Dinky Doodle
| Dinky Doodle | |
|---|---|
 from a 1924 publication | |
First appearance | Dinky Doodle and the Magic Lamp (1924) |
Last appearance | Dinky Doodle in the Army (1926) |
| Created by | Walter Lantz |
| In-universe information | |
| Species | Human |
| Gender | Male |
| Family | Weakheart (pet dog) |
Dinky Doodle was a cartoon character created by Walter Lantz for Bray Productions in 1924. It was also distributed through the Standard Cinema Corporation (SCC).[1]
Description
[edit]Dinky was a standard boy character, sporting a flat cap, a striped shirt, and dark shorts. He and his dog Weakheart appeared alongside Lantz himself (as the cartoonist) in a series of cartoons that combined live-action and animation, similar in style to Max Fleischer's Out of the Inkwell series.[2] Walter Lantz not only acted in this series, but also wrote and directed it.[3] The character of Weakheart, Dinky's black and white pet dog, was based on the 1920s canine film star Strongheart.[4] The series was mainly silent, with some scenes having a gibberish sound when someone talked. Some scenes had sound effects for objects and animal sounds. A few episodes were parodies to fairytale stories such as the Pied Piper and Jack and the Beanstalk. Even the first episode was a parody to the story of Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp.[5]
The character enjoyed a degree of popularity among audiences. Contemporaneous reviews stated that Dinky Doodle had become a famous figure in the cinema world and was loved by millions,[6] but was retired from the screen in 1926 after Lantz left Bray for Winkler Pictures.[7]
Plot format
[edit]An average short would be about eight minutes long and would consist of Dinky and Weakheart hanging out with Walter Lantz in his apartment. A problem would arise and Lantz would get Dinky and Weakheart to deal with it. The story would then have them go on a wacky and fun adventure where it would then cause an even bigger problem in the end, mainly for Lantz. Whether that be them leading a giant into Lantz's apartment and having him fight him, or they think they lead a bunch of mice away and then they show up to tackle Lantz.
Dinky Doodle Shorts (Incomplete)
[edit]All films were directed and written by Lantz.[3]
| No. | Title [3] | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dinky Doodle and the Magic Lamp | Sept. 15, 1924[8] |
| 2 | Dinky Doodle the Giant Killer | Oct. 15, 1924[9] |
| 3 | Dinky Doodle the Pied Piper | Dec. 1, 1924[9] |
| 4 | Red Riding Hood | Jan. 4, 1925[9] |
| 5 | The Captain's Kid | Feb. 1, 1925[9] |
| 6 | Dinky Doodle & Cinderella | Mar. 1, 1925[9] |
| 7 | The House That Dinky Built | Mar. 29, 1925[10] |
| 8 | Peter Pan Handled | Apr. 26, 1925[10] |
| 9 | The Magic Carpet | May 24, 1924[10] |
| 10 | Robinson Crusoe | June 21, 1925[10] |
| 11 | Three Bears | July 19, 1925[10] |
| 12 | Babes in the Woods | Aug. 16, 1925[10] |
| 13 | Just Spooks | Sept. 13, 1925[10] |
| 14 | Dinky Doodle and the Bad Man | September 20, 1925[3] |
| 15 | Dinky Doodle in the Hunt | November 1, 1925[10] |
| 16 | Dinky Doodle in the Circus | November 29, 1925[10] |
| 17 | Dinky Doodle at the Restaurant | December 27, 1925[10] |
| 18 | Dinky Doodle at the Studio | Jan. 24, 1926[11] |
| 19 | Dinky Doodle in Lost and Found | February 19, 1926[3] |
| 20 | Dinky Doodle in Uncle Tom's Cabin | February 21, 1926[3] |
| 21 | Dinky Doodle and the Arctic | March 21, 1926[3] |
| 22 | Dinky Doodle in Egypt | April 8, 1926[3] |
| 23 | Dinky Doodle in the Wild West | May 16, 1926[12] |
| 24 | Dinky Doodle's Bedtime Story | June 12, 1926[12] |
| 25 | Dinky Doodle and the Little Orphan | July 4, 1926[3] |
| 26 | Dinky Doodle and the Magician | Aug. 1, 1926[13] |
| 27 | Dinky Doodle in the Army | August 15, 1926[13] |
In popular culture
[edit]The character was mentioned as someone supposedly kidnapped when Angelo mocks Eddie Valiant for working for a toon in the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
References
[edit]- ↑ Kopfstein, Jacques (August 1924). "Comedy gets a New Character". Exhibitor's Trade Review. p. 30. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
- ↑ Markstein, Don. "Dinky Doodle and Weakheart". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Motion Pictures 1912 to 1939". Motion Pictures. 1951. p. 193.
- ↑ Rovin, Jeff (1991). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cartoon Animals. Prentice Hall Press. p. 282. ISBN 0-13-275561-0. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
- ↑ Exhibitor's trade review, inc., New York (November 1924). ""Cartoon Pioneer Says Drawn Comics Offer Laugh Month Variety."". Exhibitor's Trade Review. p. 10. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
- ↑ Chalmers Publishing Company, New York (December 13, 1924). "Moving Picture World". Chalmers Publishing Company. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
- ↑ Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 25-26. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
- ↑ Exhibitors Trade Review, Dec. 27, 1924, pg. 174
- 1 2 3 4 5 Exhibitors Trade Review, May 19, 1925, pg. 76
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 The Film Daily Year Book 1926, pg. 450
- ↑ The Billboard, Dec. 5, 1925, pg. 50
- 1 2 Motion Picture News Booking Guide (Oct. 1926), pg. 57
- 1 2 Motion Picture News Booking Guide (Oct. 1926), pg. 58
External links
[edit]
- Dinky Doodle and Weakheart at Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on September 9, 2015.
- The Walter Lantz Cartune Encyclopedia: Miscellaneous Cartunes
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