Steve Purcell

{{Short description|American cartoonist and video game designer}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Steve Purcell

| image = Steve Purcell GDC 08.jpg

| caption = Purcell at the 2008 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco

| birth_name = Steven Ross Purcell

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|07|30}}

| occupation = Cartoonist, animator, game designer, voice actor, director, writer

| years_active = 1984–present

| alma_mater = California College of Arts and Crafts

| employer = {{Unbulleted list|LucasArts (1988–1997)|Nelvana (1997–2000)|Pixar Animation Studios (2000–2023)}}

| notable_works = Sam & Max

| spouse = {{marriage|Collette Michaud|1993}}

| children = 2

| website = {{Official website|http://spudvisionblog.blogspot.com/|name=Personal blog}}

}}

Steven Ross Purcell{{cite web|url=http://samandmax.co.uk/2010/04/interview-with-steve-purcell/|title=Interview with Steve Purcell|author=Staff|publisher=Sam & Max.co.uk|date=2010-04-29|access-date=2010-04-29}} (born July 30, 1961){{cite web |title=Personal Facebook page |url=https://www.facebook.com/steve.purcell.77/posts/pfbid0pgvpSukMENGdvZ1722L8Vpz9jZrpGaewjxk9cgKEyUu2UxdXuLKww6tTmgWFJbtvl |website=Facebook |access-date=1 August 2024}} is an American cartoonist, animator, game designer, and voice actor. He is the creator of the media franchise Sam & Max and received an Eisner Award in 2007 for working on the show. The series has expanded to an animated television series and several video games.

A graduate of the California College of Arts and Craft in San Francisco, Purcell began his career creating comic strips for the college newsletter. He performed freelance work for Marvel Comics and Fishwrap Productions before publishing his first Sam & Max comic in 1987. He was hired by LucasArts as an artist and animator in 1988 and worked on several LucasArts adventure games, including the first two Monkey Island games, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Sam & Max Hit the Road.

Purcell collaborated with Nelvana to create a Sam & Max television series in 1997, and briefly worked as an animator for Industrial Light & Magic after leaving LucasArts. At Pixar, he co-wrote and co-directed the 2012 film Brave and developed a miniseries for the Cars franchise, Cars on the Road.

Career

=Early career=

Purcell began creating comic books while an undergraduate at the California College of the Arts in 1980; he produced comic strips for the weekly newsletter. The strips featured Sam and Max, an anthropomorphic dog and rabbit duo who work as vigilantes and private investigators. Purcell drew the first strip the night before the deadline. After graduating in 1982,{{cite web | url= http://www.cca.edu/alumni/profiles/hundred | title= 100+ Alumni of Note | publisher= California College of the Arts | access-date= 2011-05-31 | quote= Steve Purcell ('82): cartoonist and creator of Sam & Max. | url-status= dead | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110814042012/http://www.cca.edu/alumni/profiles/hundred | archive-date= 2011-08-14 }} he became involved in freelance illustration working briefly for Marvel Comics, Chaosium, and on Steven Moncuse's Fish Police series. Moncuse approached Purcell about the possibility of another comic book series to accompany his well-performing Fish Police series in 1987.{{cite web|url=http://www.telltalegames.com/summerofsamandmax/history/history1b/ |title=The Early Years (part 2) |work=The History of Sam & Max |publisher=Telltale Games |date=2007-06-12 |access-date=2009-02-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080105051631/http://www.telltalegames.com/summerofsamandmax/history/history1b/ |archive-date=2008-01-05 }} Purcell agreed, and wrote his first feature-length comic using the characters of Sam and Max. The 32-page comic was published by Fishwrap Productions in 1987.{{cite web |url=http://www.adventureclassicgaming.com/index.php/site/interviews/304/|title=Steve Purcell – Interview| work=Adventure Classic Gaming|first1=Erik-André Vik|last1=Mamen|first2=Philip |last2=Jong |date=2008-01-01|access-date=2009-02-10}} The comic contained two Sam & Max stories: "Monkeys Violating the Heavenly Temple", a name which Purcell found on a firework and thought was appropriate; and "Night of the Gilded Heron-Shark". Purcell published another story in a 1987 issue of Critters titled "Night of the Cringing Wildebeest". The three stories established the basics for Purcell's future work with the characters.

=LucasArts=

Purcell was hired by LucasArts, then known as Lucasfilm Games, as an animator in 1988 but was laid off when the project he was working on was canceled.{{cite web|url=http://www.telltalegames.com/summerofsamandmax/history/history2/|title=The Golden Era|work=The History of Sam & Max|publisher=Telltale Games|date=2007-06-26|access-date=2009-02-10|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221055751/http://www.telltalegames.com/summerofsamandmax/history/history2|archive-date=2009-02-21}} He was rehired to produce art for Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders, a graphic adventure game .{{cite web|url=http://www.worldofmi.com/features/interview/purcell.php|title=Interviews: Steve Purcell|work=The World of Monkey Island|publisher=LF Network, LLC|date=2006-04-11|access-date=2009-02-10|archive-date=2015-05-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150506114957/http://www.worldofmi.com/features/interview/purcell.php|url-status=dead}} Later he was commissioned to create the cover artwork for Maniac Mansion and the first two Monkey Island games and researched whips for the adventure game version of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. He worked with animation in several LucasArts adventure games, published three more Sam & Max comic books during that time, and created short comic strips for LucasArts' quarterly newsletter, The Adventurer.{{cite web|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/playing-catch-up-steve-purcell|title=Playing Catch-Up: Steve Purcell|website=Gamasutra|first=Frank|last=Cifaldi|author2=Carless, Simon | date= 2005-07-25 |access-date= 2009-02-10}} The characters eventually became training materials for LucasArts programmers working with SCUMM, the core game engine used by LucasArts adventure games.

Purcell created versions of Sam and Max in their office for new programmers to work on under Ron Gilbert, practicing their craft. References to the characters were occasionally made in unrelated LucasArts adventure games as a clandestine appearance in backgrounds. Purcell wrote the six-issue comic book series Defenders of Dynatron City for Marvel Comics in 1992.{{cite web|url=http://www.mixnmojo.com/php/site/gamedb.php?gameid=64|title=Defenders of Dynatron City|work=The International House of Mojo| publisher= LF Network, LLC|date=2004-09-12|access-date=2009-02-10 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070819192142/http://mixnmojo.com/php/site/gamedb.php?gameid=64 |archive-date = August 19, 2007}}

File:Sam & Max Freelance Police Special.jpg; Purcell has been surprised at the cult status the characters acquired Note the rat on the car's grille, a common theme in Purcell's work.

|alt=A anthropomorphic dog in a suit and fedora drives a police DeSoto through a cityscape, while an anthropomorphic rabbit climbs out the window. An array of dead insects and a rat have been collected on the car's grille. The title "Sam & Max" is displayed prominently, with "Freelance Police Special" below.]]

After a positive reception to the Sam & Max strips in The Adventurer and wanting to expand into other franchises following Maniac Mansion and Monkey Island, LucasArts offered to create a graphic adventure game based on the characters in 1992.{{cite journal|title =Sam & Max Hit the Road| journal=gamesTM Retro|volume=1|pages= 128–129|location=United Kingdom|publisher=Highbury Entertainment}} Sam & Max Hit the Road was conceived and developed by a small team headed by Purcell, Sean Clark, Michael Stemmle and Collette Michaud.{{cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=6023|title=Sam & Max Hit the Road: Credits|publisher=Allgame|first=Steve|last=Honeywell|access-date=2009-02-10|archive-date=2014-12-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141210112034/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=6023|url-status=dead}} Purcell decided to base the game on one of his earlier Sam & Max stories, the 1988 story "On The Road". In 1995, Purcell combined all published Sam & Max printed media into a 154-page paperback compilation titled Sam & Max: Surfin' the Highway.{{cite web|url=http://www.telltalegames.com/summerofsamandmax/history/history3/|title=Sam & Max Hit it Big|work=The History of Sam & Max|publisher=Telltale Games|date=2007-07-10|access-date=2009-02-10|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123003511/http://www.telltalegames.com/summerofsamandmax/history/history3/|archive-date=2013-01-23}} After producing the cover art for Herc's Adventures and concept art for The Curse of Monkey Island, Purcell left LucasArts.{{cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=1864|title=Herc's Adventures: Credits|publisher=Allgame|first=Jonathan|last=Sutyak|access-date=2009-02-10|archive-date=2014-12-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141210140326/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=1864|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/curse-of-monkey-island/credits|title=Game Credits for The Curse of Monkey Island|publisher=MobyGames|access-date=2009-02-10}}

=Later work=

Purcell joined with story editor Dan Smith from Canadian studio Nelvana to create an animated television series of Sam & Max in 1996. The result was the 1997 series The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police, broadcast on Fox Kids in the United States, YTV in Canada and Channel 4 in the United Kingdom. Purcell wrote the jokes for each installment of the 24-episode series, and wrote the scripts for four episodes. Although violence and profanity common in the Sam & Max franchise had been toned down due to the target audience of children, Purcell was content that the characters maintained their moral ambiguity. Some groups of parents in the United States attempted to have the series pulled from networks due to content issues; Purcell was pleased that they "had managed to ruffle some feathers along the way". Two Sam & Max comic strips appeared in Fox's Totally Fox Kids Magazine in 1998 to accompany the series; other Sam & Max strips appeared in Wizard and Oni Double Feature. During the development of the television series in 1997, Purcell co-authored and illustrated the Hellboy Christmas Special with Mike Mignola and Gary Gianni.{{cite web|url=http://www.darkhorse.com/Comics/97-666/Hellboy-Christmas-Special|title=Hellboy Christmas Special profile|publisher=Dark Horse Comics|access-date=2009-02-10}} After the conclusion of the Sam & Max animated series, Purcell was briefly employed by Industrial Light & Magic to work on digital effects for a film version of Frankenstein. Despite his work, the project was canceled; Purcell believes that some of the development work morphed into ILM's contributions to Van Helsing. While at ILM, he was involved in a project to create an animated film based on Monkey Island;{{cite web|url=http://www.scummbar.com/index.php?newssniffer=readcomment&news=808|title=Monkey Island movie art?|work=SCUMM Bar|publisher=LF Network, LLC|date=2005-01-09|access-date=2010-01-21}} while the project did not reach fruition, Purcell began posting concept art he had produced for the film on his personal blog several years later.{{cite magazine|title=Tales from Monkey Island|year=2009|magazine=Retro Gamer|publisher=Imagine Publishing|issue=70|first=Ashley|last=Day|page=35}}{{cite web|url=http://www.worldofmi.com/comments.php?type=news&id=1255&action=read|title=Steve Purcell artwork|work=The World of Monkey Island|publisher=LF Network, LLC|date=2007-06-07|access-date=2010-01-21|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150506125629/http://www.worldofmi.com/comments.php?type=news&id=1255&action=read|archive-date=2015-05-06}}

=Pixar and Telltale Games=

After a brief stint at ILM, Purcell moved to Pixar. Although he worked at Pixar, Purcell acted as an advisor in the development of Sam & Max: Freelance Police, a sequel to Sam & Max Hit the Road which began development in 2002 under LucasArts. Purcell provided Michael Stemmle's development team with concept art and assisted in the creation of the game's plot.{{cite web|url=http://www.telltalegames.com/summerofsamandmax/history/history4b |title=After Darkness Comes Light |publisher=Telltale Games |work=The History of Sam & Max |date=2007-07-24 |access-date=2009-02-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071231125906/http://www.telltalegames.com/summerofsamandmax/history/history4b |archive-date=2007-12-31 }} Despite its smoothly proceeding development, LucasArts abruptly canceled the project in March 2004. Purcell was unable to understand why development halted; he described himself as "frustrated and disappointed" at the decision.{{cite web|url=http://www.adventuregamers.com/newsitem.php?id=463|title=Steve Purcell comments on Sam & Max 2{{'}}s cancellation|publisher=Adventure Gamers|first=Jake|last=Rodkin|date=2004-03-05|access-date=2008-12-22}}

In 2005, LucasArts' license with Purcell which gave them the right to produce games based on the Sam & Max franchise expired. That allowed Purcell to take the franchise to Telltale Games in San Rafael, California, a new company formed by members of Stemmle's development team. A new episodic series of Sam & Max games, Sam & Max Save the World, was announced.{{cite web|url=http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/adventure/sammaxep1/news.html?sid=6133326&mode=all|title=Sam & Max resurrected|website=GameSpot|first=Brendan|last=Sinclair|date=2005-11-15|access-date=2008-12-06|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717221302/http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/adventure/sammaxep1/news.html?sid=6133326&mode=all|archive-date=2012-07-17}} Purcell's work on the new game series encompassed design and writing, as well as the design of the game's cover art; despite his work, Purcell described it as "minimal" due to the effectiveness of the team.{{cite web|url=http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/06/joystiq-interviews-sam-and-max-creator-steve-purcell/|title=Joystiq interviews Sam & Max creator, Steve Purcell|publisher=Joystiq|first=Ludwig|last=Kietzmann|date=2007-03-06|access-date=2009-02-10}} At the same time, he began a Sam & Max webcomic hosted on the Telltale Games website. The webcomic ran for twelve issues, and it earned him an Eisner Award for "Best Digital Comic" when the comic finished its run in 2007.{{cite web |url=http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_eisners_07win.shtml |title=2007 Eisner Awards Shine Spotlight on Comic Industry's Best |publisher=Comic-Con International |access-date=2008-12-04 |year=2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626060301/http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_eisners_07win.shtml |archive-date=June 26, 2010 }} Purcell assisted with design and writing when Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space began development in 2007. Through Telltale Games, he released two sketchbooks of his Sam & Max work and a 20th anniversary edition of Sam & Max: Surfin' the Highway in 2008.{{cite web|url=http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/news/36538/Sam-Max-Comic-Book-Series-to-be-Re-issued|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080404104206/http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/news/36538/Sam-Max-Comic-Book-Series-to-be-Re-issued|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 4, 2008|title=Sam & Max Comic Book Series to be Re-issued|first=Gary|last=McLean|publisher=IGN|work=Voodoo Extreme|date=2008-02-08|access-date=2009-02-10}} He later painted the cover art for Telltale's Tales of Monkey Island.{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3174530|title=Telltale Announces Tales of Monkey Island Pre-Order Bonus|website=1UP.com|date=2009-06-02|first=Kat|last=Bailey|access-date=2009-06-02}}

File:Mater-Banshee.JPG.|alt=An anthropomorphic monster truck with a large exractor bucket and bulldozer blade glares maliciously at a quivering, rusty tow truck.]]

At Pixar's story development department, Purcell contributed screenplay material and voice work for the 2006 film Cars, and designed the character of the Screamin' Banshee in the short Mater and the Ghostlight.{{cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/work/290414|title=Cars Overview|publisher=Allmovie|first=Jason|last=Buchanan|access-date=2009-02-10}}{{cite video |people=Crystal, Billy; Goodman, John|date=2004 |title=Pixar Short Films Collection – Volume 1 |medium=DVD |publisher=Pixar |location=United States}} Providing scripts and voice work for three games based on Cars, Purcell became involved with THQ's video game adaptations of Pixar films.{{cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=49405|title=Cars: Credits|publisher=Allgame|first=Gracie|last=Leach|access-date=2009-02-10|archive-date=2014-12-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141210202233/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=49405|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=49345|title=Cars: Radiator Springs Adventures: Credits|publisher=Allgame|first=Gracie|last=Leach|access-date=2009-02-10|archive-date=2010-12-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213004426/http://allgame.com/game.php?id=49345|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mobygames.com/game/ps3/disneypixar-cars-mater-national-championship/credits|title=Game Credits for Disney/Pixar Cars: Mater-National Championship|publisher=MobyGames|access-date=2009-02-10}} Purcell was credited for involvement with Pixar's 2007 film Ratatouille;{{cite web|url=https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808490293/cast|title=Ratatouille (2007) – Cast and Credits|publisher=Yahoo! Movies|access-date=2008-02-11}} he provided the voice for the character of Carl in George & A.J.—a 2009 short based on the film Up.{{cite web|url=http://www.pixartalk.com/2009/11/11/george-aj/|title=iTunes Version of Up Includes Exclusive Short: George and A.J.!|publisher=Pixar Talk|first=Greg|last=Mariotti|date=2009-11-11|access-date=2010-01-21|archive-date=2016-03-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304222134/http://www.pixartalk.com/2009/11/george-aj/|url-status=dead}} Purcell was key for Pixar's 2012 film Brave, co-directing the film alongside Brenda Chapman and Mark Andrews in addition to providing work for the screenplay; Brave constituted Purcell's biggest role in a Pixar project to date.{{cite web|url=http://pixartimes.com/2012/05/04/sam-max-creator-steve-purcell-co-directing-brave/|title=Sam & Max Creator Steve Purcell Credited As Co-Director Of Brave|publisher=Pixaar Times|first=Samad|last=Rizvi|date=2012-05-04|access-date=2012-06-30|archive-date=2016-04-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160411001344/http://pixartimes.com/2012/05/04/sam-max-creator-steve-purcell-co-directing-brave/|url-status=dead}}

In 2014, Purcell wrote and directed the Pixar Christmas special Toy Story That Time Forgot which aired on ABC on December 2, 2014.{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-hill/-galyn-susman-talks-about-pixars-first-ever-christmas-special_b_6258438.html|title=Galyn Susman Talks About Pixar's First Ever Christmas Special, "Toy Story That Time Forgot"|publisher=huffingtonpost.com|first=Jim|last=Hill|date=2014-12-02|access-date=2014-12-04}} Purcell was not considering the possibility of Pixar adapting Sam & Max into a film, as the characters' moral ambiguity is inconsistent with traditional Pixar stories.{{cite magazine|first=Ashley|last=Day|title=Tales from Monkey Island|magazine=Retro Gamer|issue=70|year=2009|publisher=Imagine Publishing|page=32}} In 2023, Purcell was among 75 Pixar employees laid off by The Walt Disney Company as part of an ongoing company-wide restructuring.{{Cite web|last=Taylor|first=Drew|date=July 5, 2023|title=Inside Pixar's Existential Crisis and How It Can Bounce Back After Disney+ Stole Its Mojo|url=https://www.thewrap.com/pixar-existential-crisis-elemental-lightyear/|access-date=July 24, 2023|website=TheWrap|language=en-US}}

Personal life

Purcell grew up in California and lives there. He has a younger brother, David. In a 2000 interview, Purcell said that he had been drawing all his life, and that he still has drawings he made when he was three years old.{{cite web|url=http://samandmax.net/index.php?section=historyfaq&page=interview1&id=1 |archive-date=2004-08-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040822191151/http://samandmax.net/index.php?section=historyfaq&page=interview1&id=1 |title=Interview! |work=Sam & Max: The Unofficial Website |first=Jake |last=Rodkin |author2=Grubaugh, Sebastian |year=2000 |access-date=2009-02-10 |url-status=dead }} Noting that his line of creative work depends entirely on things one learns, Purcell describes himself as an "average" student at school, but wishing that he had tried harder at some classes. After studying film-making courses at junior college, Purcell enrolled in the California College of the Arts to read fine art; he received a bachelor's degree in fine arts there. He befriended Mike Mignola and later Art Adams while at the college. Citing the Marx Brothers, Peter Sellers, and Monty Python as among his interests, he says that he is inspired by "creative people who have made their seemingly most self-indulgent artistic whims into a career". During the development of Sam & Max Hit the Road in 1993, Purcell married fellow lead designer Collette Michaud. They have two sons.

The characters of Sam and Max were created in Purcell's youth; his brother Dave originally came up with several comics around the idea of a dog and rabbit detective duo. Dave would often leave unfinished comics around the house. Deliberately making the characters mix up each other's names, shoot at each other and mock the way in which they had been drawn, Steve, in a case of sibling rivalry, would sometimes finish the stories in parodies of their original form. That developed from Steve mocking his brother to the creation of his own stories with the characters.

In the late 1970s, Dave Purcell gave Steve the rights to the characters; he signed them over in a contract on Steve's birthday and allowed him to develop the characters in his own way.{{cite web|url=http://www.telltalegames.com/summerofsamandmax/history/history1 |title=The Early Years (part 1) |work=The History of Sam & Max |publisher=Telltale Games |date=2007-06-12 |access-date=2008-12-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080103224931/http://www.telltalegames.com/summerofsamandmax/history/history1 |archive-date=2008-01-03 }}{{cite video |people=Purcell, Steve |date=2008-03-11|title=A COMIC-CONversation With Steve Purcell!!! |medium=DVD |publisher=Shout! Factory}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/gamelife/2007/11/interview-sam-m/|title=Interview: Sam & Max Creators On How Games Wag The Dog (And Rabbit) |magazine=Wired News|first=Chris|last=Kohler|date=2007-11-21|access-date=2009-02-10}} Purcell believes that his younger brother has recovered and forgiven him from their earlier years.{{cite web|url=http://blogs.kpbs.org/index.php/comic-con/comments/sam_max_creator_steve_purcell/|title=Sam & Max Creator Steve Purcell|publisher=KPBS|first=Andy|last=Trimlett|date=2008-07-26|access-date=2009-02-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080802173810/http://blogs.kpbs.org/index.php/comic-con/comments/sam_max_creator_steve_purcell/|archive-date=2008-08-02 }} Having kept one as a pet in his youth, Purcell has an interest in rats, which are commonly featured in his artistic work.

Credited works

=Films=

class="wikitable"
Year ! Title ! Director ! Writer ! Story Artist ! Other ! Voice ! Notes
2006 \| Cars \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}} \| Tractors \| Additional Screenplay Material
2007 \| Ratatouille \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| \| Pixar Productions
2012 \| Brave \| {{Partial\|Co-Director}} \| {{Yes\|Screenplay}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| The Crow \| Song Lyricist: "Song of Mor'du"
2017 \| Coco \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| \| rowspan=6 \| Pixar Senior Creative Team
2018 \| Incredibles 2 \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \|
2019 \| Toy Story 4 \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| The Dummies
rowspan=2 \| 2022 \| Turning Red \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \|
Lightyear \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \|
2023 \| Elemental \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \|
2024 \| Inside Out 2 \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| Deep Dark Secret \|

class="wikitable"

Year

! Title

! Director

! Writer

! Story Artist

! Other

! Voice

! Notes

2006

| Cars

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Tractors

| Additional Screenplay Material

2007

| Ratatouille

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Pixar Productions

2012

| Brave

| {{Partial|Co-Director}}

| {{Yes|Screenplay}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| The Crow

| Song Lyricist: "Song of Mor'du"

2017

| Coco

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| rowspan=6 | Pixar Senior Creative Team

2018

| Incredibles 2

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

2019

| Toy Story 4

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| The Dummies

rowspan=2 | 2022

| Turning Red

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

Lightyear

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

2023

| Elemental

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

2024

| Inside Out 2

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Deep Dark Secret

==Shorts==

class="wikitable"
Year ! Title ! Director ! Writer ! Story Artist ! Other ! Voice ! Notes
2006 \| Mater and the Ghostlight \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| Screamin' Banshee{{cite web\|last1=Raffe\|first1=Jon\|title=Hitting the road with Steve Purcell\|url=http://www.thunderchunky.co.uk/articles/hitting-the-road-with-steve-purcell/\|publisher=Thunder Chunky\|access-date=26 December 2020}} \| Additional Character Designer
2009 \| George and A.J. \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| Carl \|
2009-10 \| Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| Additional Voices \| Episodes 5-9
2012 \| The Legend of Mor'du \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| The Crow \|
2013-14 \| Cars Toons: Tales from Radiator Springs \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| Additional Voices/Sandy Dunes \| Episodes 3-4
2015 \| Borrowed Time \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| Additional Voices \|
2022 \| Cars on the Road \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}} \| Randy/Wraith Rod \| Disney+ Original short films; directed Episodes 1, 2, and 8; Pixar Senior Creative Team

class="wikitable"

Year

! Title

! Director

! Writer

! Story Artist

! Other

! Voice

! Notes

2006

| Mater and the Ghostlight

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Screamin' Banshee{{cite web|last1=Raffe|first1=Jon|title=Hitting the road with Steve Purcell|url=http://www.thunderchunky.co.uk/articles/hitting-the-road-with-steve-purcell/|publisher=Thunder Chunky|access-date=26 December 2020}}

| Additional Character Designer

2009

| George and A.J.

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Carl

2009-10

| Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Additional Voices

| Episodes 5-9

2012

| The Legend of Mor'du

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| The Crow

2013-14

| Cars Toons: Tales from Radiator Springs

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Additional Voices/Sandy Dunes

| Episodes 3-4

2015

| Borrowed Time

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Additional Voices

2022

| Cars on the Road

| {{Yes}}

| Randy/Wraith Rod

| Disney+ Original short films; directed Episodes 1, 2, and 8; Pixar Senior Creative Team

=Television=

class="wikitable"
Year ! Title ! Director ! Writer ! Other ! Voice ! Notes
1988 \| The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| \| Production crew
1997-98 \| The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}} \| \| Writing and design
2014 \| Toy Story That Time Forgot \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}} \| The Cleric \| TV special
2025 \| Win or Lose \| {{No}} \| {{No}} \| {{Yes}} \| \| Pixar Senior Creative Team (Episode 8: "Home")

class="wikitable"

Year

! Title

! Director

! Writer

! Other

! Voice

! Notes

1988

| The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Production crew

1997-98

| The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Writing and design

2014

| Toy Story That Time Forgot

| {{Yes}}

| The Cleric

| TV special

2025

| Win or Lose

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Pixar Senior Creative Team (Episode 8: "Home")

=Bibliography=

Amazing High Adventure (1984) – cover artwork
Different Worlds #33, #35, #36 and #37 (1984) – cover artwork
New Mutants #43 (1986) – pencils
Fish Police #6 (1987) – pencils
Fish Police #7 (1987) – pencils, inks and letters
Fish Police #9 (1987) – pencils and inks
Alpha Flight #47 (1987) – pencils
Sam & Max: Freelance Police special edition (1987)
Critters #19: Sam & Max in "Night of the Cringing Wildebeest" (1987)
Tournament of Dreams (1987) – cover artwork
RuneQuest (1987–88) – cover artwork
Gumby's Winter Fun Special (1988) – writing
GrimJack #52: Sam & Max in "Fair Wind to Java" (1988)
Sam & Max: Freelance Police special (1989)
Critters #50: Sam & Max in "The Damned Don't Dance" (1990)
Marvel Comics Presents #41: "Wolverine" (1990) – pencils and inks
Sam & Max: Freelance Police: "Bad Day on the Moon" (1992)
Sam & Max: Freelance Police special color edition (1992)
Fast Forward #3 (1992) – pencils, inks and color
Defenders of Dynatron City (1992)
The Collected Sam & Max: Surfin' The Highway (1995)
Dark Horse Presents #107: "Rusty Razorclam, President of Neptune" (1996) – writing
Hellboy Christmas Special (1997) – writing, pencils, ink and color
Wizard: Sam & Max in "Belly of the Beast" (1997)
Oni Double Feature #10: Sam & Max in "Skeptical Investigators" (1998)
Totally Fox Kids Magazine #10: Sam & Max in "Something's Not Right Here" (1998)
Totally Fox Kids Magazine #31: Sam & Max in "Action Figure Surgery" (1998)
Batman Villains Secret Files and Origins #1: "If A Man Be Clay!" (2005)
Sam & Max: The Big Sleep (2005–2007)
The Age of S&M (2006)
The Effigy Mound (2007)
Sam & Max: Surfin' The Highway anniversary edition (2008)
Brave: One Perfect Day (2012)

=Video games=

class="wikitable sortable" ! Year !! Title !! Role !! Developer
1987	Maniac Mansion	rowspan=2 \| Artwork	rowspan=3 \| Lucasfilm Games
1988	Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders
rowspan=3 \| 1989	Their Finest Hour	Testing
Pipe Dream	Artwork	The Assembly Line
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure	Animation, artwork and whip research	rowspan=3 \| Lucasfilm Games
rowspan=2 \| 1990	Loom	Animation, graphics and artwork
The Secret of Monkey Island	Graphics and artwork
rowspan=2 \| 1991	Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge	Animation, graphics and artwork	LucasArts
ToeJam & Earl	Original concept art character Designs	Johnson Voorsanger Productions
rowspan=3 \| 1993	Zombies Ate My Neighbors	Artwork	LucasArts
ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron	Original concept art Character Designs	Johnson Voorsanger Productions
Sam & Max Hit the Road	Design, graphics and artwork	LucasArts
1994	The Horde	rowspan=4 \| Artwork	Toys For Bob
1996	Mortimer and the Riddles of the Medallion	LucasArts
rowspan=2 \| 1997	Herc's Adventures	LucasArts Big Ape Productions
The Curse of Monkey Island	LucasArts
rowspan=2 \| 2006	Cars	rowspan=3 \| Writing and additional voices	Various
Cars: Radiator Springs Adventures	AWE Games
2007	Cars Mater-National Championship	Various
2006–2007	Sam & Max Save the World	rowspan=2 \| Writing and design	rowspan=4 \| Telltale Games
2007–2008	Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space
2009	Tales of Monkey Island	rowspan=2 \| Artwork
2010	Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse
2020	Sam & Max: This Time It's Virtual	Writing, design and the voice of Duncan Dills	HappyGiant