Who Is Tex Avery? Age, Biography, and Wiki
Tex Avery was born on February 26, 1908, and though he passed away in 1980, his impact continues to resonate through the animation industry. Known for his iconic characters and pioneering animation techniques, Avery revolutionized the art of cartoons. His works, including the likes of Bugs Bunny and Droopy, remain classics, influencing generations of animators and filmmakers.
| Occupation | Voice Actors |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | February 26, 1908 |
| Age | 72 Years |
| Birth Place | Taylor, Texas, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Pisces |
| Country | U.S |
| Date of death | 26 August, 1980 |
| Died Place | Burbank, California, U.S. |
Popularity
Tex Avery's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
During his lifetime, Tex Avery was known for his distinctive presence in the animation world rather than his physical appearance. Unfortunately, specific measurements regarding his height and weight are not well-documented, as much of the focus was placed on his groundbreaking contributions to animation rather than personal characteristics.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Tex Avery was married to his beloved wife, Ella Avery, until her passing in 1980. While there is no publicly known boyfriend or girlfriend position to disclose, it is evident that Tex's focus was primarily on his career and creative pursuits. His dedication to storytelling and character creation overshadowed any public romantic life.
Two days after being fired from Universal in spring 1935, Avery married his girlfriend, Patricia Johnson. She was also employed at Universal Studios as an inker. The newlyweds spent a long honeymoon in Oregon, but had to return to Los Angeles when they ran out of money.
Net Worth and Salary
At the time of his passing, Tex Avery had achieved significant financial success through his work with major studios like Warner Bros. and MGM. His net worth was estimated to be in the millions, thanks to his talent in creating timeless characters that continue to earn revenue through syndication and merchandise. While specific figures for 2025 are speculative, Avery’s legacy undoubtedly continues to generate income.
Avery was reportedly displeased with his salary and had started giving up on his work. After about six weeks of substandard work, his superiors let him go. In April 1935, Avery lost his job at the Universal studio.
Career, Business, and Investments
Tex Avery's career is marked by innovation and passion. He started working in animation in the 1920s, and by the 1940s, he had established himself as one of the leading figures in the industry. His work transformed the animation medium, introducing humor and creativity that defied conventional boundaries. His relationships with studios led to some of the most beloved cartoons of all time.
In terms of investments, Avery is not known for any significant business ventures outside of animation. However, his influence and the copyrights to his creations have certainly contributed to continuous earnings over the years, showing that his work is still highly regarded in the entertainment industry.
On January 1, 1928, Avery arrived in Los Angeles. He spent the next few months working in menial jobs. According to animation historian Michael Barrier, these jobs included working in a warehouse, working on the docks at night, loading fruits and vegetables, and painting cars.
He began his animation career when hired by the Winkler studio (named after producer Margaret J. Winkler and later known as Screen Gems). He was an inker, inking cels for animated short films in the Oswald the Lucky Rabbit series; the character had been created by Walt Disney.
Avery then moved to a new studio, Universal Cartoon Studios (later known as Walter Lantz Productions). He was again employed as an inker, but moved rapidly up the studio's hierarchy. By 1930, Avery had been promoted to the position of animator.
Social Network
Although Tex Avery himself did not use social media (given that he lived before the era of the internet), numerous fan pages and websites commemorate his work today. Animation enthusiasts regularly celebrate Avery’s legacy through various platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, ensuring his contributions to the field are recognized and remembered.
Avery was granted exclusive use of four animators: Bob Clampett, Chuck Jones, Sid Sutherland, and Virgil Ross. The first animated short film produced by this unit was Gold Diggers of '49 (1935), the third Looney Tunes film starring Beans. Beans was also featured in the film's title card, signifying that he was the intended protagonist.
The film had a Western setting and cast Beans as a gold miner. Also featured in the film was a redesigned Porky Pig, making his second appearance.
The Avery unit was assigned to work primarily on the black-and-white Looney Tunes instead of the Technicolor Merrie Melodies, but was allowed to make color Merrie Melodies beginning with Page Miss Glory from 1936.
Avery was also noted to be the first to stray away from using song breaks in color cartoons starting with the 1937 short Uncle Tom's Bungalow, later saying that "We were forced to use a song, which would just ruin the cartoon.
You'd try like a fool to get funny, but it was seldom you did." Avery stopped using Beans following Gold Diggers of '49, but continued using Porky as a star character. According to Michael Barrier, Beans was more of a straight man. However, Porky had to be redesigned again. The early Porky was decidedly "piglike" in appearance.
In Michael Barrier's description, Porky was very fat, had small eyes, a large snout, and pronounced jowls. He was like a porcine version of Roscoe Arbuckle. Starting with Porky the Rainmaker (1936), his fourth animated short starring Porky, Avery introduced a cuter version of Porky. The new design gave Porky more prominent eyes and a smaller snout.
The jowls were replaced by chubby cheeks. Porky's body now had a rounder shape; its defining trait was not fatness, but softness. Barrier notes that the new design by Avery departed from the "Disneyish" realism in the previous drawing style. Porky became a less realistic pig and looked more like a cartoon character.
Education
Tex Avery attended North Texas State University and later studied at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts. His education laid the groundwork for his remarkably creative mind, where he honed his skills in illustration and animation, eventually leading to his groundbreaking career.
Avery graduated in 1926 from North Dallas High School. A popular catchphrase at his school was "What's up, doc?", which he later used for Bugs Bunny in the 1940s. Interested in becoming a newspaper cartoonist, he took a three-month summer course at the Chicago Art Institute but left after a month.
