Affleck was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in 1923. He is the son of Canadian Architect Ray Affleck, who was one of the founders of the Montreal-based architectural firm, Arcop.
After struggling to become an actor in Toronto, Affleck moved to Los Angeles in the United States and decided to become an Animator. He had been mentored in animation by Norman McLaren at the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). As Affleck's visa was about to expire, a friend informed him that Directors were being hired to work on The Simpsons. Affleck worked on The Simpsons from 1994 to 2007, animating 52 and directing seven episodes.
