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Joseph Barbera

Television Animation / Creator/ Producer

"I just hope they remember I was the creator of some very warm and loving, funny characters that made everybody happy and smile." 

About This Interview

Joseph Barbera (1911-2006) was interviewed for three-and-a-half hours in Studio City, CA.  Barbera discussed his start as a young animator at the Van Beuren Studios in New York, before his move to California and MGM's cartoon studio.  He recalled working for executive Fred Quimby, and his eventual partnership with William Hanna at MGM.  This collaboration with Hanna ultimately led to their own cartoon production company, and Barbera shared many stories about the creation of some of their more memorable characters, including: "Tom and Jerry," "Yogi Bear," "The Flintstones," "The Jetsons," and the "Smurfs."  B-roll consisted of a few Hanna-Barbera related photos including an early studio still with Daws Butler, Don Messick, William Hanna, and Joe Barbera.  The interview was conducted by Leonard Maltin on February 26, 1997.

Related To This Video

  • Shows
  • Topics
  • Professions

Shows

  • Adventures of Jonny Quest
  • Emmy Awards, The (primetime and daytime)
  • Flintstones, The
  • Honeymooners, The
  • Jetsons, The
  • Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

Topics

  • Studio Management

Professions

  • Animation Professionals
  • Writers & Show Creators

Resources

Hanna-Barbera

Book: The Hanna-Barbera Treasury: Rare Art and Mementos from your Favorite Cartoon Classics

YouTube video player - HTML5 compatible.
  • Highlights
  • Interview
  • Shows
  • People
  • Topics
  • Genres

Highlights

  • Joseph Barbera on the creation of <i>The Flintstones</i>, and its comparison to <i>The Honeymooners</i>Joseph Barbera on the creation of The Flintstones, and its comparison to The Honeymooners
    Clip begins at: 03:21, Duration: 02m 44s
  • Joseph Barbera on Hanna-Barbera’s cost-cutting technique of “limited animation”Joseph Barbera on Hanna-Barbera’s cost-cutting technique of “limited animation”
    Clip begins at: 15:23, Duration: 01m 11s
  • Joseph Barbera on hiring a <i>Honeymooners</i>  writer for <i>The Flintstones</i>  (both Herbert Finn and Sydney Zelinka wrote for both), only to discover the unsuitability of the scriptsJoseph Barbera on hiring a Honeymooners writer for The Flintstones (both Herbert Finn and Sydney Zelinka wrote for both), only to discover the unsuitability of the scripts
    Clip begins at: 24:32, Duration: 00m 52s
  • Joseph Barbera on his contribution to his partnership with William HannaJoseph Barbera on his contribution to his partnership with William Hanna
    Clip begins at: 25:51, Duration: 01m 18s
  • Joseph Barbera on merchandising <i>The Flintstones</i>' “Pebbles” dollJoseph Barbera on merchandising The Flintstones' “Pebbles” doll
    Clip begins at: 27:24, Duration: 00m 53s

Interview

  • Part 1
  • On his early years and education.
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • Part 2
  • On his early work as an animator; on the differences between Walt Disney and Warner Bros. animation.
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • Part 3
  • On the formation of his partnership with William Hanna; on their work on Tom and Jerry; on selling Ruff and Ready, Huckleberry Hound and Yogi; on theme songs
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • Part 4
  • Full Chapter Four
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • Part 5
  • On the creation of Jonny Quest, and The Jetsons and Scooby-Doo; the sale of the company; producing Charlotte's Web
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • Part 6
  • On The Smurfs, The Jetsons, and Jonny Quest; on the live-action TV movie The Gathering; on contemporary animation
    Clip begins at: 0:0
  • Part 7
  • On the highlights of his career; on his thoughts on Walt Disney, Tex Avery, Mel Blanc, and others.
    Clip begins at: 0:0

Shows

  • Adventures of Jonny Quest
    • Joseph Barbera on the creation of Jonny Quest
      Clip begins at: 15:07, Duration: 02m 48s
  • Emmy Awards, The (primetime and daytime)
    • Joseph Barbera on winning his first Emmy (for Huckleberry Hound )
      Clip begins at: 00:30, Duration: 01m 20s
  • Flintstones, The
    • Joseph Barbera on the creation of The Flintstones, and its comparison to The Honeymooners
      Clip begins at: 03:21, Duration: 02m 44s
    • Joseph Barbera on Hanna-Barbera's cost-cutting technique of "limited animation"
      Clip begins at: 15:23, Duration: 01m 11s
    • Joseph Barbera on hiring a Honeymooners writer for The Flintstones (both Herbert Finn and Sydney Zelinka wrote for both), only to discover the unsuitability of the scripts
      Clip begins at: 24:32, Duration: 00m 52s
    • Joseph Barbera on merchandising The Flintstones' "Pebbles" doll
      Clip begins at: 27:24, Duration: 00m 53s
  • Honeymooners, The
    • Joseph Barbera on the creation of The Flintstones, and its comparison to The Honeymooners
      Clip begins at: 03:21, Duration: 02m 44s
  • Jetsons, The
    • Joseph Barbera on the creation of The Jetsons
      Clip begins at: 11:28, Duration: 03m 39s
  • Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!
    • Joseph Barbera on the creation of Scooby-Doo
      Clip begins at: 17:55, Duration: 03m 36s

People

  • William Hanna
    • Joseph Barbera on his contribution to his partnership with William Hanna
      Clip begins at: 25:51, Duration: 01m 18s

Topics

  • Television Industry > Studio Management
    • Joseph Barbera on Hanna-Barbera's cost-cutting technique of "limited animation"
      Clip begins at: 15:23, Duration: 01m 11s

Genres

  • Animation
    • Joseph Barbera on Hanna-Barbera's cost-cutting technique of "limited animation"
      Clip begins at: 15:23, Duration: 01m 11s
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Submitted by alexander3062 on Tue, 2011-07-05 15:59.

lol joe barbara's response to everything, Oh yeah! lmao. Judge: did you kill this girl Joe Barbera: Oh yeah! lmao. jk.

Submitted by Mr10224 on Mon, 2011-06-27 10:45.

tom and jerry

Submitted by salvador75 on Sat, 2011-04-30 16:15.

Leonard, you are a hero for doing this interview and allowing him to take his time and go on tangents telling fun stories, so we can hear real history from a true animation legend. THANK YOU!

Submitted by ALEXSLINGSBY on Sun, 2011-04-10 22:58.

He doesn't look 86 on here.

Submitted by mattjnor98 on Sat, 2011-03-12 19:04.

R.I.P.

Joe Barbera

Submitted by mikethekhotmailcom on Fri, 2011-03-04 21:16.

301 views??? Folks this is compelling stuff - obviously I'm in the minority here :)

Submitted by InvaderPet on Sun, 2010-09-05 20:59.

I wish the interviewer had asked him about Penny Singleton and Janet Waldo.

Submitted by InvaderPet on Sun, 2010-09-05 20:43.

I always wondered what Joe's thoughts on the Flintstones movie was.

Submitted by Deathsquad49 on Tue, 2010-08-31 01:50.

omg this is too cool

Submitted by kabool2 on Fri, 2010-08-13 02:04.

legend

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