Joseph Roland Barbera (/bÉ'Ë rˈbɛərÉ™,ˈbÉ'Ë rbÉ™rÉ™/ bar-BAIR-É™,
BAR-bÉ™r-É™, Italian: [barˈbÉ›Ë ra]; March 24, 1911 â€" December 18,
2006) was an American animator, director, producer, storyboard artist,
and cartoon artist, whose film and television cartoon characters
entertained millions of fans worldwide for much of the 20th century.He
was born to Italian immigrants in New York City, where he lived,
attended college and began his career through his young adult years.
After working odd jobs and as a banker, Barbera joined Van Beuren
Studios in 1927 and subsequently Terrytoons in 1929. In 1930, he moved
to California and while working at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Barbera
met William Hanna. The two men began a collaboration that was at first
best known for producing Tom and Jerry. In 1957, after MGM dissolved
their animation department, they co-founded Hanna-Barbera, which
became the most successful television animation studio in the
business, producing programs such as The Flintstones, Yogi Bear,
Scooby-Doo, Top Cat, The Smurfs, Huckleberry Hound, and The Jetsons.
In 1967, Hanna-Barbera was sold to Taft Broadcasting for $12 million,
but Hanna and Barbera remained heads of the company. In 1991, the
studio was sold to Turner Broadcasting System, which in turn was
merged with Time Warner, owners of Warner Bros., in 1996; Hanna and
Barbera stayed on as advisors.Hanna and Barbera directed seven Academy
Award films and won eight Emmy Awards. Their cartoon shows have become
cultural icons, and their cartoon characters have appeared in other
media such as films, books, and toys. Hanna-Barbera's shows had a
worldwide audience of over 300 million people in the 1960s and have
been translated into more than 28 languages.
BAR-bÉ™r-É™, Italian: [barˈbÉ›Ë ra]; March 24, 1911 â€" December 18,
2006) was an American animator, director, producer, storyboard artist,
and cartoon artist, whose film and television cartoon characters
entertained millions of fans worldwide for much of the 20th century.He
was born to Italian immigrants in New York City, where he lived,
attended college and began his career through his young adult years.
After working odd jobs and as a banker, Barbera joined Van Beuren
Studios in 1927 and subsequently Terrytoons in 1929. In 1930, he moved
to California and while working at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Barbera
met William Hanna. The two men began a collaboration that was at first
best known for producing Tom and Jerry. In 1957, after MGM dissolved
their animation department, they co-founded Hanna-Barbera, which
became the most successful television animation studio in the
business, producing programs such as The Flintstones, Yogi Bear,
Scooby-Doo, Top Cat, The Smurfs, Huckleberry Hound, and The Jetsons.
In 1967, Hanna-Barbera was sold to Taft Broadcasting for $12 million,
but Hanna and Barbera remained heads of the company. In 1991, the
studio was sold to Turner Broadcasting System, which in turn was
merged with Time Warner, owners of Warner Bros., in 1996; Hanna and
Barbera stayed on as advisors.Hanna and Barbera directed seven Academy
Award films and won eight Emmy Awards. Their cartoon shows have become
cultural icons, and their cartoon characters have appeared in other
media such as films, books, and toys. Hanna-Barbera's shows had a
worldwide audience of over 300 million people in the 1960s and have
been translated into more than 28 languages.
Share this
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
Join us for free and get valuable content delivered right through your inbox.