On this day, August 16, 1892, Otto Messmer was born in West Hoboken (now, Union City), New Jersey. Messmer studied at the Thomas School of Art in New York City. He began his career creation illustrations for fashion catalogs. Inspired by Winsor McCay, Messmer began making comics for local newspapers. He created the proto-type of Felix the Cat in 1919 while working for the Patrick Sullivan studio in New York.