Back in earliest era of animation, besides theatrical distribution, there were other outlets for animated cartoons. Mainly these were technical and educational, but there was a limited market for cartoons produced as entertainment in homes and schools. Sometimes they were included with the 8mm, 9.5 and 16mm projector purchases. Usually, they were no frills efforts to shut the kids up between travel reels. Very occasionally, they offered something special.

John “Scarfoot” MacCrory’s fame rests on one rumor; that he brutalized employees that weren’t meeting their quotas; that he’d chain them to their desks and even whip them. Color me skeptical. But it is certain that his was a studio on the lowest rung of the ladder. His legacy is made up of oddball shorts and a failed pilot. Among fans and collectors, it’s generally agreed upon that it was his studio that made a small number of cartoons based on properties for home release by Pathegrams; These two below, and shorts based on BUCK ROGERS and DICK TRACY. The rudimentary animation appears to have been done by professionals; there are spasms of competency and the ANNIE animation includes “rubberhose” motion done with know how. But scenes like the clownmobile with its hovering cutout passengers, are simply strange. The ANNIE film was derived from a continuity in the comic strip.

THE LONE RANGER (John“Scarfoot” MacCrory? USA, late 1930s)

LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE (John“Scarfoot” MacCrory? USA, late 1930s)

GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS (Carpenter-Goldman Laboratories, USA, 1928)

The studio chiefly made educational and technical films. This special, released by KodakCinegraph, was perfect for the kids at home to recite the lines they doubtlessly knew by heart. Some camera maneuvers are simple but cleverly adds interest. Changes of backgrounds as the character was in motion was a trait of Frank Moser at Paul Terry’s Fables studio, and leads to my very personal opinion that the animator was him or at least by someone joined at the hip.

BROWNIE IN HOLLYWOOD (unknown, USA) https://youtu.be/tuJiyL3OGhE?si=-2HUnFSbYJ-_TYdX

This little gem was part of a series of TONY THE BEAR reels made originally between1921-22, and in circulation for years, this reel bearing (hee) a1930s title card. Inspired by Otto Messmer’s FELIX THE CAT,but the bare naked visuals bear (haw) more of a resemblance to the CHAPLIN cartoons Messmer had been making for Pat Sullivan in the 1910s.

THE MISFORTUNES OF A PEDESTRIAN (Robert Lortac, France, 1922)

Versatile and ubiquitous cartoonist Robert Alfonse Collard, using the adapted name of “Robert Lortac”, created comics and science fiction novels while running a studio from 1914 to1944. During the 1920s, he made simple cutout animation destined for9.5mm home release by the Pathe-Baby company. There were Aesop’s fables, original characters like the hapless “Professeur Mécanicas”and “Toto”, a mischievous brat. For a time Lortac had a rather unhappy partnership with Emile Cohl, who didn’t care for the cruel slapstick Lortac favored.

HARVEST FESTIVAL (Noburo Ofuji, Japan, 1929)

In Japan, “Record Talkies” were home market films issued with records to supply the intended soundtracks. These were both live action and animation. This finely crafted cutout animation, lays on the deep focus and double exposures, illustrates a hit accompanied by a Bouncing Ball.

Several nations had vital markets for “toy films”; sprocketed strips of paper printed with series of drawings for children’s toy projectors. Usually they were in color and displayed their own sense of mastery. Against the tide of CGI and AI, interest has been gaining in these films; they are being carefully restored and there have been retrospective screenings in Spain and Japan.

Spanish “toy films”

German “toy films” https://youtu.be/UN3jvV0GGYA?si=G7IgpSDAQl9VfH7k

Here’s a TV news story honoring the art of color “toy films” in Japan. Click on the image to see this report:

I sincerely hope anyone who can shed additional light on the stories on this obscure chapter of animation history will! The Magic Lives On!