Monday, June 11, 2007
From the Email Bag:
I always have time to talk about Margaret Winkler. She is one of a small group of overlooked animation greats that holds a special place in my heart. Others in this group are Emile Cohl and Mike Maltese.
Margaret J. Winkler often credited as M.J. Winkler is one of the truly remarkable people and one of the most powerful women in the early history of animation. And when I say early, I am talking 1921. J. Stuart Blackton’s Humorous Phases of a Funny Face with the first use of animation technique on film was just 15 before, Gertie the Dinosaur was only 10 years before.
She started as a secretary at Warner Bros. in New York. She had an unerring eye for cartoons which she parlayed into a career as a Distributor. At a time even before women were told that they could only work as ink and paint girls because of a shameful lack of a Y chromosome Margaret Winkler build a successful business in the all male world of the Hollywood/New York film business.
She was the one to sign Otto Messmer/Pat Sullivan’s Felix the Cat. She sign Max and Dave Flescher’s Ko Ko the Clown, she signed the Ub Iwerks/Walt Disney/Virginia Davis Alice in Cartoonland series, and she became involved with the Charles Mintz 30s Krazy Kat cartoons.
Here is a site for the story of how Ms. Winkler got here start http://www.answers.com/topic/margaret-j-winkler.
Mintz, anyway, was her undoing in a very real way. Charles Mintz was a dirty pool, stab ‘em in the back, kind of businessman. Mintz, of course, is most famous for his dirty deal talking Universal into letting him take Oswald the Lucky Rabbit away from Walt Disney.
There are some questions on just how he got control of Krazy Kat. There are still a number of version of the Oswald take over story. But there are no questions on how Charles Mintz took over M.J. Winkler’s business, he married her. And then he slowly moved her out of the office and into the kitchen.
Sad, I see Margaret J. Winkler`s end story as a kind of tragedy brought about by her early training. Women`s suffrage gave the vote to the American female in 1920, just one year before Margaret J. Winkler started her M. J. Winkler Distribution Company. Note that it is M. J. not Margaret, very telling. American was just a few short years from the time that a women could not own property, it belonged to her father or her husband.
Women were never trained in math or business because everyone knew that the female brain did not have the mental capabilities for rational thought (a nice self-fulfilling system feeding back into itself and hard as hell to disprove at the time).
It always saddens me when I think of Margaret Winkler. She did so much, she broke so many molds. I fully understand why her programming kicked in and took over and she bought into Mintz` domestic trap. But I always wish better for her. She deserves so much more that just Mrs. Mintz. And this is the real reason I dislike Mintz, not for what he did to Walt. Walt could fight back.
Distributor - filmography Margaret J. Winkler/M.J. Winkler:
Alpine Antics (1929) (producer)
Alice in the Big League (1927) (producer)
Alice the Beach Nut (1927) (producer)
Alice the Whaler (1927) (producer)
Alice`s Medicine Show (1927) (producer)
Alice in the Klondike (1927) (producer)
Alice`s Channel Swim (1927) (producer)
Alice`s Picnic (1927) (producer)
Alice`s Knaughty Knight (1927) (producer)
Alice`s Three Bad Eggs (1927) (producer)
Alice`s Circus Daze (1927) (producer)
Alice`s Auto Race (1927) (producer)
Alice in the Alps (1927) (producer)
Alice the Collegiate (1927) (producer)
Alice in the Wooly West (1926) (producer)
Alice`s Mysterious Mystery (1926) (producer)
Alice in the Jungle (1925) (producer)
The New Champ (1925) (producer)
Alice`s Egg Plant (1925) (producer)
Alice Gets in Dutch (1924) (producer)
Alice the Peacemaker (1924) (producer)
Alice`s Wild West Show (1924) (producer)
Alice in Slumberland (1926) . Distributor
Alice`s Orphan (1926) . Distributor
Alice`s Mysterious Mystery (1926) . Distributor
Alice`s Little Parade (1926) . Distributor
Alice`s Balloon Race (1926) . Distributor
Alice on the Farm (1926) . Distributor
Alice in the Jungle (1925) . Distributor
Alice Rattled by Rats (1925) . Distributor
Alice Plays Cupid (1925) . Distributor
Alice the Jail Bird (1925) . Distributor
Alice Chops the Suey (1925) . Distributor
Alice`s Tin Pony (1925) . Distributor
Felix Dopes It Out (1925) . Distributor
Felix Finds `Em Fickle (1925) . Distributor
Alice Picks the Champ (1925) . Distributor
Alice Wins the Derby (1925) . Distributor
The New Champ (1925) . Distributor
Alice Is Stage Struck (1925) . Distributor
Alice Loses Out (1925) . Distributor
Felix Gets the Can (1925) . Distributor
Alice`s Egg Plant (1925) . Distributor
Felix Cops the Prize (1925) . Distributor
Felix Monkeys with Magic (1925) . Distributor
Felix Outwits Cupid (1925) . Distributor
Felix Full o` Fight (1925) . Distributor
Felix Gets His Fill (1925) . Distributor
Alice Solves the Puzzle (1925) . Distributor
Felix Rests in Peace (1925) . Distributor
Alice Gets Stung (1925) . Distributor
Felix Follows the Swallows (1925) . Distributor
Alice the Toreador (1925) . Distributor
Felix All Puzzled (1925) . Distributor
Alice Cans the Cannibals (1925) . Distributor
Felix Wins and Loses (1925) . Distributor
Teak Logging with Elephants (1925) . Distributor (1925) (USA) (theatrical)
Alice the Piper (1924) . Distributor
Felix Goes Hungry (1924) . Distributor
The Masked Marvel (1924/II) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
Alice and the Three Bears (1924) . Distributor
The Cabaret of Old Japan (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
Felix Finishes First (1924) . Distributor
Ham and Eggs (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
Afternoon Tee (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
Alice Hunting in Africa (1924) . Distributor
The Salt of Amping (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
Good Scouts (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
Alice Gets in Dutch (1924) . Distributor
Felix Finds Out (1924) . Distributor
Felix Brings Home the Bacon (1924) . Distributor
Home Sweet Home (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
One Glorious Fourth (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
The New Teacher (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
Peat Lugging with Elephants (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
The Last Rose of Summer (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
Alice the Peacemaker (1924) . Distributor
Felix Goes West (1924) . Distributor
Alice and the Dog Catcher (1924) . Distributor
Felix All Balled Up (1924) . Distributor
Baffled by Banjos (1924) . Distributor
Alice`s Fishy Story (1924) . Distributor
Friend in Need (1924) . Distributor
Felix Puts It Over (1924) . Distributor
Alice`s Wild West Show (1924) . Distributor
Felix Pinches the Pole (1924) . Distributor
Alice`s Spooky Adventure (1924) . Distributor
Felix Doubles for Darwin (1924) . Distributor
Alice`s Day at the Sea (1924) . Distributor
Felix Tries to Rest (1924) . Distributor
Felix Crosses the Crooks (1924) . Distributor
Felix Hits the Hipps (1924) . Distributor
Masquerade (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
Felix Loses Out (1924) . Distributor
Felix Cashes In (1924) . Distributor
Felix Fairy Tales (1924) . Distributor
Felix Foozled (1924) . Distributor
Felix Grabs His Grub (1924) . Distributor
Felix 'Hyps' the Hippo (1924) . Distributor
Felix Minds His Business (1924) . Distributor
Felix Out of Luck (1924) . Distributor
Felix Goes A-Hunting (1923) . Distributor
The Laundry (1923) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
The Contest (1923) . Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
Felix the Goat Getter (1923) . Distributor
Felix Fills a Shortage (1923) . Distributor
Shadows (1923) . Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
The Fortune Teller (1923) ... Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
Balloons (1923) . Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
Felix Laughs Last (1923) . Distributor
False Alarm (1923) . Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
Felix in Fairyland (1923) . Distributor
Felix in Hollywood (1923) . Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
The Battle (1923) . Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
Felix Strikes It Rich (1923) . Distributor
Felix Gets Broadcasted (1923) . Distributor
Felix the Globe Trotter (1923) . Distributor
Trapped (1923) . Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
Felix Calms His Conscience (1923) . Distributor
Felix Revolts (1923) . Distributor
The Puzzle (1923) . Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
Felix Tries for Treasure (1923) . Distributor
Surprise (1923) . Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
Bed Time (1923) . Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
Felix Wins Out (1923) . Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
Alice's Wonderland (1923) . Distributor
Felix and the Radio (1923) . Distributor
Felix the Ghost Breaker (1923) . Distributor
Felix in the Bone Age (1922) . Distributor
Jumping Beans (1922) . Distributor
Felix Gets Left (1922) . Distributor
Felix Lends a Hand (1922) . Distributor
The Birthday (1922) . Distributor
Felix on the Trail (1922) . Distributor
The Reunion (1922) . Distributor
Fifty-Fifty (1922) . Distributor
Felix Turns the Tide (1922) . Distributor (1922) (USA) (theatrical)
Felix Minds the Kid (1922) . Distributor
The Show (1922/I) . Distributor
Felix Wakes Up (1922) . Distributor
Felix Gets Revenge (1922) . Distributor
The Challenge (1922/I) . Distributor
Felix Finds a Way (1922) . Distributor
Pay Day (1922/II) . Distributor (1922) (USA) (theatrical)
Felix in the Swim (1922) . Distributor
Flies (1922) . Distributor
Felix in Love (1922) . Distributor
Felix All at Sea (1922). Distributor
Bubbles (1922) . Distributor
Felix Makes Good (1922) . Distributor
Felix at the Fair (1922) . Distributor
Felix Saves the Day (1922) . Distributor
Felix Comes Back (1922) . Distributor
The Hypnotist (1921/II) . Distributor
Invisible Ink (1921) ... Distributor (1921) (USA) (theatrical)
Fishing (1921) ... Distributor (1921) (USA) (theatrical)
Modeling (1921) ... Distributor (1921) (USA) (theatrical)
Larry Loc (ASIFA Blog Guy) ¶ 12:31 PM
Hello Larry,
My name is Heather. We were introduced by Margaret Kerry at an ASIFA-Hollywood board of directors meeting a few weeks ago. You may remember that I am doing research for a documentary about the (sometimes hidden) history of women in animation. Margaret was grilling the members of the ASIFA-Board for names of women in the industry, and you mentioned a woman who was a film distributor. I hope you have the time to please reply to this e-mail and tell me about her once more.
I also owe you a deep debt of gratitude, because it was your writing about Martha Sigall on the ASIFA-Hollywood blog that brought me to discover her wonderful book "Living Life Inside the Lines". I was so charmed by her writing that I wrote her a fan letter, and we've since become friends. Martha has been an inspiration to me in so many ways, and it is all thanks to your blogging!
I hope this note finds you enjoying your summer!
Warm wishes,
Heather Harkins
I always have time to talk about Margaret Winkler. She is one of a small group of overlooked animation greats that holds a special place in my heart. Others in this group are Emile Cohl and Mike Maltese.
Margaret J. Winkler often credited as M.J. Winkler is one of the truly remarkable people and one of the most powerful women in the early history of animation. And when I say early, I am talking 1921. J. Stuart Blackton’s Humorous Phases of a Funny Face with the first use of animation technique on film was just 15 before, Gertie the Dinosaur was only 10 years before.
She started as a secretary at Warner Bros. in New York. She had an unerring eye for cartoons which she parlayed into a career as a Distributor. At a time even before women were told that they could only work as ink and paint girls because of a shameful lack of a Y chromosome Margaret Winkler build a successful business in the all male world of the Hollywood/New York film business.
She was the one to sign Otto Messmer/Pat Sullivan’s Felix the Cat. She sign Max and Dave Flescher’s Ko Ko the Clown, she signed the Ub Iwerks/Walt Disney/Virginia Davis Alice in Cartoonland series, and she became involved with the Charles Mintz 30s Krazy Kat cartoons.
Here is a site for the story of how Ms. Winkler got here start http://www.answers.com/topic/margaret-j-winkler.
Mintz, anyway, was her undoing in a very real way. Charles Mintz was a dirty pool, stab ‘em in the back, kind of businessman. Mintz, of course, is most famous for his dirty deal talking Universal into letting him take Oswald the Lucky Rabbit away from Walt Disney.
There are some questions on just how he got control of Krazy Kat. There are still a number of version of the Oswald take over story. But there are no questions on how Charles Mintz took over M.J. Winkler’s business, he married her. And then he slowly moved her out of the office and into the kitchen.
Sad, I see Margaret J. Winkler`s end story as a kind of tragedy brought about by her early training. Women`s suffrage gave the vote to the American female in 1920, just one year before Margaret J. Winkler started her M. J. Winkler Distribution Company. Note that it is M. J. not Margaret, very telling. American was just a few short years from the time that a women could not own property, it belonged to her father or her husband.
Women were never trained in math or business because everyone knew that the female brain did not have the mental capabilities for rational thought (a nice self-fulfilling system feeding back into itself and hard as hell to disprove at the time).
It always saddens me when I think of Margaret Winkler. She did so much, she broke so many molds. I fully understand why her programming kicked in and took over and she bought into Mintz` domestic trap. But I always wish better for her. She deserves so much more that just Mrs. Mintz. And this is the real reason I dislike Mintz, not for what he did to Walt. Walt could fight back.
Distributor - filmography Margaret J. Winkler/M.J. Winkler:
Alpine Antics (1929) (producer)
Alice in the Big League (1927) (producer)
Alice the Beach Nut (1927) (producer)
Alice the Whaler (1927) (producer)
Alice`s Medicine Show (1927) (producer)
Alice in the Klondike (1927) (producer)
Alice`s Channel Swim (1927) (producer)
Alice`s Picnic (1927) (producer)
Alice`s Knaughty Knight (1927) (producer)
Alice`s Three Bad Eggs (1927) (producer)
Alice`s Circus Daze (1927) (producer)
Alice`s Auto Race (1927) (producer)
Alice in the Alps (1927) (producer)
Alice the Collegiate (1927) (producer)
Alice in the Wooly West (1926) (producer)
Alice`s Mysterious Mystery (1926) (producer)
Alice in the Jungle (1925) (producer)
The New Champ (1925) (producer)
Alice`s Egg Plant (1925) (producer)
Alice Gets in Dutch (1924) (producer)
Alice the Peacemaker (1924) (producer)
Alice`s Wild West Show (1924) (producer)
Alice in Slumberland (1926) . Distributor
Alice`s Orphan (1926) . Distributor
Alice`s Mysterious Mystery (1926) . Distributor
Alice`s Little Parade (1926) . Distributor
Alice`s Balloon Race (1926) . Distributor
Alice on the Farm (1926) . Distributor
Alice in the Jungle (1925) . Distributor
Alice Rattled by Rats (1925) . Distributor
Alice Plays Cupid (1925) . Distributor
Alice the Jail Bird (1925) . Distributor
Alice Chops the Suey (1925) . Distributor
Alice`s Tin Pony (1925) . Distributor
Felix Dopes It Out (1925) . Distributor
Felix Finds `Em Fickle (1925) . Distributor
Alice Picks the Champ (1925) . Distributor
Alice Wins the Derby (1925) . Distributor
The New Champ (1925) . Distributor
Alice Is Stage Struck (1925) . Distributor
Alice Loses Out (1925) . Distributor
Felix Gets the Can (1925) . Distributor
Alice`s Egg Plant (1925) . Distributor
Felix Cops the Prize (1925) . Distributor
Felix Monkeys with Magic (1925) . Distributor
Felix Outwits Cupid (1925) . Distributor
Felix Full o` Fight (1925) . Distributor
Felix Gets His Fill (1925) . Distributor
Alice Solves the Puzzle (1925) . Distributor
Felix Rests in Peace (1925) . Distributor
Alice Gets Stung (1925) . Distributor
Felix Follows the Swallows (1925) . Distributor
Alice the Toreador (1925) . Distributor
Felix All Puzzled (1925) . Distributor
Alice Cans the Cannibals (1925) . Distributor
Felix Wins and Loses (1925) . Distributor
Teak Logging with Elephants (1925) . Distributor (1925) (USA) (theatrical)
Alice the Piper (1924) . Distributor
Felix Goes Hungry (1924) . Distributor
The Masked Marvel (1924/II) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
Alice and the Three Bears (1924) . Distributor
The Cabaret of Old Japan (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
Felix Finishes First (1924) . Distributor
Ham and Eggs (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
Afternoon Tee (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
Alice Hunting in Africa (1924) . Distributor
The Salt of Amping (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
Good Scouts (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
Alice Gets in Dutch (1924) . Distributor
Felix Finds Out (1924) . Distributor
Felix Brings Home the Bacon (1924) . Distributor
Home Sweet Home (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
One Glorious Fourth (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
The New Teacher (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
Peat Lugging with Elephants (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
The Last Rose of Summer (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
Alice the Peacemaker (1924) . Distributor
Felix Goes West (1924) . Distributor
Alice and the Dog Catcher (1924) . Distributor
Felix All Balled Up (1924) . Distributor
Baffled by Banjos (1924) . Distributor
Alice`s Fishy Story (1924) . Distributor
Friend in Need (1924) . Distributor
Felix Puts It Over (1924) . Distributor
Alice`s Wild West Show (1924) . Distributor
Felix Pinches the Pole (1924) . Distributor
Alice`s Spooky Adventure (1924) . Distributor
Felix Doubles for Darwin (1924) . Distributor
Alice`s Day at the Sea (1924) . Distributor
Felix Tries to Rest (1924) . Distributor
Felix Crosses the Crooks (1924) . Distributor
Felix Hits the Hipps (1924) . Distributor
Masquerade (1924) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
Felix Loses Out (1924) . Distributor
Felix Cashes In (1924) . Distributor
Felix Fairy Tales (1924) . Distributor
Felix Foozled (1924) . Distributor
Felix Grabs His Grub (1924) . Distributor
Felix 'Hyps' the Hippo (1924) . Distributor
Felix Minds His Business (1924) . Distributor
Felix Out of Luck (1924) . Distributor
Felix Goes A-Hunting (1923) . Distributor
The Laundry (1923) . Distributor (1924) (USA) (theatrical)
The Contest (1923) . Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
Felix the Goat Getter (1923) . Distributor
Felix Fills a Shortage (1923) . Distributor
Shadows (1923) . Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
The Fortune Teller (1923) ... Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
Balloons (1923) . Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
Felix Laughs Last (1923) . Distributor
False Alarm (1923) . Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
Felix in Fairyland (1923) . Distributor
Felix in Hollywood (1923) . Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
The Battle (1923) . Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
Felix Strikes It Rich (1923) . Distributor
Felix Gets Broadcasted (1923) . Distributor
Felix the Globe Trotter (1923) . Distributor
Trapped (1923) . Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
Felix Calms His Conscience (1923) . Distributor
Felix Revolts (1923) . Distributor
The Puzzle (1923) . Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
Felix Tries for Treasure (1923) . Distributor
Surprise (1923) . Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
Bed Time (1923) . Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
Felix Wins Out (1923) . Distributor (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
Alice's Wonderland (1923) . Distributor
Felix and the Radio (1923) . Distributor
Felix the Ghost Breaker (1923) . Distributor
Felix in the Bone Age (1922) . Distributor
Jumping Beans (1922) . Distributor
Felix Gets Left (1922) . Distributor
Felix Lends a Hand (1922) . Distributor
The Birthday (1922) . Distributor
Felix on the Trail (1922) . Distributor
The Reunion (1922) . Distributor
Fifty-Fifty (1922) . Distributor
Felix Turns the Tide (1922) . Distributor (1922) (USA) (theatrical)
Felix Minds the Kid (1922) . Distributor
The Show (1922/I) . Distributor
Felix Wakes Up (1922) . Distributor
Felix Gets Revenge (1922) . Distributor
The Challenge (1922/I) . Distributor
Felix Finds a Way (1922) . Distributor
Pay Day (1922/II) . Distributor (1922) (USA) (theatrical)
Felix in the Swim (1922) . Distributor
Flies (1922) . Distributor
Felix in Love (1922) . Distributor
Felix All at Sea (1922). Distributor
Bubbles (1922) . Distributor
Felix Makes Good (1922) . Distributor
Felix at the Fair (1922) . Distributor
Felix Saves the Day (1922) . Distributor
Felix Comes Back (1922) . Distributor
The Hypnotist (1921/II) . Distributor
Invisible Ink (1921) ... Distributor (1921) (USA) (theatrical)
Fishing (1921) ... Distributor (1921) (USA) (theatrical)
Modeling (1921) ... Distributor (1921) (USA) (theatrical)
Larry Loc (ASIFA Blog Guy) ¶ 12:31 PM
