Long before the days of "Jurassic Park," Winsor McCay used his animated magic to bring life to one of the most enduring cartoons ever crafted with 1914's "Gertie the Dinosaur." Much like "Little Nemo," the short begins with a live-action McCay betting that he can animate a dinosaur while at a museum with some acquaintances. He presents his work during a dinner, which showcases the titular Apatosaurus obeying various commands given by an off-screen McCay while getting herself into mischief.
Presented as a vaudeville act where the real McCay interacted with his animated creature on stage, "Gertie the Dinosaur" was a groundbreaking achievement at the time. Not only is Gertie considered the first movie dinosaur, forever cementing the prehistoric creatures as movie icons, but the craft used to bring the animal to life pushed the limits of the medium. The process was especially laborious this time around. While McCay utilized key and looping animation techniques that saved time, he and art student John A. Fitzsimmons had to also trace the background in each frame.
It all paid off, however, as McCay brought a more believable sense of weight and physics to Gertie than his previous characters, all while still imbuing her with a humorous personality. In 1994, "Gertie the Dinosaur" was selected by 1,000 industry professionals as the sixth greatest cartoon of all time in the book "50 Greatest Cartoons." And even decades later, Winsor McCay's creations are still being honored in other ways.
