Murray Ball was born in Feilding in 1939. He and his wife Pam live near Gisborne on a 550 acre hill country farm. They have three adult children. He is the creator of Footrot Flats and also wrote and directed the full length animated feature film Footrot Flats, The Dog's Tale. He produces two books of Footrot Flats strips every year which have sold more than six million copies. Although no longer drawing the syndicated strip, he continues to work on books which include the Ballad of Footrot Flats a full length story in verse. He also writes and illustrates satirical books on contemporary New Zealand.