Cartoons in History - On This Day
Events in Film & TV
- 1754-05-09 1st newspaper cartoon in America-divided snake "Join or Die"
- 1852-03-13 Uncle Sam cartoon figure made its debut in the New York Lantern weekly
- 1895-10-02 1st cartoon comic strip is printed in a newspaper
- 1897-12-12 Rudolph Dirks' 1st "The Katzenjammer Kids" cartoon strip appears in NY Journal
- 1908-08-17 Projection in Paris of the very first animated cartoon, "Fantasmagorie" realized by Émile Cohl
- 1913-06-12 "Dachshund" by Pathe Freres, early animated cartoon, released
- 1918-08-15 Longest work of animation produced - "The Sinking of the Lusitania" by Winsor McCay
- 1919-06-17 "Barney Google" cartoon strip, by Billy De Beck, premieres
- 1919-08-23 "Gasoline Alley" cartoon strip premieres in Chicago Tribune
- 1922-05-21 Rollin Kirby's "On the Road to Moscow" is the 1st cartoon to receive a Pulitzer Prize
- 1923-10-16 Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio founded
Professor Lucifer Gorgonzola Butts
1929-01-26 Rube Goldberg's "The Inventions of Professor Lucifer Gorgonzola Butts, A.K.," cartoon series first published in "Colliers Weekly"
- 1929-02-05 Jimmy Hatlo's "They'll Do It Every Time" cartoon debuts in San Francisco
- 1930-08-09 Animated character Betty Boop debuts in Max Fleischer's cartoon "Dizzy Dishes"
- 1930-08-16 The first color sound cartoon "Fiddlesticks" is released by Ub Iwerks (ex Walt Disney studio)
- 1932-01-10 "Pete the Tramp" cartoon strip by C D Russell debuts
- 1932-11-18 "Flowers & Trees" receives 1st Academy Award for a cartoon
- 1933-09-29 Little King, Cartoon Character, by Von Beuren, debuts
- 1934-06-09 1st appearance of Donald Duck in a cartoon, "The Wise Little Hen"
- 1936-02-07 Felix the Cat, animated film released by Van Beuren Studios licensed from Otto Messmer
- 1936-02-17 The world's first superhero, The Phantom, a cartoon strip by Lee Falk, makes his first appearance in comics
- 1937-04-28 1st animated cartoon electric sign displayed (NYC)
- 1939-06-10 MGM cartoon character Barney Bear debuts
- 1940-06-30 "Brenda Starr, Reporter", 1st cartoon strip by a woman, Dale [Dalia] Messick, begins as a comic-book supplement to Chicago's Sunday Tribune
- 1940-07-27 Bugs Bunny, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Tex Avery, Bob Givens (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Wild Hare"
- 1945-01-05 Pepe LePew debuts in Warner Bros cartoon "Odor-able Kitty"
- 1945-06-09 Warner Bros cartoon "A Gruesome Twosome" starring Tweety premieres in USA
- 1946-08-31 Foghorn Leghorn, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Robert McKimson and Warren Foster, (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Walky Talky Hawky"
Shin Takarajima
1947-04-01 "Shin Takarajima" (New Treasure Island) by Osamu Tezuka published, first manga cartoon in tankōbon form
- 1949-05-27 Martin Canine, cartoon character, spoofs Martin Kane
- 1953-05-28 Premier of 1st animated 3-D cartoon in Technicolor-"Melody"
- 1959-11-11 1st episode of Jay Ward's cartoon series "Rocky & His Friends", featuring Rocket J. ("Rocky") Squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose. airs on NBC
- 1960-02-19 Bil Keane's "Family Circus" cartoon strip debuts
- 1963-09-28 "King Leonardo" cartoon last airs on NBC-TV
Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales
1963-09-28 "Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales" cartoon voiced by Don Adams and Larry Storch debuts on CBS-TV
- 1964-12-18 "The Pink Panther" cartoon series premieres (Pink Phink)
- 1965-09-25 Beatle cartoon show begins in US
- 1980-10-04 ABC premiere of Saturday futuristic fantasy cartoon "Thundarr the Barbarian"
- 1988-06-25 Roger Rabbit Cartoon Character debuts in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?"
- 1990-04-21 "Cartoon All Stars to Rescue" shown on all 4 TV networks
- 1992-09-28 "Dog City" cartoon debuts on Fox-TV
- 1992-10-01 Cartoon Cable Network premieres
The Simpsons Record Run
1997-02-09 Fox cartoon series "The Simpsons" airs 167th episode; longest-running animated series in cartoon history
- 1997-09-01 Cartoon Channel premieres in Japan
- 2004-05-31 British children's cartoon "Peppa Pig" created by Astley Baker Davies premieres on Channel 5
- 2018-05-01 Chinese authorities label British cartoon "Peppa Pig" subversive and it is removed from the Douyin video website
Sports History
2018-09-10 Australian newspaper the "Herald Sun" criticised for "racist" cartoon of American tennis star Serena Williams
- 2020-10-29 Three people stabbed to death in church in Nice, France, in an terrorist attack, after similar attack and President Macron's defense of right to publish cartoons of Prophet Muhammad
Birthdays in Film & TV
- 1891-11-10 Carl W. Stalling, American film composer (Disney's Silly Symphonies; Warner Brothers Cartoons), born in Lexington, Missouri (d. 1972)
- 1905-08-21 Friz Freleng, American animator for Warner Bros cartoons (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies), born in Kansas City, Missouri (d. 1995)
- 1906-08-12 Tedd Pierce, American cartoon screenwriter and voice actor (Warner Brothers), born in Quogue, New York (d. 1972)
- 1908-05-30 Mel Blanc, American radio comedian and voice actor, best known for his Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons (Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd & Porky Pig), born in San Francisco, California (d. 1989)
- 1911-12-25 Burne Hogarth, American strip-cartoon artist (Tarzan), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1996)
- 1919-12-14 Felix the Cat, anthropomorphic cartoon character created in the silent film era by Pat Sullivan and Otto Messmer
- 1921-02-14 Skeezix, of "Gasoline Alley" discovered on Wallets' doorstep (cartoon strip character featured in Chicago Tribune)
- 1922-09-09 Hoyt Curtin, American composer (Hanna-Barbera cartoon themes, including "The Flintstones", and "The Jetsons"), born in Downey, California (d. 2000)
- 1928-11-18 Mickey Mouse, American animated cartoon character "born"
- 1932-04-16 Goopy Geer, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Rudolf Ising (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Goopy Geer"
- 1933-12-01 Fujiko F. Fujio [Hiroshi Fujimoto], Japanese manga cartoon artist (Doraemon), born in Takaoka, Japan (d. 1996)
- 1934-03-10 Fujiko F. Fujio [Motoo Abiko], Japanese manga cartoon artist (Doraemon), born in Himi, Japan (d. 2022)
- 1935-03-02 Porky Pig, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Friz Freleng and Frank Tashlin (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "I Haven't Got a Hat"
- 1937-04-03 Petunia Pig, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Frank Tashlin (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Porky's Romance"
- 1937-04-17 Daffy Duck, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Tex Avery and Bob Clampett (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Porky's Duck Hunt"
- 1937-07-17 Elmer Fudd [originally Egghead], Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Tex Avery and Chuck Jones (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debut as Egghead in "Egghead Rides Again"
- 1941-03-15 Cecil Turtle, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Tex Avery (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Tortoise Beats Hare"
- 1941-09-20 Sylvester [J. Pussycat Sr.,], Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Friz Freleng (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Notes to You"
- 1941-12-27 Charlie Dog, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Chuck Jones and Bob Clampett (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Porky's Pooch"
- 1942-08-08 Henery Hawk [misspelled as Henry], Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Chuck Jones (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "The Squawkin' Hawk"
- 1942-08-31 Barnyard Dawg [George P Dog], Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Robert McKimson (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Walky Talky Hawky"
- 1942-11-21 Tweety [Pie], Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Bob Clampett and Friz Freleng (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "A Tale of Two Kitties"
- 1944-12-16 Yosemite Sam, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Friz Freleng, (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Stage Door Cartoon"
- 1945-01-06 Pepé Le Pew, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Chuck Jones and Michael Maltese (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Odor-able Kitty"
- 1945-10-20 Hector the Bulldog, Warner Bros. cartoon character (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Peck Up Your Troubles"
- 1948-07-24 Marvin the Martian, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Chuck Jones and Michael Maltese (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Haredevil Hare"
- 1949-09-17 Road Runner, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Chuck Jones (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Fast and Furry-ous"
- 1949-09-17 Wile E. Coyote, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Chuck Jones (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Fast and Furry-ous"
- 1949-11-12 Penelope Pussycat, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Chuck Jones (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "For Scent-imental Reasons"
- 1950-10-07 Granny [Emma Webster], Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Friz Freleng (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Canary Row"
- 1951-11-17 Nasty Canasta, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Chuck Jones (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Drip-Along Daffy"
- 1953-08-29 Speedy Gonzales, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Chuck Jones and Michael Maltese (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Cat-Tails for Two"
- 1954-06-19 "Taz" Tasmanian Devil, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Robert McKimson and Warren Foster, (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Devil May Hare"
- 1955-12-31 Michigan J. Frog, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Chuck Jones (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "One Froggy Evening"
- 1956-10-08 Danny Jacob, American session and touring guitarist (Bette Midler), and cartoon music composer (Phineas and Ferb), born in Los Angeles, California
- 1969-04-14 Vebjørn Selbekk, Norwegian journalist (Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy), born in Trondheim, Norway
- 1970-11-16 Kōshi Rikudō, Japanese manga cartoon artist (Excel Saga), born in Dazaifu, Fukuoka, Japan
- 1971-03-05 Yuri Lowenthal, American anime and cartoon actor, born in Alliance, Ohio,
Deaths in Film & TV
- 1965-09-16 Fred Quimby, American Academy Award-winning animated film producer (Tom and Jerry cartoons), dies of a heart attack at 79
- 1972-02-19 Tedd Pierce, American cartoon screenwriter and voice actor (Warner Brothers), dies at 65
- 1972-11-29 Carl W. Stalling, American film composer (Disney's Silly Symphonies; Warner Brothers Cartoons), dies at 81
- 1989-07-10 Mel Blanc, American radio comedien and voice actor, best known for his Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons (Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd & Porky Pig), dies at 81
- 1995-05-26 Friz Freleng, American animator for Warner Bros cartoons (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies), dies at 88
- 1996-01-28 Burne Hogarth, American strip-cartoon artist (Tarzan), dies at 84
- 1996-09-23 Fujiko F. Fujio [Hiroshi Fujimoto], Japanese manga cartoon artist (Doraemon), dies at 62
- 1996-11-23 George Nicholas, cartoon animator, dies at 85
- 2000-12-03 Hoyt Curtin, American composer (Hanna-Barbera cartoon theme songs), dies at 78
- 2022-04-06 Fujiko F. Fujio [Motoo Abiko], Japanese manga cartoon artist (Doraemon), dies at 88
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