Fred Quimby
The MGM studio boss who, though not an animator himself, produced the chaotic genius of Tom and Jerry to win seven Academy Awards.
1886–1965 (age 79)·American animation producer·Birthday: July 31·The Lost Generation
Biography
Fred Quimby was the suit in the room where the magic happened. A former newsreel salesman and studio manager, he was put in charge of MGM's fledgling cartoon division in the late 1930s. His genius was not in drawing but in administration and delegation; he hired the right people and gave them space. He paired the meticulous William Hanna with the gag-driven Joseph Barbera, a partnership that created Tom and Jerry. Under Quimby's pragmatic oversight, the unit also unleashed the surreal energy of Tex Avery, resulting in classics like 'Red Hot Riding Hood.' Though often portrayed in caricature as a humorless bureaucrat—even by his own animators—his business acumen provided the stability that allowed wild creativity to flourish, resulting in a trophy case of Oscars for the studio.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Fred was born in 1886, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Fred Was Born
The biggest hits of 1886
Fred's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1886Born
Statue of Liberty dedicated in New York Harbor
President: Grover Cleveland
1891Started school
President: Benjamin Harrison
1899Became a teenager
President: William McKinley
1902Could drive
The eruption of Mount Pelee kills 30,000 in Martinique
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1904Could vote
New York City opens its first subway line
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1907Turned 21
Financial panic grips Wall Street
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1916Turned 30
The Battle of the Somme claims over a million casualties
President: Woodrow Wilson
1926Turned 40
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1936Turned 50
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1946Turned 60
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1956Turned 70
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1965Died at 79
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
Key Achievements
- Produced the Tom and Jerry cartoon series, which won seven Academy Awards for Best Animated Short Film.
- Served as the head of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio from 1937 until his retirement in 1955.
- Oversaw the development and release of cartoons featuring characters like Droopy, Barney Bear, and Screwy Squirrel.
- Hired and managed a legendary stable of animators and directors including Tex Avery, William Hanna, and Joseph Barbera.
Did You Know?
He was the on-screen recipient of all seven Tom and Jerry Oscars, though he always credited Hanna and Barbera.
Quimby had no background in animation prior to running MGM's cartoon unit.
He started his career in the film industry distributing newsreels and short subjects.
The character of a blustering, bald studio executive in many MGM cartoons was a caricature of Quimby.
“My job is to find the talent, give them what they need, and stay out of the way.”
