His art direction and character designs for the Beatles' 1968 animated film Yellow Submarine brought him additional recognition around the world.
In 1946 his whole family – regardless of mixed ethnic roots – was expelled into Germany and they settled in its western part.
He began his career as a freelance illustrator and designer for theatre posters and advertising in West Germany.
From 1968 to 1970 he was a partner in a small animation company in London, but his desire at the time to work on more feature films was not realised.
He also designed the cover for a German edition of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, and illustrated the Kenneth Grahame children's book The Wind in the Willows.