Personal Life
Born in Marion, Indiana, Davis grew up on a small farm in Fairmount, Indiana, with his father James William Davis, mother Anna Catherine (Carter) Davis, brother Dave and 25 cats. Davis's childhood on a farm parallels the life of Garfield's owner, Jon Arbuckle, who was also raised on a farm with his parents and a brother, Doc Boy. Jon is a cartoonist, who also celebrates his birthday on July 28. Davis attended Ball State University. While attending Ball State, he became a member of the Theta Xi fraternity.
Ironically, considering his fame as a cartoonist who draws a cat, Davis's first wife, Carolyn (Altekruse), was allergic to cats, although they owned a dog named Molly. They have a son, James Alexander Davis. On July 16, 2000, Davis married his current wife, Jill. They have three children: James, Ashley and Christopher.
Davis resides in Albany, Indiana, where he and his staff produce Garfield under his Paws, Inc. company, launched in 1981. Paws, Inc. employs nearly 50 artists and licensing administrators, who work with agents around the world managing Garfield's vast licensing, syndication and entertainment empire.
Davis is a former President of the Fairmount, Indiana, FFA chapter.
Read more about this topic: Jim Davis (cartoonist)
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