Fleischer Toon ‘KoKo’s Earth Control’ Added to National Film Registry

Twenty-five films have been selected for the Library of Congress National Film Registry in 2024 in recognition of their cultural, historic or aesthetic importance to preserve the nation’s film heritage, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced today. The new selections date back nearly 130 years and include a diverse group of films, filmmakers and Hollywood landmarks — and one icon of animation history: KoKo the Clown.

The selections bring the number of titles in the registry to 900. Some films are among the 2 million moving image collection items held in the Library of Congress. Others are preserved in coordination with copyright holders or other film archives.

“Films reflect our nation’s history and culture and must be preserved in our national library for generations to come. We’re honored by the responsibility to add 25 diverse new films to the National Film Registry each year as we work to preserve our cultural heritage,” said Hayden. “This is a collective effort in the film community to preserve our cinematic heritage, and we are grateful to our partners, including the National Film Preservation Board.”

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will host a television special Wednesday, December 18, starting at 8 p.m. ET to screen a selection of films named to the registry this year. Hayden will join TCM host and film historian Jacqueline Stewart, who is chair of the National Film Preservation Board, to discuss the films.

This year’s standout animation addition is KoKo’s Earth Control, a 1928 black-and-white short produced by Max Fleischer out of Fleischer Studios. From the Library of Congress:

Imaginative, sassy, surreal and non-linear characterize films from the Fleischer Studios, which battled the Walt Disney Co. for animation supremacy during the 1920s and 1930s, with their competing styles delighting audiences and leading to many technical advancements. Among the contributions from Max and Dave Fleischer were rotoscoping and legendary characters such as Betty Boop, Popeye and KoKo the Clown.

In this film, KoKo and Fitz the Dog gain power over the levers controlling Earth, to disastrous results.

KoKo’s Earth Control has been photochemically restored by the UCLA Film & Television Archive from the original nitrate negative with main titles restored and a missing section enlarged from a supplemental 16mm source. Restoration funding provided by Jerry Beck, Will Ryan and the International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood.

See the full class of 2024 list at loc.gov.