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 byWalter Lantz
In-universe information
SpeciesHuman
GenderMale
FamilyWeakheart (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

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]

Dinky Doodle and Walter Lantz (right) in 1925

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 after Lantz left Bray for Winkler Pictures.[7]

Plot format

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.

Dinky Doodle Shorts (Incomplete)

All films were directed and written by Lantz.[3]

No. Title [3] Release Date
1 Dinky Doodle and the Magic Lamp Sept. 15, 1924[8]
2 Dinky Doodle the Giant Killer Oct. 15, 1924[9]
3 Dinky Doodle the Pied Piper Dec. 1, 1924[9]
4 Red Riding Hood Jan. 4, 1925[9]
5 The Captain's Kid Feb. 1, 1925[9]
6 Dinky Doodle & Cinderella Mar. 1, 1925[9]
7 The House That Dinky Built Mar. 29, 1925[10]
8 Peter Pan Handled Apr. 26, 1925[10]
9 The Magic Carpet May 24, 1924[10]
10 Robinson Crusoe June 21, 1925[10]
11 Three Bears July 19, 1925[10]
12 Babes in the Woods Aug. 16, 1925[10]
13 Just Spooks Sept. 13, 1925[10]
14 Dinky Doodle and the Bad Man September 20, 1925[3]
15 Dinky Doodle in the Hunt November 1, 1925[10]
16 Dinky Doodle in the Circus November 29, 1925[10]
17 Dinky Doodle at the Restaurant December 27, 1925[10]
18 Dinky Doodle at the Studio Jan. 24, 1926[11]
19 Dinky Doodle in Lost and Found February 19, 1926[3]
20 Dinky Doodle in Uncle Tom's Cabin February 21, 1926[3]
21 Dinky Doodle and the Arctic March 21, 1926[3]
22 Dinky Doodle in Egypt April 8, 1926[3]
23 Dinky Doodle in the Wild West May 16, 1926[12]
24 Dinky Doodle's Bedtime Story June 12, 1926[12]
25 Dinky Doodle and the Little Orphan July 4, 1926[3]
26 Dinky Doodle and the Magician Aug. 1, 1926[13]
27 Dinky Doodle in the Army August 15, 1926[13]

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

  1. ↑ Kopfstein, Jacques (August 1924). "Comedy gets a New Character". Exhibitor's Trade Review. p. 30. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
  2. ↑ Markstein, Don. "Dinky Doodle and Weakheart". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Motion Pictures 1912 to 1939". Motion Pictures. 1951. p. 193.
  4. ↑ Rovin, Jeff (1991). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cartoon Animals. Prentice Hall Press. p. 282. ISBN 0-13-275561-0. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  5. ↑ 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.
  6. ↑ Chalmers Publishing Company, New York (December 13, 1924). "Moving Picture World". Chalmers Publishing Company. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
  7. ↑ Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 25-26. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  8. ↑ Exhibitors Trade Review, Dec. 27, 1924, pg. 174
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Exhibitors Trade Review, May 19, 1925, pg. 76
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 The Film Daily Year Book 1926, pg. 450
  11. ↑ The Billboard, Dec. 5, 1925, pg. 50
  12. 1 2 Motion Picture News Booking Guide (Oct. 1926), pg. 57
  13. 1 2 Motion Picture News Booking Guide (Oct. 1926), pg. 58
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