Handsomely illustrated with over 150 photos and with full-color inserts, Felix is a stylish account of the intrigue behind the creation and marketing of the most popular, well-executed, and lucrative cartoon of the silent era. Based on a combination of "Sammy Johnsin" (a Sambo caricature) and Charlie Chaplin, Felix the Cat was the first cartoon character to exhibit an individual "personality" in moving pictures, preceding Mickey Mouse by a decade. From 1919 to 1933 Felix was internationally celebrated, as popular as Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Felix's producer, Pat Sullivan, a journeyman artist, chronic alcoholic, and convicted rapist, claimed credit for creating and developing Felix. But, as John Canemaker discovered, in truth it was Otto Messmer, Sullivan's brilliant, self-effacing production manager, who conceived, animated, and directed the more than two hundred Felix films during the period of his greatest popularity. And by focusing on Messmer's amazing achievement, Canemaker illuminates the entire world of film animation in the years before Walt Disney.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Spellbinding, a must-read for Felix fans.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Felix: The Twisted Tale of the World's Most Famous Cat (Paperback)
Canemaker takes the reader through the amazing roller coaster ride that is the career of Felix the Cat. From the shady past of producer Pat Sullivan, to the brilliant career of Otto Messmer, this is a great read. Complete with rarely seen Felix memorabilia, this book has it all. It is just too bad that there aren't more books like Canemaker's out there for the dyed-in-the-wool fan. Pick it up!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An amazing story, compellingly told.,
By plaza@flash.net (El Paso, Texas) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Felix: The Twisted Tale of the World's Most Famous Cat (Paperback)
John Canemaker has the rare gift of bringing the human side of great animation to life. He is at the top of his form in this book, which follows the story of Felix the Cat from his creation by Otto Messmer through the present day. Very highly recommended for anyone interested in Animation in any form whatsoever.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The world's most wonderful, wonderful cat!,
By A Customer
This review is from: Felix: The Twisted Tale of the World's Most Famous Cat (Paperback)
An excellent book filled with early pictures of Felix the Cat. A must for anyone (like me) who has an interest in early animation.
In the book are interesting facts about the first comic superhero that was born about 65 years before Bart Simpson. Did you know that Walt Disney admitted to stealing some of the way Mickey Mouse looked from old drawings of Felix the Cat?
I have found this this black-and-white coffee table book very useful in my research for my Felix the Cat web page. (http://w3.nai.net/~eifert)
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