diff --git a/examples/animation/dynamic_image.py b/examples/animation/dynamic_image.py
index 247bbc031ad9..fd07c36e7bb4 100644
--- a/examples/animation/dynamic_image.py
+++ b/examples/animation/dynamic_image.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ def f(x, y):
 x = np.linspace(0, 2 * np.pi, 120)
 y = np.linspace(0, 2 * np.pi, 100).reshape(-1, 1)
 
-im = plt.imshow(f(x, y), cmap=plt.get_cmap('jet'))
+im = plt.imshow(f(x, y), cmap=plt.get_cmap('viridis'), animated=True)
 
 
 def updatefig(*args):
diff --git a/examples/animation/dynamic_image2.py b/examples/animation/dynamic_image2.py
index c4a29b3d00aa..b15723081020 100644
--- a/examples/animation/dynamic_image2.py
+++ b/examples/animation/dynamic_image2.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ def f(x, y):
 for i in range(60):
     x += np.pi / 15.
     y += np.pi / 20.
-    im = plt.imshow(f(x, y))
+    im = plt.imshow(f(x, y), cmap='viridis', animated=True)
     ims.append([im])
 
 ani = animation.ArtistAnimation(fig, ims, interval=50, blit=True,
diff --git a/examples/animation/histogram.py b/examples/animation/histogram.py
index a8c4c13b8cf4..1ca8c35ac5e5 100644
--- a/examples/animation/histogram.py
+++ b/examples/animation/histogram.py
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ def animate(i):
     top = bottom + n
     verts[1::5, 1] = top
     verts[2::5, 1] = top
+    return [patch, ]
 
-ani = animation.FuncAnimation(fig, animate, 100, repeat=False)
+ani = animation.FuncAnimation(fig, animate, 100, repeat=False, blit=True)
 plt.show()
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/animation.py b/lib/matplotlib/animation.py
index b3c946225ec5..6b1e05870196 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/animation.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/animation.py
@@ -590,9 +590,6 @@ def __init__(self, fig, event_source=None, blit=False):
         self.frame_seq = self.new_frame_seq()
         self.event_source = event_source
 
-        # Clear the initial frame
-        self._init_draw()
-
         # Instead of starting the event source now, we connect to the figure's
         # draw_event, so that we only start once the figure has been drawn.
         self._first_draw_id = fig.canvas.mpl_connect('draw_event', self._start)
@@ -609,15 +606,18 @@ def _start(self, *args):
         Starts interactive animation. Adds the draw frame command to the GUI
         handler, calls show to start the event loop.
         '''
-        # On start, we add our callback for stepping the animation and
-        # actually start the event_source. We also disconnect _start
-        # from the draw_events
-        self.event_source.add_callback(self._step)
-        self._init_draw()
-        self.event_source.start()
+        # First disconnect our draw event handler
         self._fig.canvas.mpl_disconnect(self._first_draw_id)
         self._first_draw_id = None  # So we can check on save
 
+        # Now do any initial draw
+        self._init_draw()
+
+        # Add our callback for stepping the animation and
+        # actually start the event_source.
+        self.event_source.add_callback(self._step)
+        self.event_source.start()
+
     def _stop(self, *args):
         # On stop we disconnect all of our events.
         if self._blit:
@@ -1041,7 +1041,7 @@ def _init_draw(self):
 
         # Flush the needed axes
         for fig in figs:
-            fig.canvas.draw()
+            fig.canvas.draw_idle()
 
     def _pre_draw(self, framedata, blit):
         '''
@@ -1156,8 +1156,9 @@ def _init_draw(self):
             self._draw_frame(next(self.new_frame_seq()))
         else:
             self._drawn_artists = self._init_func()
-            for a in self._drawn_artists:
-                a.set_animated(self._blit)
+            if self._blit:
+                for a in self._drawn_artists:
+                    a.set_animated(self._blit)
 
     def _draw_frame(self, framedata):
         # Save the data for potential saving of movies.
@@ -1170,5 +1171,6 @@ def _draw_frame(self, framedata):
         # Call the func with framedata and args. If blitting is desired,
         # func needs to return a sequence of any artists that were modified.
         self._drawn_artists = self._func(framedata, *self._args)
-        for a in self._drawn_artists:
-            a.set_animated(self._blit)
+        if self._blit:
+            for a in self._drawn_artists:
+                a.set_animated(self._blit)