Hanna-Barbera was an iconic animation studio, founded by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera in 1957. They began their partnership at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) studio in 1937, where they first created the successful “Tom and Jerry” series. After MGM closed its animation studio in 1957, Hanna and Barbera established their own company, initially focusing on animated TV commercials and later producing numerous popular animated TV shows.

The studio’s early success came with shows like “The Huckleberry Hound Show” (1958-1962), “The Flintstones” (1960-1966), “Top Cat” (1961-1962), and “The Jetsons” (1962-1963). Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, they continued to create a wide range of shows, such as “Jonny Quest” (1964-1965), “Space Ghost and Dino Boy” (1966), “Birdman and the Galaxy Trio” (1967-1969), “The Herculoids” (1967-1968), and “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?” (1969-1970).

In the 1970s and 1980s, Hanna-Barbera’s influence remained strong with shows like “Super Friends” (1973-1974), “Hong Kong Phooey” (1974), and “The Smurfs” (1981-1989). The 1990s saw the production of series like “Johnny Bravo” (1997-2004) and “The Powerpuff Girls” (1998-2005).

However, the profitability of their cartoons was eclipsed by weekday afternoon syndication in the 1980s, leading to a decline in the studio’s fortunes. Taft Broadcasting, which had acquired Hanna-Barbera in 1966, sold it to Turner Broadcasting System in 1991. Turner then merged with Time Warner in 1996. Just ten days before Hanna’s death in 2001, Hanna-Barbera was folded into Warner Bros. Animation. Since then, the Hanna-Barbera name has been primarily used for marketing and copyright purposes.

The impact of Hanna-Barbera’s cartoons continues to be evident in popular culture, from cereal commercials to parodies in modern TV shows and movies. The legacy of Hanna-Barbera’s creative and pioneering work in animation remains a significant part of television history.