Paul Terry, a remarkable yet underrated figure in the realm of animation, hailed from San Mateo, California, and spent his formative years in San Francisco. He attended Polytechnic High School, where he initially nurtured his passion for cartooning in various newspapers, specifically The San Francisco Bulletin and The San Francisco Call-Examiner, between 1904 and 1914.
Terry's early career in cartooning was marked by his stint at King Features in 1913, where he honed his skills before transitioning to the production of numerous cartoons between 1915 and 1955. An astonishing total of approximately 1300 cartoons were created during this period, showcasing his remarkable prolificacy.
Some of his most notable creations include Aesop's Fables, a series of shorts that predated the 1960s Jay Ward productions, as well as Terrytoons characters such as Farmer Al Falfa, also known as Farmer Grey, Mighty Mouse, Heckle & Jeckle, Gandy Goose, Slippery Sam, Dinky Duck, Rudy Rooster, and many more.
As the early 1960s unfolded, Terry made the decision to sell Terrytoons to CBS, allowing him to pursue his long-held passion for painting and gradually transition into a life of semi-retirement.
