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).
Description 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. Walter Lantz not only acted in this series, but also wrote and directed it. The character of Weakheart, Dinky's black and white pet dog, was based on the 1920s canine film star Strongheart. 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.
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, but was retired from the screen in 1926 after Lantz left Bray for Winkler Pictures.
Plot format An average short was about eight minutes long and consisted of Dinky and Weakheart hanging out with Walter Lantz in his apartment. A problem would come, and Lantz got Dinky and Weakheart to deal with it. The story had them go on a wacky, fun adventure that caused a bigger problem in the end, mainly for Lantz. For example, they might lead a giant into Lantz's apartment and have it fight him, or lead a group of mice away, only for them to return and tackle Lantz.
Dinky Doodle Shorts (Incomplete) All films were directed and written by Lantz. No.Title Release Date1Dinky Doodle and the Magic LampSept. 15, 1924Exhibitors Trade Review, Dec. 27, 1924, pg. 1742Dinky Doodle the Giant KillerOct. 15, 1924Exhibitors Trade Review, May 19, 1925, pg. 763Dinky Doodle the Pied PiperDec. 1, 19244Red Riding HoodJan. 4, 19255The Captain's KidFeb. 1, 19256Dinky Doodle & CinderellaMar. 1, 19257The House That Dinky BuiltMar. 29, 1925The Film Daily Year Book 1926, pg. 4508Peter Pan HandledApr. 26, 19259The Magic CarpetMay 24, 192410Robinson CrusoeJune 21, 192511Three BearsJuly 19, 192512Babes in the WoodsAug. 16, 192513Just SpooksSept. 13, 192514Dinky Doodle and the Bad ManSeptember 20, 192515Dinky Doodle in the HuntNovember 1, 192516Dinky Doodle in the CircusNovember 29, 192517Dinky Doodle at the RestaurantDecember 27, 192518Dinky Doodle at the StudioJan. 24, 1926The Billboard, Dec. 5, 1925, pg. 5019Dinky Doodle in Lost and FoundFebruary 19, 192620Dinky Doodle in Uncle Tom's CabinFebruary 21, 192621Dinky Doodle and the ArcticMarch 21, 192622Dinky Doodle in EgyptApril 8, 192623Dinky Doodle in the Wild WestMay 16, 1926Motion Picture News Booking Guide (Oct. 1926), pg. 5724Dinky Doodle's Bedtime StoryJune 12, 192625Dinky Doodle and the Little OrphanJuly 4, 192626Dinky Doodle and the MagicianAug. 1, 1926Motion Picture News Booking Guide (Oct. 1926), pg. 5827Dinky Doodle in the ArmyAugust 15, 1926
In popular culture 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
External links
Dinky Doodle and Weakheart at Don Markstein's Toonopedia. from the original on September 9, 2015. The Walter Lantz Cartune Encyclopedia: Miscellaneous Cartunes