In an effort to promote the study and enjoyment of cartoons, Borowiec's Animated Short Films arranges important information about these films in an easy-to-use format. This unique reference guide focuses on animated films under 39 minutes in length, originally produced for theatrical release, currently or recently available on videocassette, TV, or in cinemas. The guide consists of five sections: -A Brief History of Animated Short Films provides a short survey of this genre from the 1900s to the 1990s -Cartoon Reviews comprise the main section of the work, listing over 1800 cartoons in alphabetical order -Director Index lists all film directors whose films are listed -Chronological Index lists all cartoons chronologically from 1906 to 1997 -Four and Five Star Review section lists the best cartoons and identifies the major cartoon stars that appear in those films Some of the most beloved cartoon characters made their debuts in the theatrical shorts Borowiec examines. From the major studios to the more obscure, theatrical release was the mode of distribution. Younger generations know some of these cartoons from Saturday morning television. Older fans may remember the shorts in their original format on the big screen. For fans of all ages, this book will be an invaluable resource in attempts to learn more about the early days of the medium. Its exhaustive coverage provides an easy-to-use method for making sense of the potentially overwhelming volume of animated shorts.