Andy Donato, the Toronto Sun’s cartoonist and designer, dies at 89

# Overview

# What he did at the Toronto Sun Donato was among the small group of "Day Oners" who launched the Toronto Sun after the Toronto Telegram folded. As the paper's art director he designed the first Toronto Sun logo, the original front page and the general look of the paper. The biography The Little Paper That Grew credited him with providing much of the Sun's early visual identity, often creating work at home — the first designs were produced on his kitchen table in the weeks before the paper's debut.

He continued to apply that design role to other papers the Sun acquired over the years. Inside the newsroom staff called him "the franchise," a nickname tied to how closely his work matched the voice the paper wanted: fun, hard-hitting, irascible and original.

# His role as cartoonist and public voice Donato's cartoons ran in the Sun for more than five decades. The paper described him as its court jester in the older sense: a social commentator and gadfly who used humour, satire and exaggeration to mock the powerful when warranted.

Founding editor Peter Worthington and founding publisher Doug Creighton praised Donato in memoirs and autobiographies. Worthington called him "a priceless asset" and a "cartooning genius." Creighton recalled their long working relationship and an incident where two of Donato's cartoons that had been killed were later sold as collector items at a charitable auction for $1,000 each.

# Public reaction and recent context Twitter account and published what it called his last cartoon. The account message emphasized Donato's long service and offered condolences to his family and friends.

A recent related account reported that Donato retired only days before his death. Other outlets and posts in the days after his death referenced his final weeks at the paper, including references to cartoons he submitted near the end of his career.

# Why this matters Donato's combined roles as designer, promoter and editorial cartoonist tied directly to how the Toronto Sun presented itself to readers. His early design choices shaped the paper's visual identity. His cartoons provided recurring commentary and tone, and his presence inside the newsroom influenced promotional and layout decisions over decades. Colleagues and readers associated him with the Sun's distinct style and voice.

# Bottom line Andy Donato was a founding visual and editorial presence at the Toronto Sun. He designed the paper's original look, produced cartoons for 55 years, and remained a public figure associated with the Sun's identity until his retirement and passing at age 89.