Laugh-O-Gram Studio

Credits

Editions by
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Laugh-O-Gram Studio
Founded:	June 28, 1921 (102 years ago)
Founder:	Walt Disney
Defunct:	November 20, 1923 (100 years ago)
Fate:	Bankruptcy
Successors:	Walt Disney Cartoons Walt Disney Animation Studios The Walt Disney Company
Location:	Kansas City, Missouri, United States

Background

Laugh-O-Gram Studio was an animation studio founded on June 28, 1921 by Walt Disney, who had previously formed the short-lived Iwerks-Disney Commercial Artists with Ub Iwerks. It is located on the second floor of the McConahay Building at 1127 East 31st in Kansas City, Missouri. The studio played a role in the early years of animation, being the home to many of the pioneers of animation, and is said by some to be the place to have provided Disney with the inspiration to create Mickey Mouse. It filed for bankruptcy in July 1923, with Alice's Wonderland being the final production of the studio, a pilot film for Alice Comedies screened to distributors on October 16, 1923. The same day, Walt and his brother Roy, founded another studio, Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, which is remembered today as Walt Disney Productions and still operates as two separate entities, The Walt Disney Company which is a conglomerate and Walt Disney Animation Studios, an animation studio. Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio had also produced the Alice Comedies series after it was greenlit by Margaret Winkler, who operated a film distribution company Winkler Pictures.

The studio building has fallen to ruin and efforts are being made to restore it by a non-profit group called "Thank You Walt Disney". The Disney family has promised $450,000 in matching funds for the restoration. The exterior was restored and the building stabilized in 2009. "Thank You Walt Disney" is currently working to raise money to put a museum inside.

1st Logo (March 20, 1921)

Visuals: On a grey background with a black chalkboard, there's a man with a pencil on his ear, drawing on a drawing board, with a few pieces of paper floating around. On the chalkboard, there's "NEWMAN" on the top, along with "LAUGH-O-GRAMS by WALT. DISNEY" under it. There is also a ribbon with text which is pretty hard to read.

Technique: A hand-drawn graphic filmed by a camera.

Audio: The opening theme of the short.

Availability: Only seen on Cleaning Up!!? (the company's first production).

2nd Logo (July 29-November 3, 1922)

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Visuals: On a black background, there's the cartoon's title with a weird cursive thing underneath, which looks like a "Le". On the top, there's a ribbon with the text "LAUGH-O-GRAMS", and lines that make a square. Under the script symbol, there's the notice "Cartooned by Walt. Disney".

Technique: A hand-drawn graphic filmed by a camera.

Audio: The opening theme of the cartoon.

Availability: Seen on Little Red Riding Hood and Puss in Boots.

3rd Logo (December 6, 1922-October 16, 1923)

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Visuals: On a black background, there's some text on the top that reads "LAUGH-O-GRAM FILMS.INC" with "PRESENT" below. On the center, there's the title of the cartoon while on the bottom, the two-row stacked notice "Produced by a Laugh-O-gram Process".

Technique: A hand-drawn graphic filmed by a camera.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on Cinderella and Alice's Wonderland.

Laugh-O-Gram Studio

Walt Disney Productions ►