In the course of its rich history, cinematic animation has developed from silent monochrome images to sound-filled shorts that ran theatrically with newsreels and adventure serials, and ultimately to prestigious feature films like Disney's Fantasia. This second edition of The Animated Film Encyclopedia: 1900-1979 (McFarland, 2000) is a comprehensive listing of theatrical animated cartoons through the end of the 20th century, as well as significant animated sequences in live-action films. New to this edition are many titles involving computer-generated animation (CGI), including the resoundingly successful Toy Story (1995).

An introduction discusses the events leading from the early days of animation to the advent of computer graphics imagery. Each of the thousands of individual entries includes production information, date, running time, and a synopsis. Full voice credits are also provided for many of the films.