Collection: Hanna-Barbera Biography and Art Gallery Collection

Hanna-Barbera was an American animation studio that dominated American television animation for over three decades in the mid 20th century. The founders of what became a cartoon empire, the legendary animation team of William Hanna and Joseph Barbera first met while working for Fred Quimby at MGM Studios. The Academy Award nominated short "Puss Gets the Boot," the first Hanna-Barbara collaboration, featured the precursors to Tom and Jerry. Between 1943 and 1953 Hanna Barbera's Tom and Jerry cartoons would earn them a record breaking seven Oscars for MGM's animated shorts.

Hanna-Barbera, in 1957, while production studios like MGM were thinning out and shutting down their animation departments, Will Hanna and Joe Barbera decided to form their own company with live action director George Sidney, in partnership with Screen Gems, a TV unit of Columbia Pictures. Hanna-Barbera wanted to create original animation for television, a brand new concept. Hanna and Barbera faced the challenge of creating original animation programming on a very limited budget. With so many animators out of work in Hollywood at the time; they developed a team of great artists and writers to re-invent cartoons for television. Hanna Barbera's first television stars were Ruff and Reddy, followed by Huckleberry Hound in 1958. Huckleberry Hound was the first cartoon to receive an Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Children's Programming. Among other renowned characters of Hanna-Barbera are Yogi Bear, Quick Draw McGraw, Auggie Doggie and Doggie Daddy, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Yogi and Boo Boo Bear, Scooby Doo, Quick Draw McGraw, and many more.

Hanna-Barbera known for their quick gags and comedic wit allowed the duo in 1960 to create the world's first half hour animated situation comedy, "The Flintstones,"  based on "The Honeymooners". The "Flintstones" would become one of the most watched and loved animated families, remaining in Prime Time television for six years. Two years later, in 1962, America was introduced to George Jetson and his wife Jane in the futuristic based situation comedy "The Jetsons". The unprecedented 'Masters Of The Small Screen', Hanna-Barbera's lifetime of achievement have provided some of television's most memorable cartoon characters. The company yielded over 152 animated television shows for network and syndication and 31 television movies, 48 television specials, 12 theatrical films, 48 theatrical shorts and 25 direct-to-video features were also produced by the studio. Many of Hanna-Barbera's cartoons were distributed and seen internationally worldwide in over 175 countries in 45 languages around the world. Most of the shows Hanna and Barbera created revolved around close friendship or partnership. Having produced well over 3,000 cartoons, the team of William Hanna and Joseph Barbera has created an extensive legacy guaranteed to delight generations yet to come.

Hanna-Barbera's fortunes declined in the mid-1980's when the profitability of Saturday morning cartoons was eclipsed by weekday afternoon syndication. In late 1991, the studio was purchased by Turner Broadcasting System, who used much of its back catalog to program its new channel, Cartoon Network. After Turner purchased the company, Joe Hanna and Will Barbera continued to serve as creative consultants and mentors. Turner merged with Time Warner in 1996 and the studio became a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Animation, in which Hanna-Barbera would absorb into before Hanna died in 2001. Cartoon Network Studios continued the projects for the channel's output. Will Barbera went on to work for Warner Bros. Animation until his death in 2006. As of 2017, the studio exists as an in name only unit used to market properties and productions associated with the Hanna-Barbera library, specifically its classic works. In 2005, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences honored Hanna and Barbera with a wall sculpture of themselves and their characters at the Television Academy's Hall of Fame Plaza