Hanna-Barbera

Hanna-Barbera ( BAR-bər-ə) was an American animation studio and production company, which 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, it was headquartered on Cahuenga Blvd from 1960 to 1998, then subsequently at the Sherman Oaks Galleria in Sherman Oaks. In 1958, the studio debuted The Huckleberry Hound Show (their first Emmy-winner), followed by The Flintstones (the first prime time animated sitcom) in 1960. The Yogi Bear Show, Jonny Quest, Wacky Races, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! and The Smurfs soon followed. 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. 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 when Turner Broadcasting System acquired the studio, using the back catalog to establish Cartoon Network the following year. Before 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.

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