STATE LIBRARY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

www.sI.nsw.gov.au
in the licture Gullery

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Curtoon hy lut Sullivun lor 4HE$AILY4ELEGRAPH, 4 Decemher 1D25, N 215
in the licture Gullery

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2ECLAIMING&ELIXTHE#AT recounts the story ol the exputriute
Austruliun urtist und entrepreneur lut Sullivun (18871D88,,
u Sydney hoy who settled in New York where he creuted the
curtoon churucter lelix the Cut. lelix rupidly evolved into un
internutionul stur und hecume u household nume uround the
world in the 1D2Os und 8Os.
lelix ussociuted with the royulty ol stuge und screen.
At the height ol his lume, during the 1D2Os, lelix sturred in
over 1OO lilms. He mude the controversiul Sullivun u weulthy
mun through the sule ol lilms, music, comic hooks, solt
toys und hudges us well us wooden, metul und cerumic
collectuhles und clothing.
lelix connected with people ol ull uges, nutionulities und
lrom ull wulks ol lile Sullivun even presented lelix dolls
to King George V und Queen Vury during the 1D24 ritish
Lmpire Lxhihition.
2ECLAIMING&ELIXTHE#AT, curuted hy 1udy Nelson, druws
u unique selection ol originul urtwork, sheet music und
comic hooks lrom the incompuruhle collections ol the
Stute Lihrury ol New South Wules. 1hunks ure ulso due
to 1osel Lehovic, who hus generously lent to the exhihition
u wonderlul ussortment ol lelix the Cut collectuhles.

Dugmur Schmidmuier AV
Stute Lihruriun & Chiel Lxecutive
Vuy 2OO5
1he licture Gullery presents highlights lrom the collections
ol the Stute Lihrury ol New South Wules.
1he Stute Lihrury ucknowledges the generous support
ol the Nelson Veers loundution.
1he Stute Lihrury grutelully ucknowledges the ussistunce
ol the Volunteer Guides in the licture Gullery.
A ree exhIbItIon rom z May to August zoo
Stute Lihrury ol New South Wules
Vucquurie Street Sydney NSW 2OOO
1elephone (O2, D278 1414
lucsimile (O2, D278 1255
11Y (O2, D278 1541
Lmuil lihrury@sl.nsw.gov.uu
www.sl.nsw.gov.uu
Lxhihition opening hours.
D um to 5 pm weekduys, 11 um to 5 pm weekends
und selected puhlic holiduys
Curutor. 1udy Nelson
lroect Vunuger. 1o de Vonchuux
Lditor. Helen Cumming
Lxhihition Designer. Vurtin Wule
Gruphic Designer. Dun Duy
All photogruphic / imuging work is hy Kute lollurd, Stute Lihrury lmuging Services
lreservution lroect Leuder. Annu rooks
lrinter. ::
luper. Novutech Sutin
lrint run. 4OOO
l&D1684O8/2OO5
lSSN 14482622
lSN O 7818 715O X
& lelix the Cut lroductions, lnc
Stute Lihrury ol New South Wules, Vuy 2OO5
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RecIaImIng FeIIx the Cat
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RecIaImIng FeIIx the Cat
'I made the cat and the cat made me`, prophetic words from
Pat Suivan (1887~1988), the Austraian creator of Ieix the
Cat, on a rare visit to Sydney in December 192b. Litte coud
Suivan know that some 4O years after his death in New York
on 1b Iebruary 1988, two Americans ~ cartoonist and
coeague Otto Messmer and author 1ohn Canemaker
~ woud dispute that Ieix the Cat was Suivan`s creation.
Unknown to his opponents, in March 1917 Pat Suivan
had submitted a cartoon fim, Thc Toil ol Thomos Koi
(the precursor of Ieix), to the Copyright Office of the Library
of Congress. His next fim, Fclinc Follics (November 1919),
reintroduced Thomas Kat as Master Tom. This cat became
the prototype for Ieix. Musicol Mcus foowed quicky in the
same month, with the cat renamed 'Ieix`. One month ater,
in Thc AJccniurcs ol Fclix, the itte back cat`s name appears
in the tite for the first time.
Rccloiming Fclix ihc Coi aims to te the story of Pat Suivan, i
cartoonist and entrepreneur, and the creation that became
a wordwide phenomenon. A Sydney boy, Suivan`s eary
cartooning for Thc Workcr preceded his traves to Lngand and r
then America, where he setted and found fame and fortune.
Reporters arrived quicky on Thursday 8 December 192b
when the P&O iner NorkunJo docked at wharf No. 8
Woooomoooo ~ an appropriate pace for the arriva
of the inner city boy who had 'made good`. The daiy
newspapers recorded Suivan`s triumpha return to Sydney,
according him ceebrity status. With his wife Marjorie by
his side, he attended a civic reception organised in his
honour, which was hosted by the Lord Mayor of Sydney.
EarIy days In Sydney
Though a weathy man by this time, Suivan`s origins were
humbe. Son of a Daringhurst cab proprietor, Suivan had
a Cathoic upbringing, going to schoo at St 8enedict`s in
Chippendae and ater at the Marist 8rothers` St Mary`s
Schoo in Woooomoooo. After eaving schoo, he worked
at various jobs, incuding as gatekeeper at the Toohey`s
brewery in Surry His. He attended casses at the Art
Society of New South Waes and earned a meagre income
seing caricatures of turf and boxing ceebrities to barbers`
shops and personaised caricatures to anyone wiing to
part with a few bob.

Lelt. Vr lut Sullivun und his wile, VL Q O5D/H

elow. Comic lrom 4HE&ELIX!NNUAL!DVENTURESOFTHE&ILM#AT, 1D2D
lut Sullivun, DL D8/866
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8y 19Ob, aged 18, he was submitting humorous and poitica
cartoons, caricatures and iustrations to Thc Workcr,
the trade union affiiated newspaper. His eary drawings for
Thc Workcr are itte known and appeared in issues during
August, September and November 19Ob and 1anuary 19O6.
In the Christmas issue (21 December 19Ob), Suivan`s work
incudes the banner design and individua iustrations for
'Around the Campfire: An A-Austraian Coection of Verse
Sketch and Story for the Christmas Season`.
He parted company with Thc Workcr in 19O7 and freeanced
for a whie. The visit of the American Ieet to Sydney in 19O8
stimuated his desire to go to the USA, and in 19O9 Suivan
eft Sydney for London and New York.
StruggIIng In London O New YorR
Suivan strugged to survive during his stay in London,
even seeping rough on the Thames Lmbankment when
necessary. He tried his hand at many different kinds of
jobs ~ everything from boxing, to singing and dancing
in London music has!
Lelt. Detuil ol comic hook cover
&LIXRVE ... 1D85, lut Sullivun,
VL Q 741.5/28
Right. Wooden lelix ligure
courtesy ol 1osel Lehovic Collection
o
contribute to the comic strip Ally Slopcr. This character rr
first appeared in 1867 in the weeky humour magazine
JuJy, which was modeed on the London yy Punch. During
the year and a haf that he contributed to Ally Slopcr, rr
Suivan earned the technique of drawing comic strips.
Christened Patrick O`Suivan, it was in London that he
finay decided to drop the 'O` (he had been signing his
work 'O`Suivan` and 'P. O`Suivan`).
Lmigrating to the United States in 1914, Suivan found
empoyment prospects as beak as in London. Comic
postcards and poster designs for the cinema provided his
first income in New York. The McCure newspaper syndicate
engaged him for a comic strip about the adventures of
a cooured boy caed Sambo. In 1914 Suivan worked
for McCure on Thc AJccniurcs ol Sombo, Johnny Bosion
Bcons, Obliging Oliccr and r OlJ Pop Pcrkins, which he
ater animated.
elow & right. Cover und comic lrom &ELIXTHE#AT, 1D261D27, lut Sullivun
VL Q 741.5/14

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The first Ieix fim took six months to compete and
Suivan, who regarded it as a faiure, was hospitaised for
five weeks suffering from a nervous breakdown. However,
the production of subsequent fims became easier. During
Suivan`s 192b visit to Austraia there was sufficient
materia for the fortnighty fim output to continue for
some months and for newspaper comic strips to appear
for nine months.
Ieix`s screen persona adopted some of the mannerisms
of Charie Chapin. The itte back cat was treated as an
individua, abe to think, reason and sove probems, often
with a wid disregard for reaity. Suivan manipuated Ieix`s
excamations and question marks, creating visua gags.
Ieix woud be shown pacing backwards and forwards with
frowns and puzzed ooks unti he seizes upon a soution to
his probem: question marks become grapping hooks,
three excamation marks metamorphose into a propeer
for escape. A singe excamation mark payfuy doubes
as a bat and ba. When Ieix was not surrounded by the
fantastic, he created it.
Animation ~ in its infancy with the experimenta work of
Windsor McCay ~ not ony gave cartoonists a whoe new
vehice for their taents but aso provided a soution to the
perennia probem of suggesting movement. Comic strip
artists embraced the new medium enthusiasticay.
Suivan freeanced for a whie and was empoyed by the
Hearst Syndicate before opening his own sma studio in
New York in 191b, on the corner of 8roadway and 68rd
Street. He produced his first animated fim, Thc Toil ol
Thomos Koi, and submitted it for copyright in March 1917. ii
This cat was the precursor to Ieix.
FeIIx the Cat aggears
Whie Ieix first appeared in fims in 1919 (in Thc AJccniurcs
ol Fclix), it wasn`t unti 1928 that Ieix, the animated fim x
hero, appeared in comic strip form. 8y now Suivan had
12 men working on sequentia animation and printing.
A new Ieix fim was issued every two weeks, requiring
a arge number of separate drawings. With the studio
system empoyed by Suivan, he produced the key
drawings and his staff drew the animated sequences
and inked in the images.
B
Lelt. 1in pullulong toy, courtesy ol 1osel Lehovic Collection
Ahove lelt. Souvenir ol Kutoomhu (1uken ut Lcho loint,, c. 1D28
photogruph hy D. Lvuns, VL VlN 418
Ahove right. 1eu purty ut 'Highlield', Glen Osmond, Victoriu, c. 1D2D
courtesy ol Duwn litzputrick
zz zo
Whie the origina Ieix was an anguar cat, often shown
with severe facia expressions, his form graduay became
softer and more rounded. His reguar appearance on
cinema screens saw Ieix`s name up in ights aongside
screen uminaries such as 8uster Keaton, Harod Loyd and
Charie Chapin. The cat`s fame spread from Lngand and
Lurope to China, 1apan and South America. Royaties from
the manufacture of Ieix toys added to Suivan`s fortune.
Speaking to the Argus newspaper during his 192b visit to
Austraia, Suivan expained the origins of Ieix: 'The idea ...
was given to me by the sight of a cat which my wife brought
to the office one day`. Irom such a prosaic beginning, more
than 1OO cartoon fims were produced and distributed
wordwide by 1988.
elow & right. Selection ol &ELIXTHE#AT comic hooks, VL Q 741.5/82, T
VL Q 741.5/88, DL D8/866, VL Q 741.O5/1 SL1

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Return to New YorR
Ioowing their famiy reunion in Sydney in 192b, the
Suivans returned to New York. Sady, his wife met an
untimey, accidenta death in March 1982. On 1 1anuary
the foowing year, Suivan signed a three-year contract
with Paramount for Ieix cartoons, but, unfortunatey,
he died from pneumonia six weeks ater in New York`s
Sherman Square Hospita. The obituary in Smiih's Wcckly
(2b Iebruary 1988), farewes Suivan with this parting ine:
'A biion chidren, white and yeow and back ~ a biion
aduts ~ wi mourn the passing of Pat ~ and the Cat`.
FeIIx Is revIved
As the 198Os progressed, the popuarity of Ieix decined.
Two contributing factors often cited are the onset of sound
in fims and the burgeoning popuarity of Mickey Mouse.
8ut in the 19bOs 1oe Orioo (once Otto Messmer`s assistant),
revived Ieix. Orioo, president of Ieix the Cat Productions
(estabished 19b9) recruited Messmer, who had worked in
Suivan`s studio, to draw the cat. This new Ieix, created
from circuar shapes, had more in common with Wat
Disney characters ~ incuding a friendier disposition.
Since Suivan`s death, caims have been made that Ieix
was not Suivan`s creation. Artists in Suivan`s studio had
ghosted the comic strip, and Otto Messmer was the most
taented and frequenty mentioned. However, the animated
Ieix preceded the comic strip by some four years,
and Messmer`s caim ~ made many years ater in the
absence of any defence from Suivan ~ needs to
be treated with caution.
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Ahove. lut Sullivun und his wile Vurorie with hundreds ol thousunds
ol entries in the 'Druw lelix' competition, New York, 1D28, VL lXD D46
Right. Decoruted hucket with lid, courtesy 1osel Lehovic Collection
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One of Ieix`s nine ives was spent pioneering the experimenta
phase of back & white teevision broadcasts. The first back
& white teevision broadcast ~ by RCA via W2X8S New York
in zqzB ~ used a Ieix do in pace of a human mode, because
it coud withstand heat from the intense ighting used. The tona
contrast of the back and white cat was aso usefu. The do was
fimed for two hours each day, and this experiment asted for
amost a decade whie RCA finetuned its picture definition.
In the zqz parade, with the band paying 'When the moon comes
over the mountain`, baoons were reeased and the Ieix baoon
drifted off over the Lmpire State 8uiding.
In 8razi in the zqos, chidren`s book author Monteiro Lobato
introduced Ieix as a guest ceebrity in one of his books.
Other FeIIx acts
Pat Suivan hed copyright for the name 'Ieix the Cat` and for
at east 2OO different Ieix toys of various sizes manufactured
internationay. Aso, there was a weath of Ieix coectabes
such as postcards, cigarette cards, comic books, pencis, jigsaw
puzzes, sheet music and recordings, tin toys, chinaware and
teapots, siver spoons, brooches, tiepins, piow sips, cothing,
woo-winders, confectionery and various other noveties.
A skied tite writer and punster, Pat Suivan came up with the
foowing fim tites:
Bolloonoiics
A Tolc ol Tuo Kiiiics
No Fuclin'
Wisc Guisc
Dozc onJ Knighis
Foriy ThousonJ Loughs unJcr ihc Sco
Fclix ihc Coi in BlunJcrlonJ
Fclix ihc Coi Collors ihc Buiion
Fclix ihc Coi in Zoo Logic
Fclix ihc Coi in Gcrm Monio
Fclix ihc Coi os Romccou
Fclix ihc Coi in SurcLockcJ Homcs
Ieix was not the first fim cat. Irom zqz to zqzB, Hearst`s
Internationa Iim Service Studio produced George Herriman`s
Krazy Kat.
Ieix the Cat appeared in fims in zqzq, four years before the
comic books were pubished in 1928.
In Iebruary zqzz, students of the Roya Coege of Art took
their 'Iamous Ieix the Cat` to the Chesea Arts 8a in London,
saying: 'He is going to be up to his tricks too!` Their Ieix was
approximatey 1b feet high and was surrounded by handmaidens
wearing Ieix masks. Let the show begin.
Pat Suivan was invited to London for the 8ritish Lmpire
Lxhibition at Wembey in zqzq. King George V and Queen Mary
were each given a Ieix do to take home. Suivan is reported to
have earned S1OO OOO from the sae of Ieix toys at the Lxhibition.
Ieix dos dispaced saes of Teddy bears in Lngand in zqzq.
Saes of Ieix fims distributed by Pathe in Lurope made Ieix the
Cat word famous in zqzq.
In zqz Ieix fims entertained chidren and aduts in Germany,
South Africa and China. Ieix`s comic strip was pubished in more
than 6O newspapers wordwide.
Contrary to popuar beief, a Ieix do did noi accompany Chares
Lindbergh (19O2~1974) on his 86-hour transatantic fight on the
Spirit of St Louis from 2O to 21 May zqz.
Ieix created his own aeronautica adventures in the zqz fim,
NonSiop Frighi. He takes up the chaenge to fy to Timbuctoo |sic|
to win $bO OOO.
In zqz, Macy`s Annua Thanksgiving Parade enisted the services
of huge air-fied puppets. Tony Sarg, a puppeteer and chidren`s
book iustrator, was commissioned to create the huge puppets.
Ieix the Cat made his debut appearance eading the parade.
In zqzB the puppets were repaced by heium baoons, which
unexpectedy burst above the towering skyscrapers. They were
redesigned with safety vaves in zqzq, and rewards were offered
for their retrieva.
FACTS
Ahove lelt. %VERYONESmuguzine, 8O Decemher 1D25, VL Q 7D2.OO5/L
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Music by Pete Wending & Max Kortander, words by Afred 8ryan
Fclix, ihc Coi performed by The 1azz Artists, 1928
Parophone, 1928
78 r.p.m. record
Collection ol Vike Sutclille
Music by Pete Wending & Max Kortander, words by Afred 8ryan
Fclix ihc Coi, 1928
Music score
Sam Iox Pub. Co., Ceveand, 1928
VL VUSlC llLL/KOR
Photographer unknown
Pat Suivan and his wife Marjorie with hundreds of thousands of entries
in the 'Draw Ieix` competition, New York, 1928
Pen & ink drawing on photograph
VL lXD D46
Pamea Debenham
Ausirolio Fclix, 1982
Sik-screen print
lrivute collection
Pat Suivan
Flix rccc ... 198b
Comic book
Hachette, Paris
VL Q 741.5/28
Pat Suivan
Flix lc Choi, 1981
Comic book
Hachette, Paris
VL Q 741.5/51
Photographer unknown
Sir Chares Kingsford Smith, Lage Iarm, 8risbane, 9 1anuary 1928
Lnargement of photograph
Stute Lihrury ol Queenslund imuge no. 171865
Thc SyJncy Moil, 1 1uy 1986, pp. 18~19
Newspaper
N 886
Pat Suivan
Fclix ihc Coi, 1967
Comic books
Page Pubications Pty. Ltd, Surry His, 1967
VL K O175D
Pat Suivan
Fclix ihc Coi, 1971
Comic books
Page Pubications Pty. Ltd, Surry His, 1971
VL K O175D
D. Lvans
Souccnir ol Koioombo (Tokcn oi Lcho Poini), c. 1928
Tintype
VL VlN 418
Ieix the Cat memorabiia, c. 192Os~198Os
Various media
Courtesy ol 1osel Lehovic Collection
Fclix ihc Coi, pre~1966
Comic books
Lmsdae Pubications Pty. Ltd, Sydney
VL Q 741.O5/1 SL1
Item IIst
Pat Suivan
Three Ieix the Cat comic strips, c. 1927
Pen & ink drawing
VL lXD D46
Pat Suivan
|Greetings from Pat Suivan to Ldward Perier|, c. 198O~82
Penci drawing
VL SSV*/CAR1/4O
Photographer unknown
Mr Pat Suivan and his wife
Lnargement from Thc Homc, 1 1anuary 1926, p. 74
VL Q O5D/H
8rian Geach
Surfers, 8ondi 8each, NSW, 2OO4
Lnargement of photograph
Collection ol Austruliun 1ourist Commission
Pat Suivan
Fclix ihc Coi, 1926~1927
Origina comic book and reproduced pages
McLoughin 8ros. Inc., Springfied Mass., 1927
VL Q 741.5/14
Pat Suivan
Thc Fclix Annuol. AJccniurcs ol ihc Film Coi, 1929
Comic book
Daiy Sketch & Sunday Graphic Limited, Sydney
DL D8/866
Photographer unknown
Tea party at 'Highfied`, Gen Osmond, Victoria, c. 1929
Lnargement of photograph
Courtesy ol Duwn litzputrick
Lccryonc's, 8O December 192b, pp. 12~18
Magazine
VL Q 7D2.OO5/L
Pat Suivan
Wor Dozc' uiih Fclix |1987|
Comic book
Offset Printing Coy. Pty. Ltd, Sydney
VL Q 741.5/82
Pat Suivan
Fclix ihc Coi in Pcrils in Pcorls' |1989|
Comic book
Offset Printing Coy. Pty. Ltd, Sydney
VL Q 741.5/88
Fclix Follous ihc Suollous, 192b
Cartoon fim footage
VC1
lootuge provided hy the Nutionul lilm und Sound Archive
Fclix LcnJs o HonJ, 1922
Cartoon fim footage
VC1
lootuge provided hy the Nutionul lilm und Sound Archive
Music by Pete Wending & Max Kortander, words by Afred 8ryan
Fclix, ihc Coi performed by Pau Whiteman and his orchestra, 1928
Sound recording of 78 r.p.m. record
Coumbia, 1928
Collection ol Vike Sutclille
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Right. lelix ligure, courtesy 1osel Lehovic Collection
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lrom comic hook, VL Q 741.O5/1 SL1
ed lelix illustrutions, VL Q 741.O5/1 SL1,
8, VL VUSlC llLL/KOR, Q 741.5/51,
7
2O