Early Animation in the Silent Era: Winsor McCay, Bray Studios, and Out of the Inkwell (1911-1928)

1. McCay debuts the animated short "Little Nemo"

   Apr 8, 1911Labels: Winsor McCay, Little Nemo

   • Little Nemo

2. "How a Mosquito Operates" enters McCay’s vaudeville act

   Jan 1, 1912Labels: Winsor McCay, How a

   • Mosquito

3. Bray launches "Colonel Heeza Liar" series

   Nov 23, 1913Labels: J R, Colonel Heeza

   • 1913 animation
   • IMDb

4. McCay first performs "Gertie the Dinosaur" onstage

   Feb 8, 1914Labels: Winsor McCay, Gertie the

   • Gertie

5. Theatrical release version of "Gertie" reaches cinemas

   Dec 28, 1914Labels: Gertie the, theatrical release

   • Gertie

6. Fleischer files rotoscope patent application

   Dec 6, 1915Labels: Max Fleischer, rotoscope

   • Rotoscope
   • Max Fleischer

7. Bray produces early "Out of the Inkwell" shorts

   Jan 1, 1918Labels: Bray Pictures, Out of

   • Inkwell
   • Fleischer bio

8. McCay releases "The Sinking of the Lusitania"

   Jul 20, 1918Labels: Winsor McCay, The Sinking

   • Lusitania

9. Fleischer brothers leave Bray and form Out of the Inkwell Films

   Jan 1, 1921Labels: Max Fleischer, Out of

   • Fleischer Studios
   • Fleischer filmog

10. Dick Huemer reshapes the Inkwell clown character

    Jan 1, 1922Labels: Dick Huemer, Ko-Ko Inkwell

    • Fleischer Studios
    • Inkwell

11. Song Car-Tunes begin, introducing the "bouncing ball"

    May 1, 1924Labels: Song Car-Tunes, Fleischer Studio

    • Song Car Tunes

12. "My Old Kentucky Home" uses Phonofilm sound-on-film

    Jun 1, 1926Labels: My Old, Phonofilm

    • My Kentucky
    • Song Car Tunes

13. Out of the Inkwell becomes "Inkwell Imps" for Paramount

    Jan 1, 1927Labels: Inkwell Imps, Paramount

    • Inkwell

14. Silent-era arc closes as Inkwell shorts near the end

    Dec 31, 1928Labels: Inkwell shorts, silent-era transition

    • Inkwell
    • Song Car Tunes