Rube Goldberg was a famous American cartoonist born in 1883 known for creating complex machines to perform simple tasks. He started drawing at a young age and pursued engineering in college before becoming a cartoonist. Goldberg created competitions where students designed elaborate machines inspired by his drawings. The Rube Goldberg Machine Contest began in 1949 and continues today, challenging participants to design overcomplicated devices to accomplish basic goals. Goldberg was highly influential and won several awards throughout his cartooning career before passing away in 1970.