INFORMATION VINE * The Illustrious History of Hanna-Barbera *.

Photo Courtesy: [Vida Offline/Flickr]
When you think of cartoons throughout the years, there are usually a couple of names that will pop into your head, but one that stands out the most, Hanna-Barbera, which is the production company responsible for most cartoons made in the past 50 years. The duo made history in the illustrious world and created some of the most iconic cartoons that were made in the United States. Cartoons like Scooby-Doo, Jonny Quest, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, and many more were created by both William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Their amazing productions and artistic vision are loved by many who have grown up over the years watching their shows and cartoons usually on Saturday morning. 

The two started working together in the late 1950s and made cartoons and produced others for decades. There were even a good amount of shows created in the 1990s that were produced by Hanna-Barbera as well. There are dozens of characters that they created that are unique in their own way and have all the personality in the world which is why these cartoons were loved by so many people.

If you are interested in the artwork and creative thinking behind Hanna-Barbera Productions then you should check out these awesome facts and images of the illustrious world of Hanna-Barbera. 

William Hanna

William Hanna did everything in the business such as being an animator, voice actor, cartoonist, and musician. Being one of the founders of Hanna-Barbera Productions, Hanna started his animation career after he dropped out of college at Southern California, he got a job at Harman and Ising's animation studio which were the creators of Looney Tunes. There Hanna surprised everyone as he never went to school to draw and became the leader in the ink and paint department. Hanna also had a passion for music and was good at creating something new, he used these talents in the years to come when he started a studio with Joseph Barbera. 



Photo Courtesy: [Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images]


In 1936, Hanna was offered to create his own cartoon named To Spring which only lasted a year because MGM decided that they wanted to stop working with Harman-Ising. Hanna was part of the MGM team and left to make their own studio, it was here where Hanna met Joseph Barbera as they were working with the same people in the industry. Hanna and Barbera both won eight Emmy awards during their career.

Joseph Barbera 

Joseph Barbera was the other half of William Hanna as he did everything that Hanna couldn't do. Barbera was amazing at being an animator, director, producer, and artist. At a young age, Barbera was known for his drawing skills, he ended up going to school for art at the Art Students League of New York, where Barbera honed his skills in animation and made him one step closer to being a legend. In 1932 he started working at Van Beuren Studios and landed the job of animator and storyboard artist. 



Photo Courtesy: [Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images]


Barbera met Hanna during the 1930s and realized that they could work together and make some great animations. During their time together, the two were able to get eight Emmy Awards and directed seven Academy Award-winning films. One of the first big cartoons that the two worked on was Tom and Jerry which really put both of them in the spotlight. From there on Hanna-Barbera was one of the biggest animation studios of the time. 

The Beginning of A Long Relationship

Hanna William and Joseph Barbera first met in 1937 at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios also known as the MGM studios. The two were instant friends as they both had a similar vision in the animation world and wanted to make a studio of their own. The first cartoon that they worked on together was Puss Gets the Boot which was Oscar-nominated and was released in 1940. This was the first short film that eventually turned into the hit series Tom and Jerry. Hanna and Barbera worked perfectly with each other as Hanna would take care of the animation side while Barbera handled the stories and pre-production side. 



Photo Courtesy: [NBC Television/Wikimedia Commons]


Some other notable cartoons that Hanna and Barbera did while they were at MGM studios were Anchors Aweigh, Dangerous When Wet, and War Dogs. From 1943 to 1953, several cartoons that they worked on were given 7 Academy Awards but unfortunately, they went to their producer at the time Fred Quimby which did not participate in the creative side of the cartoons. Once Quimby left MGM, Hanna and Barbera were in charge of the studios and kept on making Tom and Jerry episodes. 

Hanna-Barbera Enterprises

In 1957, Hanna and Barbera decided that they wanted to make their own studio and came up with the name H-B Enterprises. This was the first big company to produce cartoons for television and was successful right out of the bat. The first show that they produced and released was The Ruff and Reddy Show which premiered on NBC in the winter of 1957.



Photo Courtesy: [Bettmann/Bettmann/Getty Images]


From there on, Hanna and Barbera were one of the biggest animation studios right next to Disney. Everything from the Flintstones to the Jetsons, Hanna, and Barbera were behind both the art and the story. The two were the best in the business and enjoyed the time that they worked together, most of the cartoons that they were making were bringing joy to everyone not only in America but around the world. 

Hanna-Barbera Productions Studio

The original production studio for Hanna-Barbera was located on 3400 Cahuenga Boulevard in Hollywood and was the birthplace of all the Saturday morning cartoons that are beloved by millions. Being in Hollywood, it was the center of all the entertainment that was on television at the time and was the perfect place for the two to open up a studio. In 1963, Hanna and Barbera opened up their studio and didn't leave until 1998 when they got absorbed by Warner Bros.



Photo Courtesy: [NicWest2007/Flickr]


Since Warner Bros. Animation was located in Sherman Oaks, California, the Hanna-Barbera studio was moved there. Unforntualety Hanna passed away from throat cancer just a year after the studio was moved to Sherman Oaks. Even though Hanna passed away, Barbera kept working hard and was heavily involved in the production side until he passed away in 2006 which ended the amazing legacy of the two that brought smiles and imagination. 

Tom and Jerry

Tom And Jerry was the first cartoon that William Hanna and Joesph Barbera worked on together, for being their first piece of work, it was something that was never seen in animation at the time and captured the world by surprise. The first episode was aired in 1940 and the original series lasted until 1958 and had a total of 161 short films. When the original run was ongoing, the show was awarded 7 Academy Awards for Short Films which were unfortunately given to their producer Fred Quimby who didn't work on the production of animation of the films. Many people believe that those awards belonged to Hanna and Barbera. 



Photo Courtesy: [LMPC/LMPC/Getty Images]


The whole story behind the cartoon series was the rivalry between a mouse and a household cat, the amazing thing about the show is that no talk comes from either Tom or Jerry, it mostly emphasizes body language. Many spinoffs were made after the original run but none ever competed with the ones that were written and created by Hanna-Barbera. 

The Ruff and Reddy Show

The Ruff and Reddy Show was the first show that was made under Hanna-Barbera Productions and was one of the first cartoons that was aired on Saturday mornings. This was the first of many cartoons that the duo created over the years, the first show was aired in 1957 and lasted until 1960 with a total of 156 episodes. The show revolved around a dog named Ruff and a cat named Reddy which were best friends that enjoyed adventures together. 



Photo Courtesy: [Space Mutt/Flickr]


This show was quite different from Tom and Jerry such as the two characters are best friends instead of being rivals but they are similar because they had a companion theme around them, this is seen in many cartoons that Hanna-Barbera created. 

The Huckleberry Hound Show

The Huckleberry Hound Show was the second series that Hanna-Barbera released on Saturday mornings and really started gathering a following around the cartoons that they were creating. The first episode aired in 1958 and lasted until 1961 with a total of 63 episodes. The interesting thing about this show was that it was split up into three segments which were done by different characters including Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear and Boo Boo, and Pixie and Dixie and Mr.Jinks. 



Photo Courtesy: [Kevin Dooley/Flickr]


The show would follow these characters that would be in different situations and adventures, there was a lot of variety in the show which children and even adults enjoyed. All of the characters from this cartoon became extremely famous throughout America and the world, everything that Hanna-Barbera was creating was being loved by the people which gave them even more ambition to make more cartoons. 

The Quick Draw McGraw Show

The Quick Draw McGraw Show was the third cartoon series that Hanna-Barbera came out with during the late 1950s and solidified the trust that people had with Hanna-Barbera. The show was first aired in 1959 and ran until 1961, there were around 45 episodes that were created. For the time, Quick Draw McGraw gained a lot of popularity and even got sponsored by the cereal Kellogg's, this was another great addition to the Saturday morning cartoon lineup. 



Photo Courtesy: [Slappy427/Flickr]


The cartoon was about a cowboy-style horse who had a trusty sidekick named Baba Looey that would go on adventures around the country and meet up with friends. These friends usually ended up being other characters from Hanna-Barbera shows such as Yogi Bear and Huckleberry Hound, this was a common thing that the two would do with their characters. 

Captain Caveman And The Teenage Angels

The Captain Caveman And The Teenage Angels Show came out in 1977 and lasted around three years on the air having 40 episodes in total. The show followed a unique caveman that was helped out by fellow teenage girls, this unusual bunch would get into all sorts of adventures. Hanna-Barbera produced the show while Warner Bros. distributed it, the first episode aired on ABC network, and people around the country related to the cartoon at the time. 



Photo Courtesy: [Slappy427/Flickr]


Many people agreed that the show had similar references and stories that were compared to The Flintstones and Scooby-Doo but altogether it was something different that people enjoyed and something that fit into the 1970s. The episodes were only 11 minutes long but were still very favorable among kids from the 70s and to younger generations as well since Boomerang has all 40 episodes that you can watch if you are subscribed to them. 

Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch

Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch is another one of Hanna-Barbera's creations that was aired during the 1970s and was about a car that is named Wheelie that is always dealing with a pesky motorcycle gang. Released in 1974, Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch was a unique cartoon that depicted motorcyclists in a negative way as Wheelie would always catch motorcycles doing illegal things. There were only 13 episodes made that were about 30 minutes long. 



Photo Courtesy: [Pippomix72/Wikimedia Commons]


Unfortunately because of the negative view towards motorcyclists and the violence around people who owned motorcycles, Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch was taken off the air as too many people who were motorcyclists were writing to NBC telling them they didn't appreciate the cartoon. You can still buy a copy of this series as it was released on DVD for fans to enjoy seeing again. 

The Flintstones

Probably one of their most popular creations was The Flintstones which was a family cartoon that followed two families that lived in prehistoric times, if you have seen American television then you must know of The Flintstones. Hanna-Barbera started thinking of a show that would be relatable to everyone that watched it and in 1960 they aired the first episode on ABC and was scheduled for a prime time spot. Lasting around 6 years, The Flintstones had an amazing 166 episodes, and later on, in the 1990s, a live-action movie was created. 



Photo Courtesy: [ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content/Getty Images]


There are so many memorable characters within the show such as the main character Fred Flintstone and his best friend Barney Rubble. The thing that made this show interesting was that you get to see how these humans interacted with the dinosaurs and how they got along in their daily lives. When people usually think of Hanna-Barbera they remember The Flintstones and the memorable moments and laughs that the cartoon gave them. 

Top Cat

The Top Cat Show was about a gang of cats that was led by Top Cat and followed their adventures around the city of Manhattan. Known to be alley cats, this bunch would get into all sorts of trouble and would constantly be pressured by the local police. The show was broadcast on ABC in 1961 and 30 episodes were aired, unfortunately, when it first came out it was not doing so well as the time slot was not working out but when it switched to Sunday morning the show got a lot of attraction. 



Photo Courtesy: [Slappy427/Flickr]


People from around the world enjoyed this show, surprisingly Latin American countries and the United Kingdom were big fans of the show. This was another show that was added to the many creations that Hanna-Barbera had in mind and this was only the beginning of their career. 

The Yogi Bear Show

The Yogi Bear Show is another hit show that Hanna-Barbera produced, along with his trusted friend Boo Boo. Yogi Bear had an iconic voice and personality that anyone would recognize just by the sound. Yogi was originally in The Huckleberry Hound Show and so many people liked him that Hanna and Barbera decided to make a standalone show about him wandering a national park always looking for food and being nosey. 



Photo Courtesy: [Slappy427/Flickr]


The original Yogi Bear Show was aired from 1961 to 1962 and had 33 episodes but over the years there were different versions of the show that were released and new adventures that Hanna and Barbera thought of, there were also many short films that Yogi and Boo Boo appeared in over the years as well. This is another show that really shows what these two men were made of and the amazing quality of creation that was behind both of them.  

The Jetsons

The Jetsons is arguably one of the best cartoons that Hanna-Barbera created, it followed the story about a family that lived thousands of years into the future and the interesting ways they lived life. The first episode was aired in 1962 on ABC and lasted until 1963 with 24 episodes. In 1985 the cartoon was reborn and 51 new episodes were made, even though it was 20 years later since they made new episodes, people still found the new series just as good as the old.



Photo Courtesy: [Hulton Archive/Archive Photos/Getty Images]


Many people agree that The Jetsons was the futuristic spinoff to The Flintstones, the two families even met up in a couple of specials that were aired throughout the years. The art style and the creativity behind The Jetsons really made it stand out compared to other cartoons that were broadcast at the time. Hanna and Barbera both agreed that The Jetsons were one of their favorite cartoons that they produced during their careers. 

The Magilla Gorilla Show

The Magilla Gorilla Show was a goofy cartoon that was about a gorilla and his adventures that was produced by Hanna-Barbera and was first aired in 1964 and lasted until 1967. People that were younger during this time remember the funky gorilla that made everyone laugh. There were 31 episodes that were produced and were featured during Saturday morning cartoons and now you can watch The Magilla Gorilla Show on Boomerang which features most of Hanna-Barbera's works.



Photo courtesy: [Michael Studt/Flickr]


The show was split up into three segments that featured different characters, the first being Magilla Gorilla with the second being Ricochet Rabbit & Droop-a-Long and the third being Punkin' Puss & Mushmouse. This gave the show an interesting appeal as the iconic look of Magilla Gorilla has always been a favorite among Hanna-Barbera fans. 

The All-New Popeye Hour

The All-New Popeye Hour was another take on the Popeye universe, Hanna-Barbera wanted to go back to the original look of Popeye during the 1930s and bring back some characters that were left out in the 1960s Popeye cartoons. The show was always produced by another company called King Features Syndicate and was first aired from 1978 to 1983, the popularity of the show really made this cartoon last as long as it did. 



Photo Courtesy: [Alexthegoon/Flickr]


This Popeye cartoon was quite different from the others that came out in the past because during its creation there was a restriction on violence shown to children on television at the time which made Hanna-Barbera have to rethink certain scenes that Popeye would normally do such as Popeye throwing punches would be altered into him picking up someone and throwing them. Despite the restrictions, the show was still popular during the time it was aired. 

Jonny Quest

Jonny Quest was another iconic cartoon that Hanna-Barbera produced during their legendary careers, the show followed a little boy named Jonny Quest that would tag along with his father who was a scientist on random adventures around the world. This was one of the earlier productions of Hanna-Barbera but is a favorite among people of all ages since its first episode was aired in 1964 and has been shown to many generations. 



Photo Courtesy: [Fred Seibert/Flickr]


There have been new episodes created over the years, the latest being 1997. What made this cartoon magnificent was that there was always a new adventure when it came to the Quest family, they pretty much ran into anything from alien villains to creepy scientists.  

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! is known by almost everyone all over the world as this cartoon really was a part of American culture during the late 1960s to the early 1970s. The cartoon revolved around a group of teenage friends that had a talking dog that would solve mysteries around the country and get themselves into all sorts of trouble. There were a total of 41 episodes that were made but after the series was over, there were many variations made over the years that were just as popular. 



Photo Courtesy: [Artist Les/Flickr]


The characters are what made this cartoon loved by many all over the world. Scooby and Shaggy were not the only highlights of the show, the rest of the gang Fred, Daphne, and Velma were just as good and the show had a character for everyone to relate to. 

Josie and the Pussycats

Josie and the Pussycats were based on the comic book series Archie Comics and Hanna-Barbera decided that they wanted to produce a show around it and have it part of their Saturday morning cartoons. It gained instant popularity because of the comic book series and was a perfect cartoon that fit that time period. The first episode was aired in 1970 and had a total of 16 episodes, the cartoon did so well that it was rerun the next year. 



Photo Courtesy: [Space Mutt/Flickr]


The cartoon was about a teenage pop band that would have adventures while they were going on tour around the world, the music was something that people always remembered about the show and it is what made the show stand out among the others. 

Super Friends

Super Friends was the first time Hanna-Barbera worked with DC Comics to help create an amazing superhero show that had a different adventure every episode. The series ran for quite a while from 1973 to 1985 with a total of 93 episodes that were aired and the numbers really show how amazing the show did during its lifetime, even after the series ended there were endless reruns shown to the younger generations. 



Photo Courtesy: [Orlando Espinosa/Flickr]


The show was based on the DC Comics series of the Justice League and followed different superheroes that would save people all around the world. The art style and character design were something similar to Jonny Quest, and the action and interesting stories really made this cartoon a big hit. 

The Atom Ant show 

The Atom Ant Show was a cartoon about a superhero ant that had amazing strength named Atom Ant, the police would come and find Atom Ant to tell him that they needed him with some situation that was out of the hands of the police. The first episode was aired in 1965 and lasted until 1968, there were a total of 26 episodes that were made and you can still see these episodes on Boomerang. 



Photo Courtesy: [Hanna Barbera/Flickr]


There were many different villains that Atom Ant ran into during his adventures and he would always overcome the obstacle or person that was put in front of him. Atom Ant was known for flying around very fast and picking up those that were 100 times bigger than he was. 

The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan

The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan was another one of Hanna-Barbera Productions cartoons that came out in the 1970s, it was a joint production with Eric Porter Studios which took care of the animations and the studio was located in Australia. The show is about a group of Asian teenagers that had a music band that would take them around the country and during their downtime, they would solve mysteries and apprehend any villains along the way. 



Photo Courtesy: [Hanna Barbera/Flickr]


There are 16 episodes that were produced by Hanna-Barbera that were aired in 1972 and the episodes ran for about 30 minutes. The Chan Clan would be led by Charlie Chan and would roam around in their Chan Van and look for mysteries to solve. 

Goober and the Ghost Chasers

Goober and the Ghost Chasers was another Australian cartoon that was produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and Eric Porter Studios, this was another spinoff of an Australian Scooby-Doo as it followed a group of teenagers and a dog that solve mysteries along their travels. There are 16 episodes that were created and the first episode aired in 1973, the difference between this show and Scooby-Doo was that the teenagers would usually go after ghosts.



Photo Courtesy: [Jaydex/Flickr]


There was only one season that was produced but despite the limited amount of episodes it is still loved by fans around the world, Boomerang and Cartoon Network have been showing episodes recently, the only difference being that the laugh track has been removed. 

Partridge Family 2200 A.D.

The Partridge Family 2200 A.D. was a futuristic spinoff to the series of The Partridge Family, it was pretty much a mash between The Jetsons and The Partridge Family. This was produced by both Hanna-Barbera Productions and Colombia Pictures Television, was part of the Saturday morning cartoons, and was first aired in 1974. There were 16 episodes that were created and it had a big following as people were familiar with The Partridge Family. 



Photo Courtesy: [Tralfaz/Flickr]


The reason why this cartoon was thought of was that originally Hanna-Barbera wanted to make a show about Elroy and Judy from The Jetsons but stuff fell through and they decided to go with making The Partridge Family in a Jetson's world, this was something different that Hanna-Barbera was trying. 

CB Bears

The CB Bears show was a cartoon that was produced by Hanna-Barbera and was about a group of three bears that essentially acts just like the hit show at the time Charlie's Angels but a goofy version. It first aired in 1977 and had six segments just like other cartoons that the duo did. These segments were The CB Bears, Blast-Off Buzzard, Heyyy, It's the King, Posse Impossible, Rattle & Roll, and the Undercover Elephant. 



Photo Courtesy: [Slappy427/Flickr]


Only one season was made with 13 episodes. There was a lot of work that was put into these episodes because of how many segments there were and they had to do a bunch of short cartoons in a short amount of time but in the end, it was a great cartoon series. 

Hong Kong Phooey

Hong Kong Phooey is famously known for the main theme song which featured a catchy ring that could be recognized all over. Hanna-Barbera produced the cartoon in 1974 and released 16 episodes during the time it was on the air. The cartoon followed a clumsy dog that is working as an undercover superhero that always seems to save the day. This was a big hit for Hanna-Barbera at the time as everyone was enjoying the plot and music around it. 



Photo Courtesy: [Slappy427/Flickr]


Hong Kong Phooey would always be fighting crime and showing up at the perfect time and when he wasn't saving the day he was a janitor at the local police station. Hanna-Barbera Productions were making cartoons left and right during the 1970s and it paid off. 

Space Ghost 

Space Ghost was one of Hanna-Barbera's cartoons that they produced during the 1960s and was popular at the time but exploded, even more, when Cartoon Network got the rights for it and made a new show that was quite different from the original. The first episode aired in 1966 with a total of 20 episodes. It was about a space superhero named Space Ghost that would fight crime across the universe and was accompanied by his sidekicks Jan and Jace. 



Photo Courtesy: [Slappy427/Flickr]


There was something a bit different from what Hanna-Barbera did at the time but it helped them prepare for the production of Super Friends and eventually Space Ghost would be revived once again during the 1990s. 

A Flintstone Christmas

A Flintstone Christmas was a special that was hosted during the Christmas of 1977, it was the second Christmas special that was done by the Flintstones and Rubbles. The first one was done in 1967 and to go down memory lane Hanna and Barbera wanted to do another, it was also followed by two more after as well. 



Photo Courtesy: [Slappy427/Flickr]


The special is about Santa Claus falling from a rooftop and needing someone to fill in for him to deliver Christmas gifts across Bedrock. Barney and Fred agree to save Christmas and go around the town delivering Christmas gifts to all the children, it is a great special that is still played during certain times. 

The Banana Splits

The Banana Splits was an hour-long cartoon that was the creation of Hanna-Barbera. It was about a rock band that was composed of different animals that were named the Banana Splits and they would go on different adventures while playing music along the way, this was another one of the duos great musical cartoons. There were 31 episodes that aired from the years 1968 to 1970 with this being one of their earlier works as you can tell from the art style. 



Photo Courtesy: [Craig Swank/Flickr]


The Banana Splits would be scheduled for Saturday morning cartoons on NBC and had a perfect timeslot that allowed it to gain a good amount of popularity. There have been many places that have knocked off these characters such as the children's place Chuck E. Cheese. 

Breezly and Sneezly Show

Breezly and Sneezly Show is a cartoon that was produced by Hanna-Barbera during the early 1960s, this was kind of a crossover between Yogi Bear and different characters that they created at the time. There are 23 episodes that were made and the first aired in 1964 and lasted until 1966 until production was stopped. The two would sometimes appear on The Magilla Gorilla Show which came about 10 years later. 



Photo Courtesy: [Slappy427/Flickr]


The show was about a polar bear and a seal that were good friends that would try and eat as much as they could while bothering the local army base that was located in the Arctic. 

Pebbles and Bamm Bamm Show

The Pebbles and Bamm Bamm Show was a spinoff of The Flintstones and followed the teenage life of both Pebbles and Bamm Bamm, this was something Hanna-Barbera was experimenting with and it seems that it got more traction than they thought it would. There was only one season that contained 16 episodes with the first being aired in 1971, this was around the same time Scooby-Doo was popular and you can see what was borrowed. 



Photo Courtesy: [Slappy427/Flickr]


The series followed the life of Pebbles and Bamm Bamm which were in a musical rock band and would have different adventures on tour around Bedrock. People enjoyed this series because it had The Flintstones vibe with a teenage twist. 

Secret Squirrel and Morocco Mole

Secret Squirrel and Morocco Mole was a cartoon about a squirrel and a mole that were secret spy agents and had a lot of references from the James Bond films. Hanna-Barbera was amazing at creating cartoons that resembled movies in a goofy way and what better way than to make a goofy James Bond character. On their adventures, the two would travel the world and try to obtain knowledge and secrets from their enemies.



Photo Courtesy: [Charles LeBlanc/Flickr]


The first episode came out in 1966 with 26 episodes during the original season and there was a revival in the 1990s that added 13 more episodes and this is why these two characters are so familiar to kids from the 90s. 

Space Stars

Space Stars was an hour-long program that was produced by Hanna-Barbera and was part of the Saturday morning cartoons on NBC. There are five segments that make up the hour-long show including Space Ghost, The Herculoids, Teen Force, Astro and the Space Mutts, and Space Stars Finale. These segments were around 7 to 10 minutes long and went through a range of different characters. 



Photo Courtesy: [Space Mutt/Flickr]


What kept this cartoon interesting was that the characters would most of the time cross into different universes. The first episode was aired in 1981 and 11 episodes were created which included around 66 segments. Many of these characters can be recognized from some of Hanna-Barbera's specials. 

The Perils of Penelope Pitstop

The Perils of Penelope Pitstop was a show about a racer named Penelope Pitstop that is always trying to be taken away by the Hooded Claw but fortunately, Penelope has friends in the mob that came to her aid whenever she is in most need. These gangsters were called the Ant Hill Mob and were characters from the cartoon Wacky Races, which was another one of Hanna-Barbera's cartoons. 



Photo Courtesy: [Slappy427/Flickr]


The first episode was aired in 1969 and had a total of 17 episodes, even though these cartoons weren't as popular back then, Cartoon Network and Boomerang decided to rebroadcast them and people from the younger generation enjoyed them. 

Wacky Races

Wacky Races is another one of Hanna-Barbera’s creations that was part of the Saturday morning cartoon shows. This cartoon was inspired by the film The Great Race which Hanna and Barbera enjoyed and wanted to make a cartoon version of it. There are 17 episodes that were created and the first one was aired in 1968, the show was about a series of races that 11 different vehicles would take place in. There was always something new and different that the show would bring to the viewers



Photo Courtesy: [Slappy427/Flickr]


There were 23 different characters that were spread out between the 11 cars and these characters were really something else and what made the cartoon what it is. These drivers would compete against each other in the funniest ways which always made it interesting to watch. 

Snagglepuss

Snagglepuss was one of the first characters that Hanna-Barbera created, he was a prototype that was being used before the studio started but eventually made it into the studio in 1962. Snagglepuss was featured on The Quick Draw McGraw Show and The Yogi Bear Show, and was also featured in different specials that were hosted throughout the years but he never got his own show.



Photo Courtesy: [Slappy427/Flickr]


People might not know it but Snagglepuss is a pink mountain lion that is always looking to make his cavern a more suitable living space and most of the time he is bothered by Major Minor which is a hunter looking to catch some game. Snagglepuss has been featured in over 20 different episodes that Hanna-Barbera has produced. 

Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo

Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo was an adventurous cartoon that featured a duo that was quite the masters at solving mysteries. Hanna-Barbera wanted to make a spinoff of Scooby-Doo but couldn't wrap their heads around what they wanted, they finally got the idea to make a sidekick character that Scooby-Doo would have.



Photo Courtesy: [Space Mutt/Flickr]


The first episode was released in 1980 and had a total of 16 episodes and people enjoyed the series because it was a different look on the Scooby-Doo universe. There were many Scooby-Doo spin-offs that Hanna-Barbera experimented with and most of them worked out as Scooby-Doo is loved by everyone. Hanna-Barbera was known to use the laugh track on all their cartoons but this was the last one that had one as the times started changing. 

Clue Club

The Clue Club was another one of Hanna-Barbera’s detective-themed cartoons that revolve around a group of teenagers that solve mysteries wherever they go, this was like Scooby-Doo and numerous other series that the duo came out with. Because of this, the series didn't do as well as they wanted it to do. There were a total of 16 episodes that were aired and the running time was 30 minutes which was hosted on the big television network CBS.



Photo Courtesy: [Slappy427/Flickr]


Even though the series was kind of a ripoff of all the other detective shows that Hanna-Barbera produced, it was still sought after by fans of the duo. Cartoon Network and Boomerang started broadcasting the series because so many fans wanted to relive the memories again. 

Jabberjaw

Jabberjaw was a character that Hanna-Barbera created and was featured on the show Jabberjaw which lasted from 1976 to 1978 with 16 episodes. He was also featured in a couple of specials that were shown over the years and even with Scooby-Doo. Jabberjaw was a funny shark that is a drummer for the band The Neptunes which is a group of teenagers that are in a rock band. This was like so many of Hanna-Barbera Productions but it was a hit even though it wasn't something new.



Photo Courtesy: [Slappy427/Flickr]


Besides Jabberjaw there were some notable characters such as Biff, Shelly, Bubbles, and Clamhead. These teenagers would rock out and find different troubles and adventures they would get themselves in. 

The Scooby-Doo Dynomutt Hour

The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour was another special that was based around Scooby-Doo and The Jetsons. Hanna-Barbera decided that they wanted to mix the two universes together and see if viewers would like what they were doing. There were 16 episodes that were made and the first one was aired in 1976 on the television network ABC, viewers enjoyed this series because they got a little bit of Scooby-Doo and Dynomutt in the same hour.



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Scooby-Doo was one of Hanna-Barbera’s biggest characters as people around the country and the world appealed to the goofy talking dog. Even to this day, Scooby-Doo is a big cartoon character that is recognized by anyone, even children. 

The Smurfs

The Smurfs was a Belgian comic series that ended up becoming popular in the United States which is why Hanna-Barbera decided that they wanted to create an animated series around the world. This series was quite a success as there were 258 episodes that were made with 9 seasons in total. The first episode aired in 1981 and lasted until 1989, this series became extremely popular and was one of the last ones that made Hanna-Barera a numerous amount of money.



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The cartoon was about a colony of blue people that lived in the forest and fended themselves against people that were out to get them. There was a cult following when it came to The Smurfs and people from around the world enjoyed the many adventures that were had. Without Hanna-Barbera, there probably wouldn't be that many great cartoons out there. 

The New Adventures of Captian Planet

The New Adventures of Captian Planet was a cartoon that was based on a superhero that would help save the Earth from climate change and pollution, he was helped by a group of teenagers that had a set of rings with power that would allow them to fight off enemies that are trying to harm the Earth. This was a different take on cartoons but it was loved by all of the kids who watched it.



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There were 6 seasons with 113 episodes that were produced by Hanna-Barbera and the first episode was released in 1990 and the last ending in 1996. This was starting to be the end of the Hanna-Barbera Productions as the two were getting older and the studios were starting to change but luckily the two still had the spark to make new content. 

2 Stupid Dogs

Getting into some of the last productions of Hanna-Barbera, 2 Stupid Dogs was a funny cartoon that featured two dogs that were not the smartest and the adventures that they had in the neighborhood, this was something that only would have existed in the 1990s. There were a total of two seasons with 26 episodes and most of the time the dogs would go on about their day and think about food and things to do throughout the day.



Photo Courtesy: [Isaías Alexis Miranda Chavez/Flickr]


This cartoon went back to the roots of Hanna-Barbera as it was a simple show that was about two different characters that would go on about their daily lives. It was a hit among the 90s and is still featured on Cartoon Network and Boomerang.

Dexter's Laboratory 

Dexter's Laboratory was a great cartoon that was released in the 90s and was produced by the legendary Hanna-Barbera. Dexter’s lab was quite unique because it was something different than the studio had ever done and it was revolutionary on what the studio was willing to do to keep up with the times. There were a total of 4 seasons with 78 episodes and it was first released in 1996. The theme song to the cartoon was quite catchy and was remembered among the kids that watched it.



Photo Courtesy: [Lindsay Poe/Flickr]


The show was about an extremely smart child that conducts scientific experiments in his basement while his parents and sister are always bothering him while he is in the process of working. There are many different characters throughout the episodes but one that stands out is his enemy Mandar. 

Johnny Bravo

Johnny Bravo was an animated series that was pitched by Hanna-Barbera studios as it was part of a series of short films. Once the studio found out that people started liking it, it was put into production. There were a total of 65 episodes which were split up into four seasons, at this point Hanna-Barbera started pitching ideas as the two were getting too old for making new content; it was starting to be the end of days for the duo.



Photo Courtesy: [David Ford/Flickr]


As for the show, Johnny Bravo was about a hunky-looking guy that was always looking to pick up on chicks whenever he got the chance and the thing was that he would never be able to get the chicks as he was always outsmarted by the nerdy guy. This was a funny cartoon that anyone could enjoy as it was a simple cartoon. 

Cow and Chicken

Cow and Chicken came out around the same time as 2 Stupid Dogs and kind of had the same premise. It was originally a short film but got so popular that Hanna-Barbera decided to make a full series. The first episode was released in 1997 and lasted until 1999 with a total of 4 seasons and 52 episodes. The weird thing about this show was that the cow and chicken were brothers and they had human parents which made it interesting and funny.



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Amazingly this show was nominated for two Emmy Awards which was quite a feat for how old the studio really was. Hanna-Barbera really was sticking around compared to all the other cartoon studios that eventually went away, no wonder why these guys are the legends of cartoons. 

I Am Weasel

I Am Weasel was one of the last cartoons produced by Hanna-Barbera and Cartoon Network, even though it was one of the last ones, the series did extremely well and had a total of 5 seasons with 79 episodes with it first being released in 1997. The show was about a smart Weasel that would go on different adventures with his baboon friend.



Photo Courtesy: [Josh Rogers/Flickr]


This cartoon fits in perfectly for the time as it was released during the late 90s and the humor surrounding the series matched up well. This cartoon was part of Cow and Chicken but eventually got its own standalone show which was favored among the fans at the time.

The Powerpuff Girls

The Powerpuff Girls was a cartoon series about three teenage girls that were superheroes who would fight all the villains, especially Mojo Jojo, and help save their city from danger. This series was also produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and was another show that blew up in popularity. There were a total of six seasons with 78 episodes and it all started in 1998 and lasted all the way up till 2005. Unfortunately during this time, Hanna-Barbera was shut down due to the death of Barbera.



Photo Courtesy: [Randall Peterson/Flickr]


Even though Hanna-Barbera stopped producing the show it still went on and was taken over by Cartoon Network which took most of Hanna-Barbera's rights and works, this was the sad ending to the wonderful illustrious art of the duo that brought a lot of joy to people over the many years they worked together. Even though they are gone now, they have left behind a lot of work that people will enjoy for years.