Winsor McCay

Winsor McCay was an American cartoonist and animator whose work helped expand the possibilities of both newspaper comics and moving drawings. His Little Nemo in Slumberland strip, first published in 1905, used elaborate page designs and dreamlike transformations to carry its young protagonist through imaginary worlds.

McCay also worked as an editorial cartoonist and created early animated films. He presented Gertie the Dinosaur as part of a vaudeville act, appearing on stage to address an animated creature on the screen. His work connects the large-format colour newspaper page with the beginnings of character animation and the live performance traditions surrounding early cinema.