Newton Thomas Pratt was born on July 17, 1901 and grew up in Sacramento, California, dropping out of school at age 10  and worked at odd jobs, including as a messenger for the Sacramento Bee. His was  first job was as an engineer at the State Division of Highways in Sacramento.

In 1938, Pratt was employed by the Sacramento Bee as its editorial cartoonist replacing Harold J. Wahl. Pratt was a three-time Pulitzer Prize finalist. When Pratt retired in 1971 and The Sacramento Bee hired Dennis Renault as his successor.

Pratt was one of the few editorial cartoonists to challenge Joe McCarthy’s policies in the 50s and was a always an ardent defender of civil rights and civil liberties. He was also criticized by the Republicans for depicting Nixon with his famous “five-o-clock shadow” that helped him lose the presidency to Kennedy.

Pratt was also known as a camellia grower, with over 1,500 of the plants and nearly 80 prizes; he later became a judge for the American Camellia Society.

Newton T. Pratt died in Sacramento, California on September 29, 1985.