Fables Pictures

Paul Terry
Born	Template:Birth date California, U.S.
Died	October 25, 1971(1971-10-25) (aged 84) New York, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Animator, screenwriter, director, producer
Years active	1915–1955
Known for	Creator of Terrytoons; characters including Mighty Mouse, Heckle and Jeckle, Gandy Goose, Dinky Duck

Paul Houlton Terry (February 19, 1887 – October 25, 1971) was a prominent American animator, screenwriter, director, and producer. Over a span of four decades from 1915 to 1955, he created more than 1,300 animated shorts, many of which were made under the Terrytoons banner. The studio’s most iconic figure was Mighty Mouse, accompanied by other notable characters such as Heckle and Jeckle, Gandy Goose, and Dinky Duck.

Early life

Terry was born in California to parents Joseph and Minnie Perron and spent his formative years in San Francisco. In 1904, he began his career as a news photographer and cartoonist for several newspapers including the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Call, and the San Francisco Examiner. He created a weekly comic strip called "Alonzo" for the San Francisco Call in 1909 before his brother John assumed responsibility for it in 1910. That same year, Terry relocated to New York City to join the staff of the New York Press.

Inspired by Winsor McCay’s Gertie the Dinosaur in 1914, Terry ventured into animation. While still employed at the newspaper, he produced his first animated short, Little Herman, which he completed at home and sold to the Thanhouser Company in 1915. Later that year, he introduced Down on the Phoney Farm, featuring the debut of Farmer Al Falfa.

In 1916, Terry became part of Bray Productions, where he directed and produced eleven shorts starring Farmer Al Falfa. Before the year concluded, he departed Bray but retained ownership of the Farmer Al Falfa character.

Paul Terry Productions

In 1917, Terry established Paul Terry Productions, releasing nine animated shorts including one featuring Farmer Al Falfa. He temporarily closed his studio to serve during World War I. After returning from military service in 1919, he briefly oversaw cartoon production for Paramount Magazine. By 1920, he had secured an agreement with screenwriter Howard Estabrook to develop the Aesop's Fables animation series.

Fables Pictures

In 1920, Terry joined forces with Amedee J. Van Beuren to form Fables Pictures, signing a distribution contract with Pathé Pictures on June 7, 1921. Their initial release premiered on June 19 that year. Under this collaboration, Terry produced both the Aesop's Film Fables series and additional Farmer Al Falfa cartoons. Prompted by Van Beuren’s encouragement to adopt sound technology, Terry released Dinner Time in September 1928—two months prior to Walt Disney’s Steamboat Willie.

The partnership dissolved in 1929 due to conflicting views on sound film production methods. Subsequently, Terry founded the Terrytoons studio based in New York City before relocating it in 1932 to New Rochelle, close to the Thanhouser Company that had purchased his earlier works. Van Beuren retained control of "Fables Pictures," rebranding it as "Van Beuren Studios."

Terrytoons

Under Terry’s leadership, Terrytoons produced a wide range of animated shorts featuring characters like Gandy Goose, Mighty Mouse, and Heckle and Jeckle. Initially distributed by Educational Pictures, the studio transitioned to 20th Century Fox following its acquisition in 1937. Terry prioritized economical animation methods such as "cel animation" and resisted adopting more elaborate production techniques. This approach allowed his studio to remain profitable while many competitors struggled financially. He famously compared himself to Walt Disney by saying, "Walt Disney is the Tiffany's of the business, and I am the Woolworth's."

Later years

In 1955, Terry decided to retire after selling his studio and film collection to CBS for $5 million. The following year, Gene Deitch took on the role of creative supervisor, bringing fresh characters like Clint Clobber and John Doormat to the lineup. Once Deitch's three-year period ended, well-known figures such as Mighty Mouse and Heckle & Jeckle made a comeback, accompanied by newer additions including Deputy Dawg. Throughout the late 1960s, CBS maintained use of the Terrytoons catalog for Saturday morning shows while continuing to develop original theatrical and television productions.

Terry passed away in New York on October 25, 1971, at the age of 84. During his retirement, he resided at the Westchester Country Club in Rye, New York, dedicating his time to painting and sculpting. He was survived by his nephew, the animator Alex Anderson. Terry's wife, Irma, had died two years earlier in 1969; their daughter Patricia Terry-Leahy is the custodian of his cremated remains in North Carolina.