Career
He is best known as the designer for the appearance of the Emmy award statuette and symbol for the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. During the 1930s, McManus worked primarily as an editor and edited many films and shorts, including those featuring Laurel and Hardy and the Our Gang characters. In addition to editing, he also designed the title cards for many films.
lieutenant was his work as a designer that inspired him to submit a design entry for the Emmy award in 1948.
His design was ultimately chosen for the award, out of a field of forty-eight other proposals submitted.