Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio

For the 1962–1970 studio, see MGM Animation/Visual Arts. For the studio established in 1993, see Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio
MGM Cartoons
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryAnimation
Motion pictures
PredecessorHarman-Ising Productions
FoundedAugust 23, 1937; 87 years ago (1937-08-23)
FounderFred Quimby
DefunctMay 15, 1957; 67 years ago (1957-05-15)
FateClosed
SuccessorsStudio:
MGM Animation/Visual Arts
Hanna-Barbera
Library:
Warner Bros.
(through Turner Entertainment Co.)
HeadquartersOverland and Montana Avenue[1] [2] [3],
Culver City, California
,
United States
Key people
William Hanna
Joseph Barbera
Hugh Harman
Rudolf Ising
Tex Avery
Fred Quimby
Preston Blair
Michael Lah
ProductsAnimated theatrical short films
ParentMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer

The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio was an American animation studio operated by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) during the Golden Age of American animation. Active from 1937 until 1957, the studio was responsible for producing animated shorts to accompany MGM feature films in Loew's Theaters, which included popular cartoon characters Tom, Jerry, Droopy, Butch, Spike, Tyke, and Barney Bear.

Prior to forming its own cartoon studio, MGM released the work of independent animation producer Ub Iwerks, and later the Happy Harmonies series from Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising.[4] The MGM cartoon studio was founded to replace Harman and Ising, although both men eventually became employees of the studio.[5] After a slow start, the studio began to take off in 1940 after its short The Milky Way became the first non-Disney cartoon to win the Academy Award for Best Short Subjects: Cartoons.[6] The studio's roster of talent benefited from an exodus of animators from the Warner Bros. and Disney studios, who were facing issues with union workers.

Originally established and run by executive Fred Quimby, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, the creators of the Tom and Jerry cartoons, became the heads of the studio in 1955 following Quimby's retirement. The cartoon studio was closed on May 15, 1957,[7] at which time Hanna and Barbera took much of the staff to form their own company, Hanna-Barbera Productions, then named H-B Enterprises.[8]

Turner Broadcasting System (via Turner Entertainment Co.) took over the library in 1986 after Ted Turner's short-lived ownership of MGM/UA. When Turner sold back the MGM/UA production unit, he kept the pre-May 1986 MGM library, including the MGM cartoons, for his own company. In 1996, Turner Broadcasting System merged with Time Warner, the parent company of Warner Bros., which currently owns the rights to the pre-May 1986 MGM library via Turner Entertainment Co. and also owns the rights to much of Hanna-Barbera's library after Hanna-Barbera was absorbed into Warner Bros. Animation and replaced by Cartoon Network Studios in 2001 following the death of William Hanna.

  1. ^ Barrier, Michael. "A Day in the Life: MGM, March 4, 1953". Michaelbarrier.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  2. ^ "Judy Garland on the MGM Backlot". thejudyroom.com. Lot 2 map, "Filmways Building". Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  3. ^ "What's New Archives: December 2011". "Your Tour Guide, Bob Clampett", map of Los Angeles, circa 1969. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference EnterHarmanIsing was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference MGMGcartoonsBegins was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference MilkyWay was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference TheEnd was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference HB was invoked but never defined (see the help page).