Little Red Riding Hood (Cartoon, 1922)

The 1922 cartoon Little Red Riding Hood is a silent animated short film produced by Laugh-O-Gram Studios, founded by a young Walt Disney. Released on July 29, 1922, it was one of Disney’s earliest works and part of a series of short films he created in Kansas City before his move to Hollywood and the founding of The Walt Disney Company as we know it today. This cartoon is a loose adaptation of the classic fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, infused with humor and whimsical animation typical of the early 1920s.
In this version, Little Red Riding Hood is depicted as a sweet, innocent girl who sets off to deliver food to her grandmother. The story follows the familiar outline: she encounters a wolf, who schemes to eat both her and her grandmother. However, Disney’s take adds a playful twist. Instead of a woodsman, a young boy (sometimes interpreted as a precursor to later Disney heroes) comes to the rescue, using cleverness rather than brute force to outwit the wolf. The animation style is simple and charming, with exaggerated movements and expressive characters drawn in black-and-white line art, reflecting the limitations and creativity of early animation.
The film runs for about six minutes and features gags and lighthearted moments, such as the wolf disguising himself in a comical way to trick Little Red Riding Hood. The tone is more slapstick than grim, aligning with the vaudeville-inspired humor popular at the time. Notably, this was one of Disney’s first attempts at storytelling through animation, and it showcases his budding talent for character design and narrative pacing.
Historically, Little Red Riding Hood (1922) faced financial challenges, as Laugh-O-Gram Studios struggled and eventually went bankrupt. For years, the film was considered lost, but a copy was rediscovered in the 1990s, giving us a glimpse into Disney’s early career. It’s a fascinating artifact—rough around the edges but brimming with the imagination that would later define his legacy.