Elyssa Levine and Tu Nguyen October 22 nd 2012 Digital Media IMM 110.

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Elyssa Levine and Tu NguyenOctober 22nd 2012

Digital MediaIMM 110

Birth•Born on September 26th 1869

•Raised in Spring Lake, Michigan

•Son of Janet and Robert McCay

•Originally named Zenas

•Had an interest for drawing right away

Early Years

At the age of thirteen drew the sinking of the Goodrich Steamship Alpena

Edu

catio

nEnrolled into Cleary’s Business College

Taken on as a student by Michigan State Normal School

Moved to Chicago, where he had plans to study at the Art Institute

Finds employment at the National Printing and Engraving Company

EarlyProfession

Moves to Cincinnati and works for the Vine Street Dime Museum

Draws for the “freak shows”

Marries Maude Leonore Dufour after meeting at the Museum in 1891

Draws advertisements for the Cincinnati Commercial Tribune

Moves to the Cincinnati Enquirer where he produces his first comic strip

New York Herald

Takes position at the New York Herald

His new serial strip, Little Sammy Sneeze, appears in the paper

Becomes the premiere comic illustrator

Other works published in the Herald include: The Story of the Hungry Henrietta, A Pilgrim’s Progress by Mister Bunion, and Little Nemo

“Little N

em

o”

Best known and most beloved comic strip is called Little Nemo in Slumberland

Little Nemo’s lovable characters also inspire McCay’s first attempts at moving animation

After a one-week preview run in Philadelphia, a musical opens on Broadwayhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seOGEwx0NfQ

Animated Film

Creates more animated films and moves to William Randolph Hearst’s newspaper empire

Second animated film named How a Mosquito Operates

Gertie The Dinosaur is another film about a dinosaur invested with human characteristics http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY40DHs9vc4

His final three films were Bug Vaudeville, The Pet and The Flying House

Films provided an innovative subject matter

Final Decade

Arrangement to continue booking performances

Source of conflict with William Randolph Hearst

Leaves the Hearst papers when his contract expires and returns to the New York Herald

Begs McCay to return to draw for him again

The Herald Tribune’s decision to drop Nemo undoubtedly influenced his decision to go back to Hearst.

Returns to drawing editorial cartoons, but pressure on him is intense

Death

Had plans to work on further films, but William Randolph Hearst refused to give him time off for animation

Hearst relied on him to produce editorial and political cartoons for his papers

Hearst saw McCay’s work deteriorating in both artistic acumen and wit

Continued to draw for Hearst until his death on July 26, 1934

Influences

Father of animation

See his influence everywhere

“There literally isn't an area of comics or animation that the influence of Winsor McCay can't be felt”

His works have inspired generations of artists such as such as William Joyce, Andre LeBlanc, Maurice Sendak, Chris Ware, and Bill Watterson.

Time Period

Heyday of Yellow Journalism

Accomplishments

A Pilgrim's Progress (1905-10)

Little Nemo in Slumberland(1905-14)

Poor Jake (1909-11)

Comic Strips

A Tale of the Jungle Imps by Felix Fiddle (1903)

Little Sammy Sneeze (1904-6)

Dream of the Rarebit Fiend (1904-13)

The Story of Hungry Henrietta (1905)

AccomplishmentsFilmography

Little Nemo (1911)

How a Mosquito Operates (1912)

Gertie the Dinosaur (1914)

The Sinking of the Lusitania (1918)

Dreams of the Rarebit Fiend: Bug Vaudeville (1921), The Pet (1921), The Flying House (1921)

The Centaurs (1921)

Gertie on Tour (1921)

Flip’s Circus (1921)

The Barnyard Performance (1922-27)

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The End