Race Riot (1929)
A classic 1929 animated short by Walter Lantz, following Oswald the Lucky Rabbit as he trains his horse for a big race.
Race Riot - Movie Information
Race Riot - Plot
For his initial Lantz entry, Oswald enters his horse in the race as he tries to get him in shape doing exercises with the accompaniment of a pianist.
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Race Riot - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Walter Lantz
Race Riot - FAQs
What is Race Riot (1929) about?
Race Riot follows Oswald the Lucky Rabbit as he enters his horse in a race and puts him through a rigorous training routine. The comedic short features Oswald working to whip his horse into shape while a pianist provides musical accompaniment, blending slapstick humor with the lively energy of late-1920s animation.
Who directed Race Riot?
Race Riot was directed by Walter Lantz, the legendary animator best known for creating Woody Woodpecker. This short marked his first entry working with the Oswald the Lucky Rabbit character, which he took over from Universal Pictures after Walt Disney departed from the franchise.
Is Race Riot Walter Lantz's first Oswald cartoon?
Yes! Race Riot holds a special place in animation history as Walter Lantz's debut entry in the Oswald the Lucky Rabbit series. It marks the beginning of Lantz's long stewardship of the character at Universal Pictures, a creative relationship that would define his early career in Hollywood animation.
What genre is Race Riot?
Race Riot is a Comedy and Animation short. It blends classic slapstick humor with the musical, bouncy style typical of late silent-era and early sound-era cartoons, making it a charming example of how animation studios were experimenting with synchronized music and comedic timing in the late 1920s.
How long is the animated short Race Riot?
Race Riot runs just 7 minutes — a typical runtime for theatrical animated shorts of the era. These bite-sized cartoons were designed to play before feature films in cinemas, packing as much humor and energy as possible into a compact, punchy runtime that kept audiences entertained and laughing.
Who is Oswald the Lucky Rabbit?
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit is one of animation's earliest iconic characters, originally created by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks in 1927. After Disney lost the rights to Universal Pictures, Walter Lantz took over the character. Oswald is widely recognized as a forerunner to Mickey Mouse and a key figure in early cartoon history.
When was Race Riot released?
Race Riot was released on September 1, 1929, in the United States. It arrived during a fascinating transitional moment in cinema history, when studios were rapidly shifting from silent films to sound, and animated shorts were experimenting with synchronized music and early sound techniques to delight theater audiences.
What are some similar animated shorts to Race Riot?
If you enjoy classic and family-friendly animated shorts like Race Riot, you might also like Sea Scouts (1939), Dog Trouble (1942), and Chips Ahoy (1956). For more modern short-form animation, Pixie Hollow Bake Off (2013), Megamind: The Button of Doom (2011), and Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Masters (2011) are fun picks.
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