Early Career
Born in the Kent, Connecticut, he attended and studied animation at the Rhode Island School of Design and after he graduated he was hired by Hanna-Barbera Productions. He later worked as an animator and writer on the TV series Johnny Bravo and Cow and Chicken.
September 11 Experience
On September 11, 2001 he was scheduled to return to Los Angeles on American Airlines Flight 11 after being a keynote speaker at his alma-mater in Rhode Island. His travel agent gave him the wrong flight time, and he arrived at Boston Logan Airport a few minutes after boarding was finished. He was told he would have to wait for the next flight. At 8:45am one hour after the departure of American Airlines Flight 11, it was hijacked by terrorists and crashed into One World Trade Center (North Tower) in New York City killing all onboard.
In an interview in USA Today a few days after the attacks he said that he was unable to get in touch with his office or his family in Los Angeles and he ended up driving half way across the country before he finally was able to get his office and his parents to tell them that he was alright. He also said that he thanked God that his travel agent had screwed up the departure time or he would have been on board and he wouldn't have known what to do when the terrorists took over the plane.