Given that two of Nick Spake’s greatest passions are animation and awards ceremonies, it makes sense that he’s the author of the three-volume series Bright & Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows. He says the concept started in 2018 when he thought Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse would be nominated for an Oscar for Best Feature Film. Instead, it won Best Animated Feature, and Spake began to wonder why it and so many other worthy animated contenders were continually locked out of the main feature category.
“I thought that would be an interesting subject to cover, maybe going all the way back to Beauty and the Beast,” he says. But as he began working, he decided to dive even deeper into Oscar history, looking at animated shorts and how they shaped animation’s role at the Oscars. “I went back to the very beginning when they first introduced the best animated short category… From there, it just kind of snowballed.”
Here, we share excerpts from Spake’s book highlighting the artistry honored during the first 20 years of the Oscars.
1933 • The 5th Awards
Before any feature presentation, it was customary to screen a short cartoon, along with newsreels, serials, and coming attractions. While cartoons were part of the motion picture package, they were generally viewed as a separate entity. Steamboat Willie (1928) was [Walt Disney’s] first cartoon to receive a proper theatrical distribution. More significantly, Steamboat Willie was Walt Disney’s first short to utilize synchronized sound… While Steamboat Willie was a technical and cultural phenomenon, the Oscars had nowhere to honor it.
That all changed at the 5th Academy Awards. “The Academy knew that Walt sort of started a big change in animated shorts with Steamboat Willie,” said animator and historian Mark Kausler. “They didn’t have the short award in 1928. So, by 1931 they had corrected that oversight and basically established the short cartoon award, I think, in order to honor Walt.” The award was arguably less about recognizing animation and more about recognizing Disney specifically… Disney found himself double-nominated for Flowers and Trees (1932) and Mickey’s Orphans (1931). The only other nominee was It’s Got Me Again! (1932), a Merrie Melodies short distributed by Warner Bros. In addition to being the inaugural recipient of Best Cartoon, Flowers and Trees was the first color film to win in any category.
1938 • The 10th Awards
The Old Mill introduced Disney’s multiplane camera, which added another layer of depth to the animation. The setting feels practically three-dimensional as we zoom past a spider crawling on its web, ducks waddling out of the water, and two bluebirds sharing a worm. Developed by inventor William Garity, the multiplane camera received a Scientific and Technical Academy Award. Technology and effects aside, The Old Mill was a breakthrough for dramatic storytelling in animation.
1939 • The 11th Awards
In [1939 Frank] Capra introduced little Shirley Temple, who presented an Honorary Oscar to Walt Disney. The child star forgot to mention what the award was for, but its unique design said everything. Capra proposed a regular-sized statuette paired with seven miniature ones mounted onto a stepped base. This was only the second time that the Academy commissioned a customized Oscar. It took over a year, but the Academy recognized Snow White as “a significant screen innovation which has charmed millions and pioneered a great new entertainment field for the motion picture cartoon.”
1941 • The 13th Awards
While Snow White got its special award, Pinocchio stood out as the first animated feature to win a competitive Oscar. Along with The Thief of Bagdad (1940), it was among the first films to win multiple awards without a Best Picture nomination. Pinocchio remained the only Disney film to triumph in both music categories for over two decades. The year Pinocchio won, Disney wasn’t up for Best Cartoon.
At the 13th Academy Awards, [Louis B.] Mayer persuaded his fellow members to nominate two MGM shorts, The Milky Way (1940) and Puss Gets the Boot (1940). The third slot went to A Wild Hare (1940), a Merrie Melody directed by Tex Avery. For the first time in the category’s history, a Disney short wasn’t in the running. The Milky Way had the lively colors, cuddly animals, and lighthearted music Disney was known for, but the comedy possessed slightly zanier energy. Capturing the Disney style with a few twists, The Milky Way officially broke Walt’s winning streak. Wild Hare marked the official debut of Bugs Bunny. Although Bugs prototypes had appeared previously, this was the first time Mel Blanc brought out the character’s signature Bronx/Brooklyn accent. Along with Bugs and Woody [Woodpecker], 1940 introduced the world to a cat and mouse duo named Tom and Jerry. Debuting in Puss Gets the Boot, Tom and Jerry were originally known as Jasper and Jinx, respectively. While [Rudolf] Ising co-directed and co-produced the short, the masterminds were two up-and-coming animators named William Hanna and Joseph Barbera.
1942 • The 14th Awards
Two of [Friz] Freleng’s cartoons were nominated in one year: Hiawatha’s Rabbit Hunt and Rhapsody in Rivets. Both were released under the Merrie Melodies label. Hiawatha’s Rabbit Hunt was Bugs Bunny’s second Oscar-nominated cartoon, making him the first WB character to score back-to-back bids. For whatever reason, Bugs wouldn’t see another nomination for 17 years. The Academy was all about awarding star characters, including Mickey, Donald, Tom, Jerry, Mr. Magoo, and even several Looney Tunes. Strangely, voters continually snubbed the biggest cartoon star of them all.
1944 • 16th Awards
As American troops headed overseas, Hollywood and the Academy reflected the country’s involvement in the war. This not only applied to Best Picture winners, but Best Cartoon nominees as well. Some inspired while others informed, but the most memorable offered escapism when most Americans wanted nothing more than to see an anvil dropped on Hitler’s head.
Tom and Jerry returned to the Oscars with The Yankee Doodle Mouse (1943), their 11th cartoon. With the U.S. still engaged in World War II, The Yankee Doodle Mouse’s theme stood out. British troopers were called Tommies and Germans were Jerries. The Yankee Doodle Mouse challenged Disney’s Reason and Emotion (1943), another wartime short. This clever cartoon centers on personifications of emotion and reason as they compete for control over the driver’s seat. As Hitler ascends to power, reason is overshadowed by emotions of fear and hate… Showcasing the funniest gags, quality animation, and a star-spangled finale, The Yankee Doodle Mouse brought MGM Cartoons its second Oscar. It wouldn’t be the last.
1948 – The 20th Awards
Although WB was producing some of the era’s funniest and most influential cartoons, the studio lacked the voting bloc that made MGM a perennial winner. Before leaving WB in 1945, [Bob] Clampett had already started planning a short that evolved into Tweetie Pie. [Friz] Freleng was working on a follow-up to Peck Up Your Troubles (1945), which saw Sylvester pursue a woodpecker. Freleng thought Tweety would be a better comedic foil, but [Head of WB Edward] Selzer objected to pairing him with Sylvester. Freleng, known for having a temper on par with Yosemite Sam’s, was supposedly so enraged that he almost quit again. Thankfully, Selzer apologized and came around to the idea. Of WB’s four submissions that year, Tweetie Pie was the only nominee, going on to win the award… After 10 losses, Tweetie Pie granted Termite Terrace admission into the Oscar-winning circle.
You can purchase Bright & Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows Volumes 1 & 2 at bearmanormedia.com. Volume 3 will be out in February 2026.
