Felix
Dress Fabric
1924 (made)
1924 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This dress fabric is demonstrative of the impact made by Felix the Cat on the popular culture of the 20th century. Young children are shown listening to records of Felix singing and performing on a piano and fiddle. This is apt since in 1923, in Great Britain, Felix was the subject of the Paul Whiteman song Felix Kept on Walking, one of the most popular records of the day.
Felix debuted in 1919 as the silent star of short animated films. He was created by Otto Messner and the cartoons were produced by the studio of Pat Sullivan. His distinct personality, comic pantomiming and the surreal, ‘magical’ quality of the animation gave him international stardom.
Felix’s relationship with music stretches back to his first ever appearance, as Master Tom, in Feline Follies. In this film he serenades his love interest, Miss Kitty White, with a banjo. The musical notes he produces become wheels, attaching themselves to their tails which then become scooters, allowing the two lovers to go for a joyride.
Felix debuted in 1919 as the silent star of short animated films. He was created by Otto Messner and the cartoons were produced by the studio of Pat Sullivan. His distinct personality, comic pantomiming and the surreal, ‘magical’ quality of the animation gave him international stardom.
Felix’s relationship with music stretches back to his first ever appearance, as Master Tom, in Feline Follies. In this film he serenades his love interest, Miss Kitty White, with a banjo. The musical notes he produces become wheels, attaching themselves to their tails which then become scooters, allowing the two lovers to go for a joyride.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Felix (manufacturer's title) |
| Materials and techniques | Printed cotton |
| Brief description | Dress fabric of printed cotton 'Felix', made by Calico Printers' Association, Great Britain, 1924 |
| Physical description | Dress fabric of printed cotton. With a design with Felix the Cat, children and a dog. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by Manchester Design Registry |
| Object history | Registered File number 1974/3231. Registration number 200631. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This dress fabric is demonstrative of the impact made by Felix the Cat on the popular culture of the 20th century. Young children are shown listening to records of Felix singing and performing on a piano and fiddle. This is apt since in 1923, in Great Britain, Felix was the subject of the Paul Whiteman song Felix Kept on Walking, one of the most popular records of the day. Felix debuted in 1919 as the silent star of short animated films. He was created by Otto Messner and the cartoons were produced by the studio of Pat Sullivan. His distinct personality, comic pantomiming and the surreal, ‘magical’ quality of the animation gave him international stardom. Felix’s relationship with music stretches back to his first ever appearance, as Master Tom, in Feline Follies. In this film he serenades his love interest, Miss Kitty White, with a banjo. The musical notes he produces become wheels, attaching themselves to their tails which then become scooters, allowing the two lovers to go for a joyride. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.227-1987 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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