The Forgotten First Film: Walt Disney's Little Red Riding Hood (1922) (Public Domain)

In 1922, a young Walt Disney created his first significant animated short, Little Red Riding Hood, at his Laugh-O-Gram Studio in Kansas City, Missouri. This film was part of a series of silent, animated fairy tale adaptations that Disney hoped would attract a wide audience and bring success to his struggling studio. Disney was still honing his animation skills and experimenting with storytelling techniques at the time. Little Red Riding Hood was his reimagining of the classic fairy tale, featuring a more modern, humorous take on the traditional story.
The Little Red Riding Hood short was a product of its era, blending rudimentary animation with elements of slapstick humor. Disney introduced a few playful twists on the traditional story, which was typical of his early works, adding exaggerated character reactions and movements to appeal to audiences of all ages. The animation itself was simple by today’s standards, but it marked a significant step for Disney in developing his craft. The film also featured some of Disney’s earliest character designs, which would later evolve into more refined forms in future projects.
Unfortunately, Little Red Riding Hood and the other Laugh-O-Gram fairy tale adaptations failed to gain significant commercial traction. The studio struggled financially, and by the end of 1923, Laugh-O-Gram Studios declared bankruptcy. Disney was forced to shut down the studio, leaving him with little money and no equipment. However, this short film represented a turning point in Disney's career. Despite the failure, it taught him valuable lessons about the animation industry, storytelling, and how to connect with audiences.
The production of Little Red Riding Hood also marked the beginning of important collaborations that would shape Disney's future success. While in Kansas City, Disney worked alongside fellow animators like Ub Iwerks, who would later become a key figure in the creation of iconic characters like Mickey Mouse. Although the short did not succeed commercially, the creative energy and collaboration behind it laid the groundwork for Disney’s future ventures in Hollywood.
Though Little Red Riding Hood may be a forgotten piece in Disney’s vast catalog, it holds a special place in the history of animation. It was Walt Disney’s first real attempt at bringing fairy tales to life through animation, a genre he would later master with full-length features like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937. Little Red Riding Hood represents Disney’s earliest steps toward creating the magical, animated world that would ultimately transform entertainment for generations to come.

[@amysarahace]

Insane how his style changed within those 10 years

[@totaltechteacher]

And how quickly he got better at animation

[@gingercartoonist]

Literally 15 years later Snow White was born.

[@gamma747]

Amazing!! o.o

[@janJosu]

This needs more views

[@Nahnbie2223]

Cool

[@dreamguardian8320]

This reminds me of the old versions of Felix the Cat.

[@CoffeeTheater]

❤ everyone living in 2024 must watch this and learn about our history... How people lived way back then.... Its not the fun in the video but the history behind it..... Enjoy

[@totaltechteacher]

Very true thanks for the comment