Today in Disney History: Alice's Day at Sea, the First Alice Comedy Released

Alice's Day at Sea was released on March 1, 1924. It was the first Alice Comedy to be released to the public but not the first to be produced. The first Alice Comedy produced was Alice's Wonderland, it was never theatrically released but instead shown to prospective film distributors. After seeing Alice's Wonderland, New York City distributor M.J. Winkler contacted Walt Disney and wanted to distribute the series. A contract was signed on October 16, 1923 and the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio was born. 

A Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio production and distributed by M.J. Winkler Pictures. The animated / live-action short film was written, directed and animated entirely by Walt Disney. The artists from Kansas City, Missouri who assisted on Alice's Wonderland had not yet joined Walt in Los Angeles but would for later Alice Comedies. Loosely inspired by Lewis Carrolls's classic Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.  The film has a running time of 11 minutes and 20 seconds. 

Alice, played by child actor Virginia Davis, goes on a trip with her dog Peggy. Alice and Peggy meet an old ship captain who tells them stories of his adventures at sea. Alice falls asleep and enters Cartoonland and dreams the ship she is on sinks to the bottom of the sea. Alice visits King Nep's Zoo and gets into some trouble before being woken by Peggy and the captain only to realize it was all a dream. Check out Alice's Day at Sea:

For a complete list of Alice Comedies CLICK HERE.

Sources: Alice "Seas It All (D23.com), Alice's Day at Sea is Released (D23.com) and Alice’s Day at Sea (IMDB.com).