Joseph Barbera

Episode 167

Joseph Barbera was co-founder of the powerhouse animation studio Hanna-Barbera. He got his start drawing at his Catholic grade school, Holy Innocents, in Brooklyn, where the sisters noted his artistic talents. Eventually he made cartoons and animation his career, landing at Metro Goldwyn Mayer. At MGM he teamed up with William Hanna on the Tom and Jerry series, which was an overnight sensation. Tom and Jerry won a record seven Oscars from a record 14 nominations. When MGM shut down its animation studio, the two partnered to found Hanna-Barbera studios. Through Hanna-Barbera they created some of the most important cartoons of the 20th century, including Huckleberry Hound, The Flintstones, Yogi Bear, Johnny Quest, The Jetsons, Snagglepuss, Superfriends, The Smurfs, Scooby Do, and many others. Through their groundbreaking work they won many Emmy Awards. But Joseph Barbera considered a series of cartoons on stories from the Bible to be his most important achievement. The series, “The Greatest Adventure,” was released straight to home video from 1985 through 1992. Barbera remained active in Hanna-Barbera until shortly before his death in 2006.

Books & Video

• Watch the series: “GREATEST ADVENTURE STORIES FROM BIBLE”
• William Hanna and Joseph Barbera: The Sultans of Saturday Morning (Legends of Animation)
• My Life in ‘Toons: From Flatbush to Bedrock in Under a Century
• The American Catholic Almanac A Daily Reader of Patriots Saints Rogues and Ordinary People Who Changed the United States

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