Alice Comedies

The Alice Comedies (1923-1927) were series of 57 animated / live-action silent films initially created by Walt Disney and his staff in Kansas City, Missouri at the Laugh-O-grams Films Inc. studio in 1923. In the series, a little girl named Alice and sometimes some of her friends visit cartoon lands and have adventures. The first film produced was Alice’s Wonderland and starred Virginia Davis as Alice but was not completed. Inspired by Max Fleischer’s Out of the Inkwell series (1919-1929) where cartoon characters interacted with people in live-action situations. When the Laugh-O-grams studio failed and Walt had to file for bankruptcy in the summer of 1923, he left for Los Angeles, California with no more than a suitcase, $40 and the unfinished Alice’s Wonderland film. The film was never released commercially as it was tied up in the bankruptcy dealings with Laugh-O-grams FilmsInc, it was used as a pilot in attempts to secure distributors. A deal was reached with Margaret Winkler and M.J. Winkler Productions to distribute the Alice Comedies and a contract was signed on October 16, 1923. This date marked the beginning of the Walt Disney Company, then known as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio. Walt directed and produced all 57 short films (including Alice’s Wonderland that was never released) and over the course of the series, four actresses played the role of Alice: Virginia Davis (15 episodes), Margie Gay (31 episodes), Dawn O’Day (1 episode) and Lois Hardwick (10 episodes).

1923

Alice's Wonderland (October 16, 1923) (Pilot, never released theatrically)

1924

Alice's Day at Sea (March 1, 1924)

Alice's Spooky Adventure (April 1, 1924)

Alice's Wild West Show (May 1, 1924)

Alice's Fishy Story (June 1, 1924)

Alice and the Dog Catcher (July 1, 1924)

Alice the Peacemaker (August 1, 1924)

Alice Gets in Dutch (November 1, 1924)

Alice Hunting in Africa (November 15, 1924)

Alice and the Three Bears (December 1, 1924)

Alice the Piper (December 15, 1924)

1925

Alice Cans the Cannibals (January 1, 1925)

Alice the Toreador (January 15, 1925)

Alice Gets Stung (February 1, 1925)

Alice Solves the Puzzle (February 15, 1925)

Alice's Egg Plant (May 30, 1925)

Alice Loses Out (June 15, 1925)

Alice Gets Stage Struck (June 30, 1925)

Alice Wins the Derby (July 15, 1925)

Alice Picks the Champ (July 30, 1925)

Alice's Tin Pony (August 15, 1925)

Alice Chops the Suey (August 30, 1925)

Alice the Jail Bird (September 15, 1925)

Alice Plays Cupid (October 15, 1925)

Alice Rattled by Rats (November 15, 1925)

Alice in the Jungle (December 15, 1925)

1926

Alice on the Farm (January 1, 1926)

Alice's Balloon Race (January 15, 1926)

Alice's Orphan (January 15, 1926)

Alice's Little Parade (February 1, 1926)

Alice's Mysterious Mystery (February 15, 1926)

Alice Charms the Fish (September 6, 1926)

Alice's Monkey Business (September 20, 1926)

Alice in the Wooly West (October 4, 1926)

Alice the Fire Fighter (October 18, 1926)

Alice Cuts the Ice (November 1, 1926)

Alice Helps the Romance (November 15, 1926)

Alice's Spanish Guitar (November 29, 1926)

Alice's Brown Derby (December 13, 1926)

Alice the Lumberjack (December 27, 1926)

1927

Alice the Golf Bug (January 10, 1927)

Alice Foils the Pirates (January 24, 1927)

Alice at the Carnival (February 10, 1927)

Alice at the Rodeo (February 21, 1927)

Alice the Collegiate (March 7, 1927)

Alice in the Alps (March 21, 1927)

Alice's Auto Race (April 4, 1927)

Alice's Circus Daze (April 18, 1927)

Alice's Knaughty Knight (May 2, 1927)

Alice's Three Bad Eggs (May 16, 1927)

Alice's Picnic (May 30, 1927)

Alice's Channel Swim (June 13, 1927)

Alice in the Klondike (June 27, 1927)

Alice's Medicine Show (July 11, 1927)

Alice the Whaler (July 25, 1927)

Alice the Beach Nut (August 8, 1927)

Alice in the Big League (August 22, 1927)