1933 Cartoon 'Confidence' Features FDR and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
The 1933 animated short 'Confidence' stars President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, a precursor to Mickey Mouse. Directed by Bill Nolan, the film personifies the Great Depression as a cowled Death figure, contrasting with the escapist fare typical of the era. The cartoon ends with FDR's New Deal spirit reviving the characters, including a surreal scene of a giant syringe injecting confidence. The piece reflects on the intersection of entertainment and politics, noting that the creators omitted FDR's wheelchair, unlike the later musical 'Annie'.
Key facts
- The cartoon 'Confidence' was released in 1933.
- It features President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.
- Director Bill Nolan is known as the Father of Rubber Hose Animation.
- The Great Depression is depicted as a cowled Death figure.
- The film includes a giant syringe as a symbol of presidential confidence.
- The cartoon was produced during the Great Depression.
- FDR's New Deal is central to the plot's resolution.
- The creators did not show FDR's wheelchair, unlike the later musical 'Annie'.
Entities
Artists
- Bill Nolan
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt
- Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
Institutions
- Open Culture
Locations
- United States