American animator and comic book illustrator, Alvarado, embarked on a distinguished career after receiving training at the esteemed Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles. His professional journey began in 1937 as an assistant animator at the iconic Walt Disney, a position he held until 1939.
Following his military service from 1942 to 1946, Alvarado joined Warner Brothers, where he worked as a background and layout artist. Over the next six years, he made significant contributions to various cartoons, including those featuring beloved characters such as Foghorn Leghorn, Daffy Duck, and Bugs Bunny.
In 1948, Alvarado began to explore comic book art, collaborating with the McKimson brothers for Western Publishing. Concurrently, he continued to create cartoons for Disney, Hanna-Barbera, Walter Lantz, and Warner Brothers newspaper strips.
Throughout his illustrious career, Alvarado worked as a layout artist for various animation studios, including DePatie/Freleng, where he primarily focused on 'Pink Panther' cartoons from 1967 to 1970. He also lent his expertise to Hanna-Barbera, working on notable shows such as 'Tom & Jerry', 'The Flintstones', and 'Scooby-Doo' from 1970 to 1977, 1982, and 1989-1990. Additionally, Alvarado contributed to projects with Ruby-Spears Productions and Filmation Associates.
