1950s

The 1950s is the decade William Hanna and Joseph Barbera founded Hanna-Barbera.

At the beginning of the decade, they continued to direct (and later produce) the Tom and Jerry theatrical shorts for MGM Animation, while also producing their Droopy shorts in 1956. Both series ceased production in 1957 when MGM shut down its animation unit.

With financial backing from film director George Sidney, Hanna and Barbera set up their own animation company and created their first cartoon series, The Ruff and Reddy Show, debuting straight to television—via Screen Gems—in 1957. Their first successful series was The Huckleberry Hound Show in 1958, and due to its huge popularity in syndication, Hanna-Barbera created The Quick Draw McGraw Show in 1959, which also became a hit.

Also in 1959, having not forgotten their roots, Hanna and Barbera used their new studio to begin creating a new series of theatrical shorts called Loopy De Loop, distributed through Columbia Pictures (then-parent company of Screen Gems).

1950

• Tom and Jerry
  • Little Quacker - January 7
  • Saturday Evening Puss - January 14
  • Texas Tom - March 11
  • Jerry and the Lion - April 8
  • Safety Second - July 1
  • Tom and Jerry in the Hollywood Bowl - September 16
  • The Framed Cat - October 1
• Droopy
  • The Chump Champ - November 4 (involves neither Hanna or Barbara)
• Tom and Jerry
  • Cue Ball Cat - November 25

1951

• Tom and Jerry
  • Casanova Cat - January 6
  • Jerry and the Goldfish - March 3
• Droopy
  • Daredevil Droopy - March 31 (involves neither Hanna or Barbara)
• Tom and Jerry
  • Jerry and the Goldfish - April 7
• Droopy
  • Droopy's Good Deed - May 5 (involves neither Hanna or Barbara)
• Tom and Jerry
  • Sleepy-Time Tom - May 26
  • His Mouse Friday - July 6
  • Slicked-up Pup - September 8
  • Nit-Witty Kitty - October 6
• Droopy
  • Droopy's Double Trouble - November 17 (involves neither Hanna or Barbara)
• Tom and Jerry
  • Cat Napping - December 8

1952

• Tom and Jerry
  • The Flying Cat - January 12
  • The Duck Doctor - February 16
  • The Two Mouseketeers - March 15
  • Smitten Kitten - April 12
  • Triplet Trouble - April 19
  • Little Runaway - June 14
  • Fit To Be Tied - July 26
  • Push-Button Kitty - September 6
• Droopy
  • Caballero Droopy - September 27 (involves neither Hanna or Barbara)
• Tom and Jerry
  • Cruise Cat - October 18
  • The Dog House - November 29

1953

• Tom and Jerry
  • The Missing Mouse - January 10
  • Jerry and Jumbo - February 21
  • Johann Mouse - March 21
  • That's My Pup! - April 25
  • Just Ducky - September 5
  • Two Little Indians - October 17
  • Life With Tom - November 21
• Droopy
  • The Three Little Pups - December 26 (involves neither Hanna or Barbara)

1954

• Tom and Jerry
  • Puppy Tale - January 23
  • Posse Cat - January 30
• Droopy
  • Drag-a-Long Droopy - February 20
• Tom and Jerry
  • Hic-cup Pup - April 17
  • Little School Mouse - May 29
• Droopy
  • Homesteader Droopy - July 10 (involves neither Hanna or Barbara)
• Tom and Jerry
  • Baby Butch - August 14
  • Mice Follies - September 4
  • Neapolitan Mouse - October 2
  • Downhearted Duckling - November 13
  • Pet Peeve - November 20
• Droopy
  • Dixieland Droopy - December 4 (involves neither Hanna or Barbara)
• Tom and Jerry
  • Touché, Pussy Cat! - December 18

1955

• Tom and Jerry
  • Southbound Duckling - March 12
  • Pup on a Picnic - April 30
  • Mouse for Sale - May 21
  • Designs on Jerry - September 2
  • Tom and Chérie - September 9
  • Smarty Cat - October 14
• Droopy
  • Deputy Droopy - October 28 (involves neither Hanna or Barbara)
• Droopy
  • Pecos Pest - November 11
  • That's My Mommy - November 19

1956

• Tom and Jerry
  • The Flying Sorceress - January 27
  • The Egg and Jerry - March 23
  • Busy Buddies - May 4
  • Muscle Beach Tom - September 7
• Droopy
  • Millionaire Droopy - September 21
• Tom and Jerry
  • Down Beat Bear - October 21
  • Blue Cat Blues - November 16
  • Barbecue Brawl - December 14

1957

Main article: 1957

• Tom and Jerry
  • Tops With Pops - February 22
  • Timid Tabby - April 19
• Droopy
  • Grin and Share It - May 17
• Tom and Jerry
  • Feedin' the Kiddie - June 7
  • Mucho Mouse - September 6
• Droopy
  • Blackboard Jumble - October 4
• Tom and Jerry
  • Tom's Photo Finish - November 1
• Droopy
  • One Droopy Knight - December 6
• The Ruff and Reddy Show
  • "Planet Pirates" - December 14
  • "Night Flight Fright" - December 14
  • "The Mastermind of Muni-Mula" - December 21
  • "The Mad Monster of Muni-Mula" - December 21
  • "Muni-Mula Mix-Up" - December 28
  • "The Creepy Creature Feature" - December 28
  • "The Creepy Creature" - December 28

1958

Main article: 1958

• Tom and Jerry
  • Happy Go Ducky - January 3
• The Ruff and Reddy Show
  • "Surprise in the Skies" - January 4
  • "Crowds in the Clouds" - January 4
  • "Reddy's Rocket Rescue" - January 4
  • "Rocket Ranger Danger" - January 11
  • "Pinky, the Pint Sized Pachyderm" - January 11
  • "Last Trip of a Ghost Ship" - January 11
  • "The Irate Pirate" - January 18
  • "Dynamite Fright" - January 18
  • "Marooned in Typhoon Lagoon" - January 18
  • "Scarey Harry Safari" - January 25
  • "Jungle Jitters" - January 25
  • "Bungle in the Jungle" - January 25
  • "Miles of Crocodiles" - February 1
  • "A Creep in the Deep" - February 1
  • "Hot Shot's Plot" - February 1
• Droopy
  • Sheep Wrecked - February 7
• The Ruff and Reddy Show
  • "The Gloom of Doom" - February 8
  • "The Trapped Trap the Trapper" - February 8
  • "Westward Ho Ho Ho" - February 8
  • "A Slight Fright on a Moonlight Night" - February 15
  • "Asleep While a Creep Steals Sheep" - February 15
  • "Copped by a Copter" - February 15
  • "The Two Terrible Twins from Texas" - February 22
  • "Killer and Diller in a Chiller of a Thriller" - February 22
  • "A Friend to the End" - February 22
  • "Heels on Wheels" - March 1
  • "The Whirly-Bird Catches the Worms" - March 1
  • "The Boss of Double-Cross" - March 1
• Tom and Jerry
  • Royal Cat Nap - March 7
• The Ruff and Reddy Show
  • "Ship-Shape Sheep" - March 8
  • "Rootin' Tootin' Shootin'" - March 8
  • "Hot Lead for a Hot-Head" - March 8
  • "The Treasure of Doubloon" - March 15
  • "Blunder Down Under" - March 15
  • "The Metal Monster Mystery" - March 15
  • "The Late, Late Pieces of Eight" - March 22
  • "The Goon of Doubloon" - March 22
  • "Two Dubs in a Sub" - March 22
  • "Big Deal with a Small Seal" - March 29
  • "A Real Keen Submarine" - March 29
  • "No Hope for a Dope on a Periscope" - March 29
• Droopy
  • Mutts About Racing - April 4
• The Ruff and Reddy Show
  • "Rescue in the Deep Blue" - April 5
  • "A Whale of a Tale of a Tail of a Whale" - April 5
  • "Welcome Guest in a Treasure Chest" - April 5
  • "Pot Shot Puts Hot Shot on a Hot Spot" - April 5
• Tom and Jerry
  • The Vanishing Duck - May 2
  • Robin Hoodwinked - June 6
• Droopy
  • Droopy Leprechaun - July 4
• Tom and Jerry
  • Tot Watchers - August 1
• The Ruff and Reddy Show
  • "Egg Yeggs" - December 13
  • "The Dummy Mummy" - December 13
  • "The Chicken-Hearted Chickosaurus Chase" - December 20
  • "The Chickasaurus Crack-Up" - December 20
  • "The Slick Chickasaurus Chick Trick" - December 20
  • "The Chicken-Hearted Chickasaurus" - December 27
  • "Chickasaurus Choo Choo!" - December 27
  • "Rumble in the Jungle" - December 27
• The Huckleberry Hound Show
  • Huckleberry Hound
  • Yogi Bear
  • Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks

1959

Main article: 1959

• The Ruff and Reddy Show
  • "The Sorehead Tyrrannosaurus" - January 3
  • "Two Eyes Spy on the Guys" - January 3
  • "Double-Trouble with Ubble-Ubble" - January 3
  • "A Chick in Need Is a Chick Indeed" - January 3
  • "Quick Trick Saves a Slick Chick" - January 10
  • "Scary Tale on a Canyon Trail" - January 10
  • "Borrowed Burro in a Burrow" - January 10
  • "Pint Size Surprise for the Guys" - January 17
  • "Reddy and Me and Pee-Wee Makes Three" - January 17
  • "Hoss Grief Thief" - January 17
  • "Tricked and Trapped by a Tricky Trapper" - January 24
  • "Harry Safari and the Phoney Pony" - January 24
  • "Frantic Antics of Poco Loco" - January 24
  • "Nag in a Bag" - January 31
  • "Bungled Bundle of Boodle" - January 31
  • "Chump's Jumps Bring Bumps and Lumps" - January 31
• The Huckleberry Hound Show
  • Huckleberry Hound
  • Yogi Bear
  • Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks
• The Quick Draw McGraw Show
  • Quick Draw McGraw
  • Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy
  • Snooper and Blabber
• Loopy De Loop
  • Wolf Hounded - November 5
  • Little Bo Bopped - December 3