Photo: Ducky / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Jim Davis built an empire out of a lazy, lasagna-loving cat, and I respect that more than most people realize. Garfield has run since 1978 and become one of the most syndicated strips on earth, yet Davis got there only after his earlier creation, Gnorm Gnat, flopped. That willingness to pivot from a bug to a cat is the quiet genius of his career. There is a lovely irony in the fact that drawing the world's most committed slacker required relentless daily discipline. The Inkpot and Reuben awards confirm it, but the longevity says it louder.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Jim Davis
- Name (Japanese)
- ジム・デイビス
- Reading
- じむ・でいびす
- Born
- July 28, 1945 (age 80)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Leo / Rooster
- Origin
- Fairmount, Indiana, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- screenwriter / comics artist / television producer / film director / cartoonist
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Ball State University
Awards & achievements
- 2016 Inkpot Award
- 1989 Reuben Award
- 1991 honorary doctor of Purdue University
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Gnorm Gnat | — | |
| Notable work | Garfield | — |
6. Links
- Official sitehttp://www.garfield.com/
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B8%E3%83%A0%E3%83%BB%E3%83%87%E3%82%A4%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9
Frequently asked questions
When was Jim Davis born?
Born July 28, 1945 (age 80).
Where is Jim Davis from?
Jim Davis is from Fairmount, Indiana, United States.
What does Jim Davis do?
Jim Davis works as screenwriter, comics artist, television producer, film director, cartoonist.
What is Jim Davis known for?
Notable works include Gnorm Gnat, Garfield.
Screenwriter — see all → · Comics artist — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-18
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.