The Late Movies: Ub Iwerks

Ub Iwerks was a Disney animator from the early days of the company. He first worked for Walt Disney in 1922, and created the character of Mickey Mouse. Iwerks left to form his own animation company in 1930. He did some Looney Tunes work, then returned to Disney in 1940.

Cinderella

This 1922 version from Walt Disney's Laugh-o-Gram company sees both Cinderella and her cat find true love. Iwerks was an uncredited member of the animation crew.
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The Skeleton Dance

Iwerks created the classic cartoon for Disney in 1927.
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Steamboat Willie

After Disney lost the rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Iwerks came up with a new character: Mickey Mouse. Steamboat Willie in 1928 was not the first Mickey Mouse cartoon, but it was the first that was actually released to the public.
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Mickey Mouse Piano Solo

A musical sequence from the 1929 cartoon The Opry House.
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Fiddlesticks

Flip the Frog stars in this 1930 Iwerks production.
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The Air Race

Ub Iwerks created the character Willie Whopper as a big fat liar. This cartoon was created in 1933 but never was released to theaters.
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Balloon Land

From 1935, this cartoon is also called The Pincushion Man.
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Skeleton Frolics

In 1937, Iwerks pretty much recycled the skeletons from his Disney days.
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Beauty Shoppe

This Cinecolor production by Ub Iwerks in 1940 is inexplicably in black and white.