A tribute to Joseph Barbera (of hanna barbera fame)

When I was young I never understood why my parents got upset when famous people died. It seemed absurd that someone they didn't know would have an effect on their life. As I got older I understood all too well - it's not so much about the real person - but the mythical person. They either age gracefully with you changing roles to meet your needs or they allow you to stay the same age you really are inside :-)

As a Kid I watched many cartoons on TV - they seemed to be keyed in with my world view at that time and they were in colour too! But a small sub-set stuck out that I have been able to enjoyed though out my life and they were made by the same people. Hanna and Barbera.

This lens is about Joseph Barbera - someone who along with Bill Hanna has touched countless generations with amazing stories and wacky characters.

Its amazing to think that we are not talking about a single cartoon but so many - Tom and Jerry, the Flintstones, Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear, Scooby-Doo and who can forget Mutley were all created by this mans genis mind.

Hanna took care of the technical side and Barbera was in charge of the artistic side - sketching and storyboarding.

After losing his job in the Depression, in 1937 he joined the newly-formed cartoon department of MGM with which he was to make his name.

1940 saw the release of their first film about a cat and mouse. The caper was entitled "Puss Gets the Boot". What was meant to be a one-off evolved into Tom and Jerry, and their appeal still never seems dated even with the new generation of toon around.

By 1957 producion costs of these cartoons had spiralled out of control and the studio had to close.

From those ashes a new idea was born and a new duo came forth 'Yabba dabba doo!' with thier first series.

This new production studio had to be careful with costs so this time using less detail and movement, intersperst with stock footage, and where possible fewer drawings massive costs were saved.

At the time the style was criticised by animation-purists. But people still loved the characters and the stories told. I wonder what they would say today about the way toon are stitched togeather!

The Hanna-Barbera studio enjoyed almost instant success, making their fortune with the adult-friendly cartoon The Huckleberry Hound Show in 1958.

By 1960, a second series of The Flintstones made history and became the first cartoon to occupy a prime-time slot on American television. Something the The Simpsons would also do 20 years later.

In 1962 "The Jetsons" a space-age version of The Flintstones was released. While succesful in it own right it was a new combination of four school children and their canine companion in the series, "Scooby-Doo", that proved to be the duo's final enduring success.

In 1966, at the peak of the studio's popularity, with Hanna-Barbera cartoons attracting global audiences of more than 300 million, the two men sold their company to Taft Productions for a then staggering $25 million.

Despite selling the studio Barbera remained active in the entertainment industry well into the 1990s. In  1993 Barbera ( Man driving Mersandes) made his acting debut in the live action Flintstones feature film! A year later he published his autobiography, My Life in Toons.

For me I'm proud to have found that the cartoons have not lost their magic on a new generation and my little girl also loves Scooby-Doo and I have been introducing her to the other cartoons from this wacky wacky world.

I have set up one of those plexo thingies and would love to know what you think is their best 'toon.

If you want to know more about some of their 'toons I have made a lens for each one - please note this is a work in progress and so it may take some time for me to get info in all of them and I plan to keep updating them. Do check out the trivia sections for useless info and facts that you really need to know.

Direct links to the sub lens:-

Tom and Jerry

Huckleberry Hound

The Flintstones

Yogi Bear

Top Cat

The Jetsons

Wacky Races

Scooby-Doo

Hong-Kong Phooey

The Smurfs

My tribute to Joesph Barbera.