Pat Sullivan
About
Biography
Filmography
Bibliography
Biography
A vigorous entrepreneurial talent, responsible for the promotion and production of over 150 cartoon adventures of Felix the Cat, a beloved "star" in the Roaring 20s and the first fully developed animal character in the history of American animation. After working as a cartoonist for newspapers, Sullivan began the Felix series in 1919, employing Otto Messmer to draw the often risque antics of the frisky feline with a fondness for speakeasies. Sullivan's name, however, was the only one ever to appear in the credits and his claim to proprietary rights to Felix resulted not only in the relative effacement of Messmer from the history of cartoon cinema but also in bitter litigation struggles with Margaret Winkler, the first woman producer and distributor of animated shorts, who had done a great deal to bring about Felix's international popularity during the silent era.
After Sullivan's death from alcoholism in 1933, three Felix cartoons were produced but his character did not mesh with Depression-era sensibilities and he gave way to Mickey Mouse in popularity. Sullivan's son, Pat Jr, later waded through the legal muddle surrounding the cartoon legend and established Felix the Cat Creations Inc. to produce cartoons and products bearing the name of the capricious cat who had delighted audiences for over a decade.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Film Production - Main (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Life Events
1914
Emigrated to the US; began drawing comic strips for newspapers
1917
Spent nine months in Sing Sing prison after being convicted of raping a 14-year-old girl
1919
Debut of Felix the Cat in animated cartoon film shorts
Family
