Felix the Cat is a cartoon character created in the silent film era. His black body, white eyes, and giant grin, coupled with the surrealism of his cartoons, make Felix one of the most recognized cartoon characters in film history. Felix appeared in 1919 and was the first animated character to attain a level of popularity sufficient to draw movie audiences. With the arrival of sound cartoons in the late 1920s, including Disney’s Mickey Mouse shorts, Felix’s success faded – though he was revived as a television star in 1953.
