Joseph Barbera

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Joseph Barbera
Born	Joseph Roland Barbera March 24, 1911 New York City
Died	December 18, 2006 Los Angeles, California
Cause of death	Natural causes
Nationality	American
Occupation(s)	Animator Director Producer Artist Screenwriter Voice actor
Years active at MGM	1940-1958
Years active at Hanna-Barbera	1957-2001
Years active at Warner Bros.	2001-2006
Relatives	Jayne Barbera, daughter Neal Barbera, son
Characters played	Himself
Barbera guesting on I Yabba-Dabba Do!

Joseph "Joe" Roland Barbera (March 24, 1911 – December 18, 2006) was an American animator, director, producer, cartoon artist, storyboard artist, and screenwriter who was one of the two founders behind the animation studio and production company Hanna-Barbera, along with William Hanna.

Barbera began his career at Van Beuren Studios in 1927 and subsequently Terrytoons in 1929. In 1937, he moved to California and while working at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Barbera met and became business partners with William Hanna. The two began a steady partnership and would go on to produce the Tom and Jerry series of theatrical cartoons. In 1957, after MGM closed their animation department, they co-founded Hanna-Barbera, which became the most successful television animation studio in the business, producing programs such as The Huckleberry Hound Show, The Flintstones; The Yogi Bear Show; Top Cat; The Jetsons; Jonny Quest; and Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! among others. In 1967, Hanna-Barbera was sold to Taft Broadcasting, but Hanna and Barbera remained heads of the company. In 1991, the studio was sold to Turner Broadcasting System, which in turn was merged with Time Warner, owners of Warner Bros., in 1996; Hanna and Barbera stayed on as advisors.

Hanna and Barbera directed seven Academy Award films and won eight Emmy Awards. Their cartoon shows have become cultural icons, and their characters have appeared in other media such as films, books, and toys.

Barbera died of natural causes on December 18, 2006 at the age of 95.

Roles

20th century

• I Yabba-Dabba Do! (1993)
  • Himself
• The Flintstones (1994)
  • Man in Mersandes
• The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000)
  • Wedding guest

21st century

• Tom and Jerry (2001)
  • Himself (The Mansion Cat)

Tributes

• In the Red Razors arc of the comic 2000AD, a group of Sov-Block mercenary enforcers called themselves the Spooky Doo Gang, due to owning a dog called Spooky who resembled a green Scooby-Doo. Velma's doppelganger is called Barbra, in reference to Barbera.
• In the film I Yabba-Dabba Do!, Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm put Barbera and Hanna's names on an invitation to their wedding reception, with them showing up and voicing themselves. In the sequel, Hollyrock-a-Bye Baby, they sent flowers to the couple after the birth of their twins, Roxy and Chip.
• In the Johnny Bravo episode "Bravo Dooby-Doo," one of Jebidisa Bravo's disguises was Barbera.
• In the Animaniacs segment "Back in Style," Thaddeus Plotz, the CEO of Warner Bros., loaned the Warner siblings to Phil and Shmoe, who were known for making cartoons of limited animation.
• A special Cartoon Network bumper was made in his memory.
• Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale is dedicated to him.
• In the film Scoob!, there is a pizzeria named Barbera's Pizza.

• 

  Joe as Schmoe, to the right.