26 Sep 1941 | Running time: 00:10:08
Technicolor
The Mad Scientist is the first-ever animated appearance of the Man of Steel, produced by Max and Dave Fleischer for Paramount Pictures. Clocking in at just over 10 minutes, this short marks the beginning of the iconic Fleischer Superman series, widely celebrated for its groundbreaking animation and cinematic style.Apr 1944
The Barber of Seville (Walter Lantz Productions)
Release date: 22 Apr 1944 | Running time: 00:06:55
Inspired later opera-themed cartoons like Bugs Bunny’s Rabbit of Seville (1950) and selected for preservation by the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry in 1994, The Barber of Seville is one of the most celebrated Woody Woodpecker cartoons.Nov 1945
The Friendly Ghost (Famous Studios)
Release date: 16 Nov 1945 | Running time: 00:09:02
Technicolor
The Friendly Ghost may seem modest by today’s standards, but it was a gentle revolution in animation—a ghost who didn’t scare, but longed to be loved. It introduced Casper’s eternally hopeful personality, one that would evolve but never abandon its emotional core.Dec 1948
Release date: 18 Dec 1948 | Running time: 00:07:25
Directed with a cinematic touch, Scaredy Cat feels almost Hitchcockian at times. It’s the first in a trilogy of horror-themed shorts starring Sylvester and Porky.Jun 1951
Symphony in Slang (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
Release date: 16 Jun 1951 | Running time: 00:06:43
Technicolor
Told in flashback form, Symphony in Slang is one-of-a-kind animated short directed by Tex Avery that turns everyday slang into literal visual gags.Jul 1953
Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century (Warner Bros.)
Release date: 25 Jul 1953 | Running time: 00:07:03
Technicolor
In Duck Dodgers, Daffy Duck’s “new” personality, egotistical, self-important, and obliviously incompetent is on full display. This is the fully evolved version of the duck who began transitioning in You Ought to Be in Pictures (1940)Dec 1953
The Tell-Tale Heart (United Productions of America)
Release date: 17 Dec 1953 | Running time: 00:07:24
Guilt in Shadows. Among the first American animated films intended strictly for adults with surreal visuals.Aug 1966
The Man Called Flintstone (Hanna-Barbera Productions)
Release date: 03 Aug 1966 | Running time: 01:29:00
Feature film
As the first theatrical Flintstones film, The Man Called Flintstone gave fans a rare opportunity to see their favorite Stone Age family on the big screen, with expanded animation, musical numbers, and a globe-trotting plot that goes far beyond Bedrock.