Adieu Cartoon King!

The Cartoon Kings Joseph Barbera (1911-2006) with William Hanna (1910-2001) on the right with several of their cartoon creations.
(AP Photo)

On Wednesday, 19 December 2006, the Joseph Barbera the surviving half of the world famous Hanna-Barbera team passed away at the grand age of 95, bringing to end, the era of the cartoon kings. Their legacy of being the pioneers of animation series for television will always be remembered as long as cartoons are watched.


The Hannah-Barbera duo was known for their 17-year partnership on the Tom & Jerry series which resulted in 7 Academy Awards for Best (Cartoon) Short Subject, and 14 total nominations, more than any other character-based theatrical animated series.

Growing up in Dubai, cartoons were the only source of entertainment, long before the advent of tv-console games or computer games. Local Middle East channels ruled the roost and brought to life the likes of Tom and Jerry, Huckleberry Hound, Flintstones, the Jetsons, Yogi Bear and thousands of other cartoon characters. Their simple English or “no language” enabled the cartoons to cross barriers of region, age, nationality and reasoning. Dubai Channel 33, Ajman Tv, Abu Dhabi Tv 2, Saudi Channel 2 (English), Kuwait Channel 2 were some of the channels that aired these cartoons in the pre-satellite tv age.

These cartoons were my life blood in my drab school existence. In the days when cartoon merchandising was still young – an occasional sticker or poster in Young Times was the only souvenirs unless a relative dropped in from the United States with some cartoon imprinted pencil erasers or school tiffin boxes which became prized and envied treasures. I lost myself in the chuckles of Fred Flintstone or always wondered why Tom never caught Jerry, or "Hey there Booboo!" in the peculiar but catchy voice of Yogi Bear or the "Oh My Darling" southern drawling tune of Huckleberry Hound.

Life would have been a bore without their creations! A moment of silence from Freemind in remembrance and thanks to Hanna & Barbera who shared their wit and talent and for keeping alive a little child in me which comes to life when ever I see these timeless cartoons.

Rest in peace, creators and kings of the cartoon world! May your characters live on in the hearts of children and adults every where. Hope you are in a place where you and your buddy can have a “yabba doo time, A dabba doo time.”

My biggest kick comes from the individual fans I run into. Middle-aged men ask me when we're going to do more Johnny Quest cartoons. ~Joseph Barbera

Parents look at me like I'm somebody pretty important, and say, We were raised on your characters, and now we're enjoying them all over again with our children. ~Joseph Barbera

RIP Joseph Barbera

Some of the Early characters from Hanna-Barbera (from left to right):

(top row) Tom, Jerry
(2nd row) Hong Kong Phooey, Peter Potamus, Squiddly Diddly
(3rd row) Dino Flintstone, Blabber Mouse, Ranger John Francis Smith, Foofur, Captain Caveman, Dick Dastardly, Wally Gator
(4th row) Super Snooper, Shaggy, Mr. Jinks, Elroy Jetson, Papa Smurf, Pebbles Flintstone, Bamm-Bamm Rubble, Augie Doggie, Jabberjaw
(5th row) Jane Jetson, Magilla Gorilla, Betty Rubble, Gargamel, Pixie, Dixie
(6th row) Space Ghost, Muttley, Wilma Flintstone, Astro Jetson, Allstar Seaworthy Snork, Doggie Daddy
(7th row) Snagglepuss, Penelope Pitstop, Quick Draw McGraw, George Jetson, Barney Rubble, Johnny Quest, Boo-Boo Bear, Scrappy-Doo
(8th row) Top Cat, Smurfette, Scooby-doo, Fred Flintstone, William Hanna, Joseph Barbera, Yogi Bear, Judy Jetson, Huckleberry Hound

Link: List of works produced by Hanna-Barbera