Archive for the ‘biography’ Category

Friday, December 17th, 2010

Biography: Ed Benedict

This posting is a stub. You can contribute to this entry by providing information through the comments link at the bottom of this post. Please organize your information following the main category headers below….

Birth/Death

Birth: 23 August 1912 Ohio
Death:
28 August 2006 Auburn, California

Occupation/Title

Artist, designer, animator, and layout artist

Bio Summary

Ed Benedict was born in Ohio in 1912. Known as one of the “greats” of animation’s Golden Age, he began at Disney in 1930 and continued his career working at Universal on Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and MGM under Tex Avery. He is best known as the primary designer of such Hanna-Barbera stars as Yogi Bear and the Flintstones. Benedict moved to Carmel, California in the 1960’s and continued freelancing until retirement. He died in his sleep at 94 in his Auburn, California home. He was predeceased by his wife Alice, and survived by his children and grandchildren. He requested that his ashes be scattered over California‘s Carmel Bay, where his wife’s ashes were also scattered.

Early Life/Family

Brother Bill
Sister Miriam
Wife- Alice

Children:
– Son, Donald
– Son, Allan

Grandchildren
– Derek and Peter (Donald’s children)

Education/Training

A highly respected and greatly admired animator, Benedict’s skills were honed throughout his impressive professional career.

Career Outline

Benedict began his career in animation at Disney in 1930, working on such early films as THE CHINA PLATE and BLUE RHYTHYM (both 1931), starring Mickey and Minnie Mouse. He moved to Universal in 1933 to work on Walter Lantz’s OSWALD THE LUCKY RABBIT shorts. He spent much of the 1930’s at Universal, aside from a brief stint with Mintz and an attempt to open his own studio (Benedict-Brewer, with Jerry Brewer). The studio collapsed because studio-owned theatres would not show their independently produced work. In the early 1940s Benedict returned to Disney and worked on several industrial/educational films (DAWN OF BETTER LIVING, etc.), and also received his first and only Disney credit as a layout artist (the Willie the Whale segment) on MAKE MINE MUSIC. Mid-1940s, he became involved with TV commercial animation at Paul Fennell’s Cartoon films, where he honed his modernized approach to drawing.

In 1952, Benedict was recruited by his former Universal colleague Tex Avery to become Avery’s lead layout artist and designer at MGM. Ed designed a number of Avery’s classic shorts including DIXIELAND DROOPY, FIELD AND SCREAM, THE FIRST BAD MAN, DEPUTY DROOPY and CELLBOUND. After Avery’s departure from MGM, Benedict continued working at the studio on the Mike Lah-directed Droopy shorts, while also freelancing for Avery on TV commercials at Cascade. While at MGM, Ed’s work caught the eyes of Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera. Hanna asked Benedict to design a dog and a cat for a TV project, which turned out to be the first Hanna-Barbera TV success: THE RUFF AND REDDY SHOW. During the late-1950s and early-1960s, Benedict became the primary designer for Hanna-Barbera and he designed most of the studio’s early stars including Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Quick Draw McGraw, The Flintstones, Snagglepuss and countless others. He not only created memorable characters, but also placed them in memorable settings, breaking TV taboos. In the Flintstones, Fred and Wilma were the first animated couple to be shown sleeping in the same bed. It would not be an exaggeration to say that a large part of H-B’s success in TV animation is owed to Benedict’s incredibly appealing and fun character designs. Ed moved to Carmel, California in the 1960s and continued freelancing for various studios during the 1960s and ’70s before retiring. (Cartoon Brew)

Comments On Style

His style was to draw heavily outlined figures, with unusual asymmetry and flat geometric shapes. The simplicity of his characters enabled Hanna Barbera to make cartoons for television at less than half the budget previously allocated for such films in the cinema. – Matthew Bannister (“last word”, BBC)

Ed Benedict’s distinctive style, most noticeable in his Hanna-Barbera creations, was striking with its charm and warmth. His creations were very stylized, with their heavy lines and stubby limbs. Though they were drawn in a flat manner, they were not bland, and exuded strong personalities that led to great popularity with the public.

Influences

Russell Patterson and Roy Nelson

Personality

Known for being passionate when it came to discussing art, design, and animation. Has an exterior that has been described as “indifferent” (Cartoon Brew), curmudgeonly, and crusty (John Kricfalusi), but a depth of character that reveals itself in his soft heart, warm creations, and lively opinions.

Anecdotes

In interviews, Benedict would berate fans for loving shows he helped create. He told Animation Blast: “I never really looked at a lot of them. I suppose when they first came out I looked at a few, and pretty soon they didn’t interest me. I wasn’t seeing any of my work. It was somebody else’s poor drawing of what I tried to do with the original model and they were just embarrassing. Somebody would say ‘Oh, I just love that stuff,’ for Christ’s sake! There’s an assumption that that’s my stuff they’re complimenting – but it isn’t my work.”

He made it very clear that he disliked the Hanna Barbera TV cartoons, the work that he was most known for, and that he didn’t care particularly that people liked his work so much.

I first met him in the mid 80’s when Lynne Naylor, Bob Jaques and I went on a trek to northern California to meet him. He was a super curmudgeon who couldn’t believe anyone even knew who he was, let alone loved his cartoons. We brought up tapes of his work for Tex Avery, his Hanna Barbera cartoons and he was completely disgusted by them! But then he demanded copies of them all so he could write me letters telling me everything that was wrong with them.

I showed him a bunch of Clampett cartoons and he was amazed at how wild and inventive they were. “Damn ugly though!”

Over the last couple decades I kept visiting him and rifling all his files of fantastic cartoon drawings he did for cartoons, commercials and comic strips. He also would show me lots of photos he took of the MGM studios in the 1950s. He would point to an animator and tell me all about him. “See that guy with the suave mustache? That’s Ken Muse, a nice guy, a real slick operator. Couldn’t draw worth a crap! Hanna loved him cause he could really ‘pump out the footage’! But a good guy to go bowling with, one of the guys.” – John Kricfalusi

Miscellaneous

Curmudgeonly he may have been, but he was liked by the fans and his influence was recognized by many, notably John Kricfalusi, the creator of Ren & Stimpy, who has described Benedict as “an unsung hero of animation. He was one of our greatest designers.”

Filmography

The Dizzy Dwarf (1934) (animator)
Amateur Broadcast (1935) (animator)
Quail Hunt (1935) (animator)
Battle Royal (1936) (animator)
Unpopular Mechanic (1936) (animator)
The Golfers (1937) (animator)
Steel Workers (1937) (animator)
Fireman’s Picnic (1937) (animator)
The Mechanical Handy Man (1937) (animator)
The Dumb Cluck (1937) (animator)
Birth of a Toothpick (1939) (animator)
Make Mine Music (1946) (layout artist- Willie the Whale)
The First Bad Man (1955) (layout artist) (uncredited)
Deputy Droopy (1955) (layout artist)
Cellbound (1955) (layout artist)?Grin and Share It (1957) (layout artist)
Mucho Mouse (1957) (layout artist)
Blackboard Jumble (1957) (layout artist)
One Droopy Knight (1957) (layout artist)
Sheep Wrecked (1958) (layout artist)
Mutts About Racing (1958) (layout artist)
Droopy Leprechaun (1958) (layout artist)
“The Huckleberry Hound Show” (1958) TV Series (layout artist)
“Quick Draw McGraw” (1959) TV Series (layout artist)
“The Flintstones” (1960) TV Series (character designer)
“Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines” (1969) TV Series (layout artist)?”Hong Kong Phooey” (1974) TV Series (layout artist)
Boo Boo Runs Wild (1999) (TV) (dedicatee) (layout artist)

Honors

Annie Award: Winsor McCay Award 1994

Related Links

Bibliographic References

http://film.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/0,,1921348,00.html Obituary
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0070768/ Ed Benedict on IMDB
http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2006/08/ed-benedict-1912-2006.html
John Kricfalusi’s Blog
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/lastword_22sept2006.shtml
Matthew Bannister, “Last word”, BBC
http://www.cartoonbrew.com/archives/2006_08.html Cartoon Brew

Contributors To This Listing

Carrie Liao

Shecky Grey
benj

John Kricfalusi
Brother Rabbit of www.ralphbakshi.com
To make additions or corrections to this listing, please click on COMMENTS below…
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Friday, December 17th, 2010

Biography: Joe Barbera

This posting is a stub. You can contribute to this entry by providing information through the comments link at the bottom of this post. Please organize your information following the main category headers below….

Birth/Death
Born: New York City, March 16, 1911
Death: Los Angeles, December 18, 2006

Occupation/Title

Animator, Director, Producer, Studio Head

Bio Summary

Most people know him from the famous Hanna-Barbera studios cartoons, such as “The Flintstones” and “Scooby-Doo”, but there was much more to the man’s career.

Early Life/Family

Joseph Barbera was born in the Little Italy section of Manhattan, to Sicilian parents. (Wikipedia)

Education/Training

Career Outline

Published in Collier’s magazine in 1928, and off-and-on while working for the Bankers’ Trust Company in New YorkComments On Style

Influences

Personality

“He was Fred Flintstone: loyal, loving family man; a self-image as a working stiff despite all evidence to the contrary; Average Joe. Except that he was nothing close to being average.” (InsidePulse.com)

Anecdotes

“If you ever want to explore the cliche of “opposites attract”, you could definitely start with Joe Barbera and Bill Hanna. Hanna was the embodiment of what would eventually become the California surfer boy, blond, and tan. Joe looked like a Thirties version of Tony Soprano, dark with the typically wide Italian face. Hanna was refined, Barbera still had the patina of crudeness that Brooklyn, to this day, layers on its inhabitants. Hanna was shy, Barbera gregarious. Hanna was on the fast track at MGM, his loyalty to Harman and Ising paying off as he was allowed to direct a few shorts starting in 1936; Barbera was one of the New York imports, there to provide the muscle behind the scenes. But somehow they clicked. Friendship quickly led to partnership. Everyone at MGM started regarding Hanna and Barbera as a single entity.” (InsidePulse.com)
“[Barbera] could capture mood and expression in a quick sketch better than anyone I’ve ever known.” – Bill Hanna

Miscellaneous

Filmography

MGM, Tom & Jerry:

Puss Gets the Boot (1940) (uncredited) (Co-Director)
Swing Social (1940) (uncredited)
Gallopin’ Gals (1940) (Co-Director)
The Goose Goes South (1941) (Co-Director)
The Midnight Snack (1941) (C0-Director)
Officer Pooch (1941) (Co-Director)
The Night Before Christmas (1941) (uncredited) (Co-Director)
Fraidy Cat (1942) (Co-Director)
Dog Trouble (1942) (Co-Director)
Puss n’ Toots (1942) (Co-Director)
The Bowling Alley-Cat (1942) (Co-Director)
Fine Feathered Friend (1942) (Co-Director)
Sufferin’ Cats (1943) (Co-Director)
The Lonesome Mouse (1943) (Co-Director)
The Yankee Doodle Mouse (1943) (Co-Director)
War Dogs (1943) (Co-Director)
Baby Puss (1943) (Co-Director)
The Zoot Cat (1944) (Co-Director)
The Million Dollar Cat (1944) (Co-Director)
The Bodyguard (1944) (Co-Director)
Puttin’ on the Dog (1944) (Co-Director)
Mouse Trouble (1944) (Co-Director)
… aka Cat Nipped
… aka Kitty Foiled
The Mouse Comes to Dinner (1945) (C0-Director)
… aka Mouse to Dinner
Mouse in Manhattan (1945) (Co-Director)
… aka Manhattan Serenade
Tee for Two (1945) (Co-Director)
Flirty Birdy (1945) (Co-Director)
… aka Love Boids
Quiet Please! (1945) (Co-Director)
The Cat Concerto (1946) (Co-Director)
Springtime for Thomas (1946) (Co-Director)
The Milky Waif (1946) (Co-Director)
Trap Happy (1946) (Co-Director)
Solid Serenade (1946) (Co-Director)
Cat Fishin’ (1947) (Co-Director)
Part Time Pal (1947) (Co-Director)
… aka Fair Weathered Friend
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse (1947) (Co-Director)
Salt Water Tabby (1947) (Co-Director)
A Mouse in the House (1947) (Co-Director)
The Invisible Mouse (1947) (Co-Director)
The Little Orphan (1948) (Co-Director)
Make Mine Freedom (1948) (Co-Director)
Kitty Foiled (1948) (Co-Director)
The Truce Hurts (1948) (Co-Director)
Old Rockin’ Chair Tom (1948) (Co-Director)
Professor Tom (1948) (Co-Director)
Mouse Cleaning (1948) (Co-Director)
Polka-Dot Puss (1949) (Co-Director)
Hatch Up Your Troubles (1949) (Co-Director)
Heavenly Puss (1949) (Co-Director)
The Cat and the Mermouse (1949) (Co-Director)
Love That Pup (1949) (Co-Director)
Jerry’s Diary (1949) (Co-Director)
Tennis Chumps (1949) (Co-Director)
Jerry’s Cousin (1950) (C0-Director)
… aka City Cousin
… aka Muscles Mouse
Little Quacker (1950) (Co-Director)
Saturday Evening Puss (1950) (Co-Director)
… aka Party Cat
Texas Tom (1950)(Co-Director)
Jerry and the Lion (1950) (Co-Director)
… aka Hold That Lion
Safety Second (1950) (Co-Director)
… aka F’r Safety Sake
Tom and Jerry in the Hollywood Bowl (1950) (Co-Director)
The Framed Cat (1950) (Co-Director)
Cue Ball Cat (1950) (Co-Director)
The Two Mouseketeers (1951) (Co-Director)
Casanova Cat (1951) (Co-Director)
Jerry and the Goldfish (1951) (Co-Director)
Sleepy-Time Tom (1951) (Co-Director)
His Mouse Friday (1951) (Co-Director)
Slicked-up Pup (1951) (Co-Director)
Nit-Witty Kitty (1951) (Co-Director)
Cat Napping (1951) (Co-Director)
Johann Mouse (1952) (Co-Director)
The Flying Cat (1952) (Co-Director)
The Duck Doctor (1952) (Co-Director)
Smitten Kitten (1952) (Co-Director)
Triplet Trouble (1952) (Co-Director)
Little Runaway (1952) (Co-Director)
Fit to Be Tied (1952) (Co-Director)
Push-Button Kitty (1952) (Co-Director)
Cruise Cat (1952) (Co-Director)
The Dog House (1952) (Co-Director)
The Missing Mouse (1953) (C0-Director)
Jerry and Jumbo (1953) (Co-Director)
That’s My Pup! (1953) (Co-Director)
Just Ducky (1953) (Co-Director)
Two Little Indians (1953) (Co-Director)
Life with Tom (1953) (Co-Director)
Puppy Tale (1954) (Co-Director)
Posse Cat (1954) (Co-Director)
Hic-cup Pup (1954) (Co-Director)
… aka Tyke Takes a Nap
Little School Mouse (1954) (Co-Director)
Baby Butch (1954) (Co-Director)
Mice Follies (1954) (Co-Director)
Neapolitan Mouse (1954) (Co-Director)
Downhearted Duckling (1954) (Co-Director)
Pet Peeve (1954) (Co-Director)
Touché, Pussy Cat! (1954) (Co-Director)
Southbound Duckling (1955) (Co-Director)
Pup on a Picnic (1955) (Co-Director)
Mouse for Sale (1955) (Co-Director)
Designs on Jerry (1955) (Co-Director)
Tom and Chérie (1955) (Co-Director)
Smarty Cat (1955) (Co-Director)
Pecos Pest (1955) (Co-Director)
That’s My Mommy (1955) (Co-Director)
Good Will to Men (1955) (Co-Director)
The Flying Sorceress (1956) (Co-Director)
The Egg and Jerry (1956) (Co-Director)
Busy Buddies (1956) (Co-Director)
Muscle Beach Tom (1956) (Co-Director)
Down Beat Bear (1956) (Co-Director)
Blue Cat Blues (1956) (Co-Director)
Barbecue Brawl (1956) (Co-Director)
Tops with Pops (1957) (Co-Director)
Give and Tyke (1957) (Co-Director)
Timid Tabby (1957) (Co-Director)
Feedin’ the Kiddie (1957) (Co-Director)
Scat Cats (1957) (Co-Director)
Mucho Mouse (1957) (Co-Director)
Tom’s Photo Finish (1957) (Co-Director)
Happy Go Ducky (1958) (Co-Director)
… aka One Quack Mind
Royal Cat Nap (1958) (Co-Director)
The Vanishing Duck (1958) (Co-Director)
Robin Hoodwinked (1958) (Co-Director)
Tot Watchers (1958) (Co-Director)

Hanna-Barbera

“Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks” (1958) Tv Series (Co-Director)
“Quick Draw McGraw” (1959) Tv Series (Co-Director)
Wolf Hounded (1959) (Co-Director)
Little Bo Bopped (1959) (Co-Director)
Tale of a Wolf (1960) (Co-Director)
Life with Loopy (1960) (Co-Director)
Creepy Time Pal (1960) (Co-Director)
Snoopy Loopy (1960) (Co-Director)
The Do-Good Wolf (1960) (Co-Director)
Here, Kiddie, Kiddie (1960) (Co-Director)
No Biz Like Shoe Biz (1960) (Co-Director)
“The Flintstones” (1 episode, 1960) (Co-Director)
– The Flintstone Flyer (1960) TV Episode (Co-Director)
Count Down Clown (1961) (Co-Director)
“The Yogi Bear Show” (1961) TV Series (Co-Director)
Happy Go Loopy (1961) (Co-Director)
Two Faced Wolf (1961) (Co-Director)
This Is My Ducky Day (1961) (Co-Director)
Fee Fie Foes (1961) (Co-Director)
Zoo Is Company (1961) (Co-Director)
Child Sock-Cology (1961) (Co-Director)
Catch Meow (1961) (Co-Director)
Kooky Loopy (1961) (Co-Director)
Loopy’s Hare-do (1961) (Co-Director)
“Top Cat” (1961) TV Series (Co-Director)
… aka Boss Cat (UK) (Co-Director)
Bungle Uncle (1962) (Co-Director)
Common Scents (1962) (Co-Director)
Bunnies Abundant (1962) (Co-Director)
Beef for and After (1962) (Co-Director)
Swash Buckled (1962) (Co-Director)
Bearly Able (1962) (Co-Director)
“Wally Gator” (1962) TV Series (Co-Director) (uncredited)
“The New Hanna-Barbera Cartoon Series” (1962) TV Series (Co-Director)
Slippery Slippers (1962) (Co-Director)
Chicken Fraca-See (1962) (Co-Director)
Rancid Ransom (1962) (Co-Director)
“The Jetsons” (4 episodes, 1962) (Co-Director)
– Elroy’s TV Show (1962) TV Episode (Co-Director)
– The Good Little Scouts (1962) TV Episode (Co-Director)
– Jetsons Nite Out (1962) TV Episode (Co-Director)
– A Date with Jet Screamer (1962) TV Episode (Co-Director)
Just a Wolf at Heart (1963) (Co-Director)
Chicken Hearted Wolf (1963) (Co-Director)
Whatcha Watchin’ (1963) (Co-Director)
A Fallible Fable (1963) (Co-Director)
Sheep Stealers Anonymous (1963) (Co-Director)
Wolf in Sheep Dog’s Clothing (1963) (Co-Director)
Not in Nottingham (1963) (Co-Director)
Drum-Sticked (1963) (Co-Director)
Bear Up! (1963) (Co-Director)
Crook Who Cried Wolf (1963) (Co-Director)
Habit Rabbit (1963) (Co-Director)
Raggedy Rug (1964) (Co-Director)
“The Magilla Gorilla Show” (1964) TV Series (Co-Director)
Elephantastic (1964) (Co-Director)
Bear Hug (1964) (Co-Director)
Hey There, It’s Yogi Bear (1964) (Co-Director)
“Peter Potamus and His Magic Flying Balloon” (1964) TV Series (Co-Director)
Trouble Bruin (1964) (Co-Director)
Bear Knuckles (1964) (Co-Director)
Habit Troubles (1964) (Co-Director)
“Precious Pupp” (1965) TV Series (Co-Director)
“The Hillbilly Bears” (1965) TV Series (Co-Director)
Horse Shoo (1965) (Co-Director)
“Jonny Quest” (8 episodes, 1964- 1965) (Co-Director)
… aka The Adventures of Jonny Quest
– Attack of the Tree People (1965) TV Episode (Co-Director)
– The Robot Spy (1964) TV Episode (Co-Director)
– Treasure of the Temple (1964) TV Episode (Co-Director)
– The Riddle of the Gold (1964) TV Episode (Co-Director)
– Pursuit of the Po Ho (1964) TV Episode (Co-Director)
(3 more)
Pork Chop Phooey (1965) (Co-Director)
Crow’s Fete (1965) (Co-Director)
Big Mouse Take (1965) (Co-Director)
“Tom and Jerry” (1965) TV Series (Co-Director) (uncredited)
“The Secret Squirrel Show” (1965) TV Series (Co-Director)
Matinee Mouse (1966) (original material) (Co-Director)
“A Laurel and Hardy Cartoon” (1966) TV Series (Co-Director)
… aka Larry Harmon’s Laurel & Hardy (UK: video box title) (Co-Director)
“Abbott & Costello” (1966) TV Series (Co-Director)
The Man Called Flintstone (1966) (Co-Director)
“Space Ghost” (1966) TV Series (Co-Director)
“Frankenstein, Jr. and the Impossibles” (1966) TV Series (Co-Director)
“Samson & Goliath” (1967) TV Series (Co-Director)
… aka Young Samson & Goliath (USA: new title) (Co-Director)
Shutter Bugged Cat (1967) (Co-Director)
“The Atom Ant Show” (1967) TV Series (Co-Director)
“Birdman and the Galaxy Trio” (1967) TV Series (Co-Director)
“Moby Dick and the Mighty Mightor” (1967) TV Series (Co-Director)
“The Herculoids” (1 episode) (Co-Director)
– The Gladiators of Kyanite/Temple of Trax (????) TV Episode (Co-Director)
“Fantastic 4” (5 episodes) (Co-Director)
– Danger in the Depths (????) TV Episode (Co-Director)
– Demon in the Deep (????) TV Episode (Co-Director)
– Invasion of the Super Skrulls (????) TV Episode (Co-Director)
– It Started on Yancy Street (????) TV Episode (Co-Director)
– KIaws/The Red Ghost (????) TV Episode (Co-Director)
“Shazzan” (1967) TV Series (Co-Director)
“Arabian Knights” (1968) TV Series
“Wacky Races” (1968) TV Series(Co-Director)
“The Adventures of Gulliver” (1968) TV Series (Co-Director)
“Loopy de Loop” (1969) TV Series (Co-Director)
Motormouse and Autocat” (1969) TV Series (Co-Director)
“Cattanooga Cats” (1969) TV Series (Co-Director)
“Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines” (1969) TV Series (Co-Director)
“Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” (1969) TV Series (Co-Director)
“The Perils of Penelope Pitstop” (1969) TV Series (Co-Director)
“Love, American Style” (1969) TV Series (Co-Director)
“Where’s Huddles?” (1970) TV Series (Co-Director)
“Harlem Globe Trotters” (1970) TV Series (Co-Director)
… aka The Go-Go Globetrotters (USA: rerun title) (Co-Director)
“Josie and the Pussycats” (1970) TV Series (Co-Director)
“Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har” (1971) TV Series (Co-Director) (uncredited)
“The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show” (1971) TV Series (Co-Director)
“The Funky Phantom” (1971) TV Series (Co-Director)
“Help!… It’s the Hair Bear Bunch!” (1971) TV Series (Co-Director)
“The New Scooby-Doo Movies” (1972) TV Series (Co-Director)
… aka Scooby-Doo Meets the Harlem Globetrotters (USA: video title) (Co-Director)
… aka Scooby-Doo’s New Comedy Movie Pictures (USA) (Co-Director)
“Sealab 2020” (1972) TV Series (Co-Director)
“The Roman Holidays” (1972) TV Series (Co-Director)
“Josie and the Pussy Cats in Outer Space” (1972) TV Series (Co-Director)
“The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan” (1 episode, 1972) (Co-Director)
– To Catch a Pitcher (1972) TV Episode (Co-Director)
“The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie” (7 episodes, 1972-1973) (Co-Director)
… aka The New Saturday Superstar Movie (USA: second season title) (Co-Director)
– Lost in Space (1973) TV Episode (Co-Director)
– Tabitha and Adam and the Clown Family (1972) TV Episode (Co-Director)
– The Banana Splits in Hocus Pocus Park (1972) TV Episode (Co-Director)
– The Adventures of Robin Hoodnik (1972) TV Episode (Co-Director)
– Oliver and the Artful Dodger: Part 2 (1972) TV Episode (Co-Director)
(2 more)
“Fred Flintstone and Friends” (1977) TV Series (Co-Director)
Gulliver’s Travels (1979) (TV) (uncredited) (Co-Director)
Dalton en cavale, Les (1983)
… aka Dalton en balade, Les
… aka Lucky Luke – Das große Abenteuer (West Germany)
Here Are the Smurfs (1984) (TV) (Co-Director)
The Baby Smurf (1984) (TV) (Co-Director)
Jetsons: The Movie (1990) (Co-Director)
Tom and Jerry’s Greatest Chases (2000) (Video) (Co-Director)
Cartoon Crack-ups (2001) (Video) (Co-Director)
“Cartoon Alley” (2004) TV Series (original material)
The Karateguard (2005) (Co-Director)

Honors

Annie Award: Winsor McCay Award 1977

Hanna and Barbera’s 17-year partnership on the Tom & Jerry series resulted in 7 Academy Awards for Best (Cartoon) Short Subject, and 14 total nominations, more than any other character-based theatrical animated series.

Related Links

Inside Pulse
Hanna-Barbera.com
BBC News Obituary: Joe Barbera

Bibliographic References

IMDb.com
Joseph Barbera – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hanna-Barbera.com
Inside Pulse

Contributors To This Listing

the daily phosdex
Jorge Garrido
Jake Thomas
Editor: Brother Rabbit www.RalphBakshi.com

To make additions or corrections to this listing, please click on COMMENTS below…

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Friday, December 17th, 2010

Biography: Bill Hanna

This posting is a stub. You can contribute to this entry by providing information through the comments link at the bottom of this post. Please organize your information following the main category headers below….

Birth/Death

Birth:14 July 1910
Death: March 22, 2001

Occupation/Title

Director, Animator, Producer, Composer, Screenwriter, Story Editor,

Bio Summary

In 1931, he began working as a story editor and assistant to Harman-Ising. Later in 1933 through 1937; he worked with Warner Brothers, as a director and story editor He later went on to work for MGM Studios in 1937 which he directed his first animated feature Blue Monday. In 1938; he teamed up with Joseph Barbera as joint directors Warner brothers. Primarily they made Tom and Jerry shorts which totaled up to over 100. From 1940 to 1955 Hanna worked as co-head, with Barbera Animation Department. until 1955-57 when he and Barbera co-founded Hanna-Barbera Productions, 3 years later (1960) they went on to produce the very first animated prime time show, The Flintstones, which aired from 1960-66. Hanna was the executive producer for Once Upon a Forest. in 1993 he directed the ABC specials I Yabba Dabba Do and Hollyrock-A-Bye Baby; executive producer, The Flintstones movie, 1994; director (his first solo directorial effort since 1941), Cartoon Network’s World Premiere Toons project of the original cartoon short Hard Luck Duck, 1995.
Early Life/Family
Hanna’s father was a construction worker. He moved the family from job to job before finally settling them in Los Angeles in 1919. soon after, William became Boy Scout. He joined the new organization quickly and remained an active participant in it through his entire life. It was here where he also started down the path of animation. when he was out working with his father one day, he learned that Warner Brothers was going to be starting an animation division. With strong natural talents and no formal training, he went looking for work. He landed himself a job and rose quickly through the studio. He was married to Violet Wogatzke, they had two children David and Bonnie.

Early Life/Family

Education/Training

William Hanna studied to become a structural engineer but had to drop out of college with the onset of the Depression. He Studied journalism and engineering

Career Outline

1931- Story editor and assistant to Harman-Ising.
1933 -1937 – Warner Brothers, as a director and story editor
1937 – MGM Studios
1940 -1955 co-head of Barbera Animation Department.
1955-Present – He co-founded Hanna-Barbera Productions,

Comments On Style

He and barbera created some of the most popular cartoons of their time some of which till show today. The impact they had was tremendous their cartoon were and still are enjoyed today.

Influences

Personality

Anecdotes

During a partnership that spanned over sixty years of film and television, Hanna and Barbera worked with over 2,000 animated characters.
Miscellaneous
Hanna and Barbera worked together for fifty years, they created of a 100 cartoons and TV specials. Tom & jerry won seven academy awards.

Miscellaneous

Filmography

1938 Blue Monday,
1945; Anchors Aweigh,
1946; Holiday in Mexico,
1949; Neptune’s Daughter,
1952; Dangerous When Wet,
1956; Invitation to Dance,
1957Ruff and Reddy
1958 Huckleberry Hound
1959 Quick Draw McGraw
1960 The Flintstones
1960 Snagglepuss
1961 The Yogi Bear Show
1961 Top Cat
1962 The Jetsons
1964 Jonny Quest
1964 Hey There, It’s Yogi Bear,
1966; A Man Called Flintstone,
1966 Alice in Wonderland
1967 Project X,
1967 Fantastic Four
1967 Jack and the Beanstalk
1969 Scooby Doo
1971 Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm
1972 The Flintstones Comedy Hour
1972 The Last of the Curlews
1973 Yogi’s Gang
1973 Superfriends
1973 Charlotte’s Web,
1974 The Runaways
1974 Cyrano
1977 The Gathering
1979 The Gathering, Part II
1978- The New Fantastic Four
1979 Caspar’s First Christmas
1979 The Popeye Valentine Special: Sweethearts at Sea
1981 The Smurfs (co-production with Sepp Int.)
1982 Pac-Man
1982 Heidi’s Song,
1982 My Smurfy Valentine
1982 Yogi Bear’s All-Star Comedy Christmas Caper 1985 Smurfily-Ever-After
1984 Going Bananas
1985 The Jetsons
1985 Funtastic World of Hanna Barbera
1986 Foofur
1986 The Flintstones’ 25th Anniversary Celebration 1989 Hagar the Horrible
1986 Pound Puppies
1986; Gobots: Battle of the Rock Lords,
1986 The Flintstone Kids
1986 Wildfire
1987 Snorks
1987 Sky Commanders
1987 Popeye and Son
1987 The Stone Fox
1990 Jetsons: The Movie,
1993 I Yabba-Dabba Do!
1993 Captain Planet
1994 The New Adventures of Captain Planet
1994 The Pagemaster,
1994. The Flintstones, (movie)

Honors

Seven Oscars,
Eight Emmy Awards Governor’s Award,
Television Arts and Sciences; Hollywood Walk of Fame Star, 1976;
Golden IKE Award,
Annie Award: Winsor McCay Award 1977
Pacific Pioneers in Broadcasting, 1983
Pioneer Award, BMI (Broadcast Music Inc.),
1987; Iris Award-NATPE Men of the Year, 1988
Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association Award for Lifetime Achievement, 1988
Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Governors Award, 198
Jackie Coogan Award for Outstanding Contribution to Youth through Entertainment Youth in Film,
1988; Frederic W. Ziv Award for Outstanding Achievement in Telecommunications, Broadcasting Division, College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati, 1989
Elected to Television Academy Hall of Fame, 1991

Related Links

Bibliographic References

http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/H/htmlH/hannawillia/hannawillia.htm
http://www.digitalmediafx.com/Features/williamhanna.html

Contributors To This Listing

Aaron Harris

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