Hanna-Barbera

Hanna-Barbera was an American animation studio and production company that operated from 1957 until it was absorbed into Warner Bros. Animation in 2001. William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, the creators of Tom and Jerry and former employees of the MGM cartoon unit, founded it on July 7, 1957 together with the film producer George Sidney. The studio began at Kling Studios in Los Angeles, later moved to Cahuenga Boulevard, and finished its life in Sherman Oaks. It is known for a very large run of animated television series, among them Huckleberry Hound, The Flintstones, Yogi Bear, Jonny Quest, Scooby-Doo, Super Friends and The Smurfs. Ownership changed over time: Taft Broadcasting acquired the company in 1966 and Turner Broadcasting System bought it in 1991, after which the back catalog helped launch Cartoon Network in 1992. After Hanna died in 2001 the studio was folded into Warner Bros. Animation, and the name survives only as a unit that manages copyright and branding for its older properties.