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.[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.
Episodes
[edit]| No. | Title [3] | Directed By[3] | Written By[3] | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dinky Doodle and the Magic Lamp | Walter Lantz | Walter Lantz | 1924 |
| 2 | Dinky Doodle and the Bad Man | Walter Lantz | Walter Lantz | September 20, 1925[3] |
| 3 | Dinky Doodle in the Hunt | Walter Lantz | Walter Lantz | November 1, 1925[3] |
| 4 | Dinky Doodle in the Circus | Walter Lantz | Walter Lantz | November 29, 1925[3] |
| 5 | Dinky Doodle in the Restaurant | Walter Lantz | Walter Lantz | December 27, 1925[3] |
| 6 | The Pied Piper | Walter Lantz | Walter Lantz | 1926 |
| 7 | The Giant Killer | Walter Lantz | Walter Lantz | 1926 |
| 8 | Dinky Doodle in Lost and Found | Walter Lantz | Walter Lantz | February 19, 1926[3] |
| 9 | Dinky Doodle in Uncle Tom's Cabin | Walter Lantz | Walter Lantz | February 21, 1926[3] |
| 10 | Dinky Doodle and the Artic | Walter Lantz | Walter Lantz | March 21, 1926[3] |
| 11 | Dinky Doodle in Egypt | Walter Lantz | Walter Lantz | April 8, 1926[3] |
| 12 | Dinky Doodle in the Wild West | Walter Lantz | Walter Lantz | May 12, 1926[3] |
| 13 | Dinky Doodle's Bedtime Story | Walter Lantz | Walter Lantz | June 6, 1926[3] |
| 14 | Dinky Doodle and the Little Orphan | Walter Lantz | Walter Lantz | July 4, 1926[3] |
| 15 | Dinky Doodle in the Army | Walter Lantz | Walter Lantz | August 29, 1926[3] |
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.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "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.
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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