Tissa David was born in Transylvania in 1921. She attended the Academy of Beaux Arts in Budapest, where she also co-owned an animation studio. She began her animation career in Budapest, Hungary in 1943, and escaped the Communist takeover of Hungary by moving to Paris in 1950 and directed the animated feature Bonjour Paris in 1953. She worked in Paris until 1955 when she moved to the United States. She has been working in the New York area since 1956 doing animation and direction for UPA, the Hubley's Storyboard Films, Inktank and Michael Sporn. She was a lead animator on Raggedy Ann in 1977.