Celluloid Cityscapes: Kids, Cars, and Cartoons in the United States, 1938–1965

This article considers the cinematic portrayal of the city in mid-twentiethcentury Walt Disney short cartoons. Initially, Disney cartoons were aimed at a mixed adult/child audience, but over time, they were seen and marketed mostly to children. Examining three cartoons in depth and six more to provide perspective, this article reflects upon the images relayed to children and the place of children in the city. The article concludes that portrayals of urban locations in the cartoons were not favorable, deemed to have little space for children. Country landscapes, meanwhile, were painted more benignly.