Minka's Bear Passion

Biography Marten Toonder

1912

Marten was born on May 2 in Rotterdam (the Netherlands). His father Marten senior was a sea captain and his mother was Trijntje Huizinga.

1918/1930

Marten's school years.

1931

After his final exams he goes to Buenos Aires with his father. Here he meets Dante Quinterno and makes the decision to become a comic writer. His parents were not that thrilled with it, but it had been his father who had brought him in contact with comics, bringing them with him form his long journeys.

1932

He starts his first comic strips 'Tobias', 'the Adventures of Bram Ibraham' and 'Uk and Puk'.

1935

Marten Toonder and Phiny Dick get married. Phiny also made drawings, children books and comics. A perfect partner for Marten, in private and as business-partner.

1934/1938

Thijs Ice appears in newspapers, made by Marten Toonder, his wife Phiny and his brother Jan Gerhard. Marten had the ideas and made the sketches, his wife made the drawings and his brother wrote the stories.

1941

First comic of Tom Puss is first published in 'de Telegraaf' on March 16, because the American Mickey Mouse had to disappear due to the war. Already in the third story, Mr. Bumble appears for the first time and makes several appearances in the comic. In the Tom Puss stories, lots of characters and places appear, which would re-appear in the later Bumble-comics.

1942

Foundation of the Marten Toonder Studios, originally to produce animated cartoons.

1946

The Tom Puss comic appears in more then 50 newspapers all over the world. New comics are made: Kappie, Panda, and King Hollewijn. More and more cartoons are made. Marten Toonder Studios are thriving and lots of Dutch comic writers start their career at the studios.

1964

Marten leaves the company behind him and goes to live in Ireland, where he can devote all of his time to his Tom Puss comic and less to commercial aspects of the studios.

1983

Premiere of the comic film 'Als je begrijpt wat ik bedoel'. Marten had worked on it with producer Rob Houwer for over two years.

1986

The last Bumble-story is made and Marten Toonder starts writing his biography and some poetry books.

1990

His wife Phiny Dick dies.

2005

Marten Toonder died.

Marten Toonder Phiny Dick

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