Saturday Cartoon

Felix in Hollywood This cartoon was animated in 1923 by Otto Messmer. Born in the era of silent film, Felix was the first cartoon box office star, and he enjoyed popularity equal to Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Felix was also the first cartoon character licensed for merchandising. In this film, Felix is joined by cameo appearances of several Hollywood notables of the time, including William S. Hart, Douglas Fairbanks, Cecil B. DeMille, and Charlie Chaplin. The "boss" is a caricature of Will Hays, first president of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, and later the chief architect of the censorious Hays Code guidelines for movie production.