Felix The Cat Blog 1

Felix the Cat is one of the first, oldest, and longest lasting animated characters in the history of animation that can be described as “one of the few sparks of vitality in a world of insistent proprieties” (Tom 1996). 

Messmer, 1922

Otto Messmer, who was an animator for Pat Sullivan studio, created Felix in 1919 which debut in theatres as Feline Follies. This film is one of the first to have personality emerge onto the screen. He is considered the first true animated movie star, even gaining more popularity than live silent movie stars of the same era. Although the animated cat didn’t make it passed the silent era of animation, the early animated cartoon is what shaped Felix into what he is known as today.   

Felix can be described as a black cat with a pointed body, long snout, sharply pointed ears, huge round eyes and a grin that can go on for days. Felix was the first to achieve genuine popularity and success and that may be to thank for his personality. Felix’s witty wild behavior helped him hop from one adventure to the next. While he was chasing escapades, he was always willing to help showing that he was very appealing, but always getting into mischief that usually landed him in some kind of trouble. He was able to think and reason while solving important problems. Considering during Felix’s primetime the films were silent, he sure was able to express a lot. His facial expressions were severe, exclamation points, question marks, and music notes were used to created visual gags to help show Felix’s emotions to the situations he was dealing with. 

Felix pacing back and fourth

Felix was always pacing up and down while trying to figure out his next move, keeping his fans on their toes. In the end, he always did his best to save the day. Timothy Berglund, the producer and creative director of the new CBS/Film Roman The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat explains that one of Felix’s main props was a magic bag to pull tricks out of and that he “was the magic” (Mendoza 1995). A lot of ethnic and racial stereotypes that were prevalent at the time of Felix were portrayed in many of the films. Felix the Cat films allowed for discussion on important topics but in a comical way and we get to see how Felix copes with it in his own magical way.  

Pat Sullivan was a huge help in the success of Felix. His marketing skills were impeccable, turning Felix into a mass merchandised character. Felix’s name and image was toys, dolls, cigars, baby oil, clocks and many more other forms of products.

By the end of the 1920s, the public began to lose interest in Felix the Cat because of the new invention of sound in animation. The studio attempted to try to gain back control of having the most popular cartoon but it had been to late. A new cartoon animal was taking the spotlight and his name was Mickey Mouse. Although Felix didn’t make it into the sound era, he was easily one of the most influential cartoon characters considering 96 years later Felix the Cat is still as well known as it was during his first success.

Work Cited

Mendoza, N. (1995, August 27). SHOWS FOR YOUNGSTERS AND THEIR PARENTS TOO : For fall, a classically restyled puddy tat and Felix the Cat. Retrieved February 04, 2016, from http://articles.latimes.com/1995-08-27/news/tv-39253_1_original-felix

Tom, P. V.. (1996). Felix the Cat as Modern Trickster. American Art, 10(1), 65–87. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3109216