Hanna-Barbera

This article is about the American animation studio active from 1957 to 2001. For the individuals, see William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. For the currently active British animation studio, see Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe.

Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc.
Formerly
  • H-B Enterprises (1957–1959)
  • Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. (1959–1992)
  • H-B Production Co. (1992–1993)
Company typeIn-name-only unit of Warner Bros.
Industry
  • Film
  • Animation
  • Television
Predecessor
FoundedJuly 7, 1957; 67 years ago (1957-07-07)
Founders
Defunct2001; 23 years ago (2001)
FateAbsorbed into Warner Bros. Animation
Successors
Headquarters
Products
  • Theatrical feature films
  • Television films
  • Television series
  • Theatrical short films
  • Commercials
  • Direct-to-video entries
  • Television specials
Owner
Parent
Divisions

Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. (/bɑːrˈbɛərə/ bar-BAIR-ə)[1][2] was an American production company that was active from 1957 until its absorption into Warner Bros. Animation in 2001. Founded on July 7, 1957 by Tom and Jerry creators William Hanna and Joseph Barbera along with George Sidney,[3] it was headquartered at the Kling Studios from 1957 to 1960, then on Cahuenga Blvd from 1960 to 1998 and subsequently at the Sherman Oaks Galleria in Sherman Oaks from 1998 to 2001.

Behind such famous hit shows of The Huckleberry Hound Show, The Flintstones, The Yogi Bear Show, Top Cat, The Jetsons, Jonny Quest, Wacky Races, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, Super Friends and The Smurfs, Hanna-Barbera may have usurped Disney as the most successful animation studio in the world, with its characters becoming ubiquitous across different types of media and myriad consumer products.[4][5][6]

By the 1980s, however, the studio's fortunes were in decline, as the profitability of Saturday-morning cartoons was eclipsed by weekday afternoon syndication. Taft Broadcasting acquired Hanna-Barbera in 1966 and retained ownership until 1991. It was in this year when Turner Broadcasting System acquired the studio,[7] using the back catalog to establish Cartoon Network the following year.[8][9][10]

By the time Hanna died in 2001, Hanna-Barbera as a standalone company was folded into Warner Bros. Animation. The name continues to be used for copyright, marketing and branding purposes for former properties now produced by Warner Bros.

  1. ^ Olausson, Lena; Sangster, Catherine (2006). Oxford BBC Guide to Pronunciation. Oxford University Press. p. 165. ISBN 0-19-280710-2.
  2. ^ "ABC Book". National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference HannaRuffReddy was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Holz, Jo (2017). Kids' TV Grows Up: The Path from Howdy Doody to SpongeBob. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. pp. 81–85, 124–126. ISBN 978-1-4766-6874-1.
  5. ^ "William Hanna – Awards". AllMovie. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  6. ^ "Hanna-Barbera Sculpture Unveiled Animation Legends Honored in Hall of Fame Plaza". Emmys.com. March 16, 2005. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  7. ^ "Hanna-Barbera Acquired By Taft Broadcasting Co". The New York Times. December 29, 1966. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  8. ^ "COMPANY NEWS; Hanna-Barbera Sale Is Weighed". The New York Times. July 20, 1991. Retrieved August 19, 2010.
  9. ^ Carter, Bill (February 19, 1992). "COMPANY NEWS; A New Life For Cartoons". The New York Times. Retrieved August 17, 2010.
  10. ^ "Turner Buys Remaining 50% Stake in Hanna-Barbera". The New York Times. December 30, 1993. Retrieved May 11, 2023.