Henpecked: Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (Lantz, 1930)

This rare black-and-white archival footage presents "Henpecked," a classic silent Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoon from September 8, 1930, produced and directed by Walter Lantz for Universal Studios—nearly a century ago—offering a nostalgic chuckle for early animation fans. The silent film follows Oswald, the mischievous black rabbit with expressive ears, as he navigates domestic life with his domineering wife, Kitty, a cat who henpecks him relentlessly. When Oswald tries to relax in his hammock, Kitty scolds him for laziness, forcing him to do chores—painting the fence, washing dishes, and mowing the lawn with a goat-powered mower that goes haywire, leading to slapstick chaos. The goat eats the grass, gets tangled in the mower, and crashes into the house, while Kitty’s nagging intensifies, culminating in her chasing Oswald with a rolling pin, only for him to escape by hiding in a doghouse, where a friendly dog helps him outwit her. Voiced by Pinto Colvig, with music by David Broekman, this short—rated 5.3 on IMDb for its humor and historical charm—captures Lantz’s surreal, slapstick style, marking his 78th Oswald cartoon and reflecting the transition from silent to sound animation. A lively window into early 1930s animation’s golden age, this preserved gem grips cartoon enthusiasts, animation historians, and nostalgic viewers, offering a timeless peek at a domestic comedy frozen in time.