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This is a list of notable highlights from the history of animation. Although the list is by no means inclusive it does include most of the important animated short subjects and feature length films. It also notes major technical innovations and achievements in animation and mentions the works of many of animation's most significant creators.

• The first animated comic strips appear as supplements in newsreels (Mutt and Jeff, The Newlyweds)
• J.R. Bray's earliest films released

• McCay introduces;"Gertie the Dinosaur";, setting the precedent for the next 10-15 years
• J.R. Bray and Earl Hurd apply for patents to simplify cartoon production through the use of the technique that will come to be known as cel animation

• "The Katzenjamer Kids " series debuts
• The "Farmer Al Falfa" cartoons by J.R. Bray and Paul Terry debuts
• The "Krazy Kat" series makes its first appearance as a part of the Hearst Videograph News Pictorial"

• Max Fleischer releases his first experiments with the rotoscope
• Windsor McCay releases the "Sinking of the Lusitania"

• Max Fleischer releases the first in the series of the "Out of the Inkwell" cartons which star KoKo the Clown. In this series of "Inkwell" cartoons, the characters would appear out of an inkwell, go on an adventure, get in trouble, and then return to the inkwell.
• Felix the Cat makes his debut in "Feline Follies"

• Max Fleischer releases a series of experimental sound "Song Cartoons" A record played simultaneously with the projector brought sound to the otherwise silent animations.
• Fleischer begins a series of Bouncing Ball cartoons

"Koko's Earth Control" released by the Fleischers.

"Lost World" is released bringing forth a new brand of animation. Brought to life by Willis O'Brien and his ingenious method of "stop-motion animation", dinosaurs, and other creatures roamed the earth once again.

• Leon Schlesinger produces the first Looney Tune, "Sinkin' in the Bathtub"
• Betty Boop makes her first appearance in "Dizzy Dishes" and "Barnacle Bill"
• Walter Lantz introduces the first Technicolor cartoon the "King of Jazz"

• Ub Iwerks introduces Flip the Frog
• Van Beuren's "Tom and Jerry" cartoons make their debut
• The first Merrie Melodies cartoon, "Lady Play your Mandolin," makes its debut

"Boop Boop a Doop" released by Fleischer, starring (of course) Betty Boop.

• Max Fleischer introduces Popeye the Sailor, who goes on to become a smash hit with spinach farmers everywhere.
• Disney releases "The Three Little Pigs" ,a political statement during the depression. The statement-"Who's afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" Or perhaps it was, "Don't eat pork?"

• The first color Merrie Melodies cartoon, "The Honeymoon Hotel" is released
• Max Fleischer utilizes three-dimensional sets for his "Color Classics" cartoons
• Donald Duck makes an auspicious debut in Disney's "The Wise Little Hen"

• Porky Pig makes his big screen debut in Merrie Melodies, "I haven't got a Hat"
• Warner Brothers hires Tex Avery who starts the Termite Terrace Unit

• Carl Stalling is hired as music supervisor at Warner brothers
• Max Fleisher releases his first extra length short cartoon, "Popeye the Sailor Meets Sinbad the Sailor."

• Disney releases "Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs"
• Disney introduces the multiplane camera in "The Old Mill"
• "Porky's Duck Hunt" introduces us to Daffy Duck.
• Daffy Duck introduces us to the vocal talents of Mel Blanc.
• Bob Clampett directs his first cartoon "Porky's Badtime Story"

• Legendary animator, Chuck Jones releases his first cartoon, "The Night Watchman
• "Porky's Hare Hunt" introduces us to Bugs Bunny. Once again, we witness the talents of Mel Blanc. (voice of Bugs)

Max Fleischer releases his first feature film, "Gulliver's Travels"

Disney builds on the success of "Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs" and releases "Pinocchio". I wouldn't lie.

• Walter Lantz introduces "Woody Woodpecker"
• Hanna-Barbera introduces Tom and Jerry
• Tex Avery releases "A Wild Hare" in which Bugs Bunny utters "What's up, Dock?" for the first time

Max Fleischer releases the first in a series of Superman cartoons

• Disney releases "Bambi"
• Bob Clampett introduces Tweety and Beaky Buzzard
• Mighty Mouse makes his debut in Terrytoons "Mouse of Tomorrow"
• Fired by Paramount Pictures, the Fleischer brothers establish Famous Studios

• Droopy makes his debut courtesy of Tex Avery
• Tex Avery releases " Riding Hood" for MGM
• The U.S. Army gets into the act and hires Leon Schlesinger to produce a series of Pvt. Snafu cartoons

Loony Tunes and Merrie melodies begin color production

Live Action and animation are married together in "Anchors Aweigh" when Gene Kelly and Jerry Mouse dance together on screen

• Casper the Friendly Ghost makes his debut for Famous Studios
• Pepe LePew makes his debut courtesy of Chuck Jones
• Fritz Freleng introduces Sylvester the Cat and Yosemite Sam for Warner Brothers

• Foghorn Leghorn makes his debut at Warner Brothers
• Heckle and Jeckle make their first appearance at Terrytoons

• The first TV cartoon, Crusader Rabbit is produced
• The Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote make their debut in "Fast and Furry-ous" This is the start of a great onscreen relationship in which the Road Runner always eludes capture, and Wile E. Coyote encounters numerous rocks and long drops.

• Disney releases "Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom" in Cinemascope
• The 3-D process moves in to the cartoon world as Donald Duck and Woody Woodpecker appear in 3-D cartoons

• Buggs Bunny makes a 3-D appearance in "Lumber Jack Rabbit"
• Casper makes a 3-D appearance
• Warner Brothers Studios introduces the Tasmanian Devil
• Disney closes its cartoon shorts unit

"7^th Voyage of Sinbad" released by Ray Harryhausen

• UPA releases the full length feature, "1001 Arabian Nights"
• Jay Ward's "Rocky and his Friends" makes its television debut

• Disney first uses the Xerox process in "Goliath II"
• ABC premiers "The Bugs Bunny TV Show" and "The Flintstones" in prime-time

Warner Brothers closes its animation studio

DePatie Freleng begins releasing its series of Pink Panther theatrical cartoons, the first of these, "The Pink Phink" wins an Academy Award. Not a bad first appearance if you ask me.

Filmation's first series "Superman" debuts

Walt Disney dies December 15, 1966

Steven Spielberg presents "An American Tale"

• A resurgence in animation is launched with the weekly airing of "The Simpsons"
• "The Rescuers Down Under" becomes the first Disney film completed with computerized ink and paint

• "Beauty and the Beast" becomes the first animated film nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture
• "The Ren and Stimpy Show" premiers on Nickelodeon

• "Batman: The Animated Series" makes its debut
• Movie mogul Ted Turner internationally launches The Turner Carton Network

On another Spielberg note, "Jurassic Park" is released. This movie marks one of the first attempts at creating visual effects in live action movies using computer animation. Good dinosaurs. Yes.