Andy Donato has ended a newspaper career that stretched across 65 years. He joined the Toronto Telegram in 1961 as a staff artist and later became its art director, occasionally filling in with editorial cartoons.

His first political cartoon came in 1964, during the national debate over Canada’s new flag. Donato later recalled that the editor accepted the drawing for publication, opening the way for more political work.

Early political work

Donato’s political cartoons soon appeared in the Toronto Telegram. Wanting more opportunities to draw editorial work, he also received permission to contribute to the weekly Bramalea Guardian.

The Toronto Sun years

When the Toronto Telegram closed in 1971, Donato moved directly to the newly established Toronto Sun, where he was hired as art director.

At first he drew two cartoons a week, alternating with Yardley Jones. When the Sunday edition was introduced in 1973, his output increased to three a week, and later to five after Jones left the paper. Donato eventually became the Sun‘s full-time editorial cartoonist.

Donato’s bird

A small bird also became part of Donato’s visual signature. He began using it in the 1980s after drawing one in a tree almost by accident. By 1984 it had become familiar enough that readers began looking for it in each new cartoon.

Retirement — and another 29 years

Donato retired from his staff position at the Toronto Sun in 1997, but continued drawing for the newspaper on contract.

That arrangement lasted almost three decades. His cartoons continued appearing in the paper through 2026.

65 years in newspapers

Donato received Canada’s National Newspaper Award for editorial cartooning in 1976 and later served as president of both the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists and the Association of Canadian Cartoonists. He was inducted into the Canadian News Hall of Fame in 2016.

His newspaper career began at the Toronto Telegram in 1961 and ended with his final Toronto Sun cartoons in 2026.