We present to you: Walt Disney’s Silly Symphony – “The Skeleton Dance”.

In 1929 “The Skeleton Dance” was Walt Disney’s first in the Silly Symphony series. After executives at Columbia Pictures saw it they were determined to sign Disney and his Silly Symphonies to exclusive distribution. This contract only lasted 4 years, as Disney felt he was in direct competition with Columbia’s other animated star, Betty Boop. He was, she was much more popular that Mickey Mouse. The Silly Symphony animated shorts were a platform for Disney to experiment with processes, techniques, characters, and stories in order to further the art of animation. That proved crucial to Disney’s plan to create feature-length animated films. (Something that no one else at the time thought would be possible or even profitable)

He proved them wrong.

Over 10 years, Disney produced 75 Silly Symphonies, wining the Academy Award for Best Animated Short 7 times.

…….and I think he eventually produced a few successful feature-length animated movies as well.