Tex Avery, a descendant of the legendary Judge Roy Bean and Daniel Boone, had a rather tumultuous relationship with his family's heritage. His grandmother, in particular, made it a point to emphasize the importance of discretion, warning him never to mention his connection to Roy Bean, whom she referred to as "a no good skunk!"
After graduating from North Dallas High School in 1927, Avery made the bold decision to relocate to Southern California in 1929. He initially found work in the harbor, but his artistic inclinations soon led him to Walter Lantz Studios, where he began his career as an animator in 1929. Although his contributions during his time at Walter Lantz Studios were relatively minor, Avery's talent and dedication eventually caught the attention of Leon Schlesinger at Warner's.
From 1936 to 1941, Avery worked as a supervisor, or cartoon director, on over 60 titles in the Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes series. This stint laid the foundation for his future success, and he went on to work as a director of cartoons at MGM from 1942 to 1954. During this period, Avery was responsible for creating practically every MGM cartoon that did not feature Tom and Jerry.
In 1955, Avery returned to Walter Lantz Studios for a brief four-cartoon stint before leaving the field to pursue a career in advertising. Although his unique sense of humor was largely unappreciated in this new medium, he did create some notable commercials, including the iconic Raid bug spray ads that featured cartoon bugs screaming "Raid!" before meeting their demise.
Avery's impressive repertoire of cartoon characters includes Daffy Duck, Droopy, Screwy Squirrel, George and Junior, and Chilly Willy. He is also credited with developing the basic personality of Bugs Bunny, famously coining the phrase "What's up, Doc?" that has become an iconic part of American pop culture.
