Trolley Troubles

The first released Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoon, directed by Walt Disney and animated almost entirely by Ub Iwerks. Oswald plays a trolley conductor whose packed car runs afoul of a stubborn cow, a steep hill, and a runaway descent. The short was a hit, launching Oswald as Universal's cartoon star and establishing Disney and Iwerks as major talents. Universal had rejected the first-produced Oswald short, Poor Papa, as too sluggish, so Trolley Troubles became the character's debut. Published in 1927, the film entered the public domain in the United States on January 1, 2023.