John Randolph Bray (1879-1978) was a pivotal figure in the development and organization of the animated cartoon industry in the United States. By introducing important technological advances along with new innovations in the organization and process of producing animated films, Bray earned a dual reputation as one who championed the success of the animated film industry and one who turned artistic work into an assembly-line production.

Bray was born on August 25, 1879, in Addison, Michigan, a small farming town where his father served as a minister. He entered Alma College in Michigan in 1895, but the following year abandoned his formal studies. In 1901 he became a reporter for the Detroit Evening News. During his two-year stint in Detroit, Bray's assignments included examining corpses at the morgue in order to recreate sensational accident reports. In 1903 he moved to New York to join the staff of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle as a...