Initially he worked with William Hanna and Joseph Barbera on Tom and Jerry (the same unit as his brother Ray worked in) before moving to a unit headed by Michael Lah and Preston Blair to animate three Barney Bear shorts.
Leonard Maltin, in his book Of Mice and Magic, said that Patterson showed great aptitude for the assignment.
His shorts are praised for showcasing a level of ambition and smart storytelling despite working with more meager budgets compared to MGM.
[2] His better remembered shorts include Termites from Mars (1953), Hypnotic Hick (1953), Socko in Morocco, Alley to Bali, A Fine Feathered Frenzy and Convict Concerto (all 1954).
Patterson was eventually demoted back to an animator when Tex Avery was brought in to direct a few shorts.