Was the world's first cartoon superstar actually created by a modest, uncredited animator?

Art · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Before Mickey Mouse, Felix the Cat was the undisputed king of animation. While producer Pat Sullivan claimed the credit and the profits for decades, history now recognizes Otto Messmer as the true creative genius behind the iconic character. Discover the hidden story of the silent era's most mischievous feline star.

Felix the Cat emerged in 1919 as a global sensation, becoming the first cartoon character to achieve true stardom. For over 40 years, the public believed the character was the sole invention of Pat Sullivan, the studio head who billed every film, comic strip, and piece of merchandise under his own name. Sullivan even perpetuated a myth that his wife suggested the idea after bringing home a stray cat. However, the reality was far different. Otto Messmer, a talented animator hired by Sullivan in 1915, was the actual creative force behind Felix. Messmer’s biographer concluded that he was the primary architect of the character's design and personality, a view that is now broadly accepted by animation historians.

The character's success was built on a foundation of simplicity and charm. Felix was joyous, shrewd, and famously mischievous, often walking in circles when he encountered a problem. His simple black-and-white form made him easy to animate, a technique that influenced countless cartoonists who followed. By 1923, Felix was so popular that he became the first cartoon character to be heavily merchandised, appearing on everything from stuffed dolls to key chains. That same year, the musical tribute 'Felix Kept on Walking' became the most popular song in Great Britain, cementing his status as a cultural phenomenon.

The decline of the original Felix series was as dramatic as his rise. Sullivan, struggling with personal issues including alcohol and health problems, stubbornly resisted the industry's shift toward sound cinema. By 1931, the series was discontinued, just as Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse began to dominate the market. Sullivan died in 1933 without leaving the rights to Messmer, as he had once promised. Messmer, a modest man who avoided the spotlight, did not fight for the rights. It was not until the late 1960s that he finally received long-overdue recognition for his work, being hailed as a pioneer who defined the early language of animation.

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