Pioneering cartoon animator Joseph Oriolo was born in New Jersey in 1913. As a child, he drew constantly and dreamed of becoming a cartoon animator. In 1933, he went to work for the famous Fleischer Brothers Studios. It was during this time that one of Oriolo's most famous creations, 'Casper The Friendly Ghost', was conceived. In 1943, after Paramount Studios bought Fleischer Brothers Studios, the Oriolo family moved back to New Jersey.
At Paramount, Joe was introduced to Otto Messmer, the creator of 'Felix The Cat'. In 1958, Joe became a business partner with Pat Sullivan, nephew of William O. Sullivan, the original copyright owner of 'Felix the Cat'. Together, they created the pilot show for the award-winning 'Felix the Cat' television series. During this period, Joe was inspired to create a new cartoon character: 'Poindexter'. Joe's inspiration was his lawyer, Emmet Poindexter. Joseph Oriolo passed away in 1985.
