This Day in History: 1911-04-08

Windsor McCay’s  animated short “Little Nemo” is first released in theaters on this day in 1911.  McCay was originally the  creator of the newspaper strip “Little Nemo in Slumberland.” He became intrigued with his son’s flip books and decided to make a cartoon movie. After Little Nemo, McCay also made Gertie the Dinosaur and a few other animated shorts. But after 1921, newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst made McCay  give up on animation and devote his time to  his newspaper illustrations.