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I have to confess that while I don’t watch television much these days, as a kid I adored the cartoons of Hanna-Barbera. They were always colorful and fun, and I have many happy memories of early weekend mornings in front of the tele before rushing off to play for the day. These cartoons are not full of skimpily clad girls with attitudes that would make an adult blush (as so many are today) – they are from the good old days of innocent entertainment. This broad selection covers some of my favorites, and definitely the top of the pick. I hope this list as fun a trip down memory lane for you all as it was for me.
Together, the Herculoids battled to defend their planet from menaces on Quasar and from Outer Space. All of the Herculoids displayed Human-level intelligence, and Zandor & Tarra displayed a working knowledge of complex alien technologies as well as the ability to pilot interstellar spacecraft. Although the “speech” of their companions was limited and repetitive, Zandor, Tarra and Dorno (c.f.The Mutoids: “Gleep says that the aliens who landed are attacking Dorno and Tundro.”) demonstrated that Gloop & Gleep, at least, had a comprehensive mode of communication, and that they could at least understand and interpret the “language”. In reality, the voices were brief tracks supplied by two actors and reused throughout the series, in keeping with Hanna-Barbera’s thrifty ethos.
Quick Draw McGraw is the anthropomorphic cartoon horse, the third cartoon television production created by Hanna-Barbera following their success with The Ruff & Reddy Show and The Huckleberry Hound Show. It debuted in 1959. Quick Draw was usually depicted as a sheriff in these short films set in the American Old West. Each episode was approximately six minutes long; this allowed four episodes per half-hour program with commercial advertisements in between. Quick Draw was often accompanied by his deputy, a Mexican burro called Baba Looey, who spoke English with a Mexican accent. Quick Draw satirized the westerns that were popular among the American public at the time. His character was well-intentioned, but somewhat dim.
One of the very first HB cartoons, beginning in 1958, and lasting 69 episodes. The Huckleberry Hound Show was probably the series that truly made Hanna-Barbera a household name, and is often credited with legitimizing the concept of animation produced specifically for television; it won an Emmy award in 1961. Three segments were included in the program: one featuring Huckleberry Hound; Yogi Bear and his sidekick Boo Boo; and Pixie and Dixie, two mice who in each short found a new way to outwit the cat Mr. Jinks.
Yogi Bear made his debut in 1958 as a supporting character in The Huckleberry Hound Show. He was the first break-out character created by Hanna-Barbera Studios, and was eventually more popular than Huckleberry Hound. In 1961 he was given his own show, The Yogi Bear Show, which also included the segments Snagglepuss and Yakky Doodle. Yogi was one of several Hanna-Barbera characters to have a collar, which allowed the body to be kept static and to redraw just the head in each frame when he was speaking, thus reducing the number of drawings needed for a seven-minute cartoon from 14,000 to around 2,000.
Jonny Quest was about a boy who accompanies his father on extraordinary adventures. It featured more realistic violence than earlier Hanna-Barbera programs, adding suspense and impact to the show. This, the first of several Hanna-Barbera action-based adventure shows, ran on ABC in prime time for one season in 1964–1965. The series was inspired by the James Bond film Dr. No, and its visual style was unusual for its time, combining a fairly realistic depiction of human figures and objects with fairly limited animation techniques. The series made heavy use of rich music scores, offscreen impacts with sound effects, reaction shots, cycling animations, cutaways, scene to scene dissolves, and abbreviated dialogue to move the story forward, without requiring extensive original animation of figures.
The Jetsons originally ran on Sunday nights on ABC from September 23, 1962 to March 3, 1963. It was Hanna-Barbera’s space age counterpart to The Flintstones. A half-hour family sitcom projecting contemporary American culture and lifestyle into another time period. The Jetsons live in a futuristic utopia of elaborate robotic contraptions, aliens, holograms, and whimsical inventions. George Jetson (the father) works 3 hours a day and 3 days a week for his short, tyrannical boss named Mr. Cosmo Spacely, owner of the company Spacely Space Sprockets. Typical episodes involve Mr. Spacely firing and rehiring or promoting and demoting George Jetson.
Tom and Jerry centered on a never-ending rivalry between a housecat (Tom) and a mouse (Jerry) whose chases and battles often involved comic violence. Hanna and Barbera ultimately wrote and directed one hundred and fourteen Tom and Jerry cartoons at the MGM cartoon studio in Hollywood, California between 1940 and 1957, when the animation unit was closed. The original series is notable for having won the Academy Awards for Best Short Subject (Cartoons) seven times. Throughout the years, the term and title Tom and Jerry became practically synonymous with never-ending rivalry, as much as the related “cat and mouse fight” metaphor has.
Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! is the first incarnation of the long-running Hanna-Barbera Saturday morning cartoon Scooby-Doo. It premiered on September 13, 1969 at 10:30 a.m. EST and ran for two seasons on CBS as a half-hour long show. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! was a breakaway hit for Hanna-Barbera and CBS, who quickly introduced similar cartoons to accompany Scooby-Doo: Josie and the Pussycats, The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show, The Funky Phantom, Speed Buggy, Jabberjaw, and Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels. From episode to episode, the plot varied very little – with the “gang” breaking down near a haunted building, trying to find clues, eventually solving the puzzle, and heading off again. Despite this, the show was immensely popular – and beyond any doubt greater than the future series which included the annoying Scrappy Doo (Scooby’s nephew).
The Smurfs is a American cartoon series that aired on NBC from 1981 to 1990. Made by Hanna-Barbera, it is based on the Belgian comic series The Smurfs, created by Peyo, and aired for 256 episodes, with a total of 421 stories. The show became a major success for NBC, spawning spin-off television specials on an almost yearly basis. The Smurfs was nominated multiple times for Daytime Emmy awards, and won Outstanding Children’s Entertainment Series in 1982–1983. The Smurfs television show enjoyed continued success until 1990, when, after a decade of success, NBC cancelled it due to decreasing ratings.
The Flintstones is about a working class Stone Age man’s life with his family and his next door neighbor and best friend. This show played like a prehistoric Honeymooners and its popularity rested heavily on its consistently entertaining juxtaposition of modern-day concerns in the Stone Age setting. The first prime-time animated series geared for adults, the show originally aired from 1960 to 1966 on the ABC network. The show is an allegory to American society of the mid-20th century; in the Flintstones’ fantasy version of the past, dinosaurs, saber-toothed tigers, woolly mammoths, and other long extinct animals co-exist with barefoot cavemen, who use technology very similar to that of the mid-20th century, although made entirely from pre-industrial materials and largely powered through the use of various animals.
Notable Omissions: Top Cat, Captain Caveman, Space Ghost, Birdman, and the Snorks
This article is licensed under the GFDL because it contains quotations from Wikipedia.
Contributor: JFrater, and astro
January 30th, 2009 at 1:56 am
Awesome. I also love all the Adult Swim spoofs of these.
January 30th, 2009 at 2:03 am
I had a deprived childhood.
January 30th, 2009 at 2:15 am
great list!! takes me back. I have only just discovered your website and have been addicted to it for days now. am slowly working my way through all the lists. all are brilliant… thanks alot.
January 30th, 2009 at 2:16 am
Couldn’t agree more on the top 5. My nephews love these cartoons, as do I. I’ve also watched some of the new cartoons with my nephews, they suck!
Tom and Jerry Rock!
January 30th, 2009 at 2:17 am
Jet-lagged guns on the list, g – been a Jetsons’ fan for eons now yo.
January 30th, 2009 at 2:23 am
This was a trip down memory lane for sure.
I remember as a kid that I watched a lot of cartoons. As we (in Belgium) did not (yet) have a lot of networks that aired cartoons in the morning, I had to watch an English spoken network (and that’s how I picked up the language.
I remember a lot of these cartoons were from Hanna-Barbara, although I must admit I did not know it about all the shows mentioned in here (the smurfs for me was a surprise).
There are two shows missing though that deserve to be on the list (or at leat notable ommisions):
Wacky Races
Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines
January 30th, 2009 at 2:28 am
I just saw the cigarette commercial that the first season of the Flintstones aired with (starring Fred and Barney in semi-misogynistic roles)… thought it odd. Everything is connected, I suppose. I love seeing these characters in episodes of Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law. Growing up with Hanna Barbara then seeing their characters perverted on late night comedy cartoons is somehow strangely satisfying.
January 30th, 2009 at 2:32 am
Ah Classics.
I was hoping for Tom & Jerry to #1.
It seems no matter what age you are, they are still fun to watch.
January 30th, 2009 at 2:38 am
I’ve seen at least an episode of every one of these, even the notable omissions. Ah… I miss that kind of simple pleasure that only childhood cartoons can bring.
January 30th, 2009 at 2:38 am
Fantastic, I totally agree with all of these except perhaps Johnny Quest (never watched it) and The Herculoids, which I have never even heard of!
I can remember watching The Flintstones every night as I had my dinner hehe great show!
Bit gutted though that Top Cat wasn’t on the list, but I see he got a notable omission so I won’t harp on lol.
January 30th, 2009 at 2:41 am
I buy my daughter $1 DVDs of these at wal-mart, and she loves them more than any of the new cartoons on now. I watch them myself, and remember fondly when it was worth it to get up early on Saturday mornings to watch cartoons.
January 30th, 2009 at 2:43 am
These cartoons were the reason I learned English.
I love them.
January 30th, 2009 at 2:44 am
omg Tom & Jerry is legend
I still have all the cassetes that my Grandma taped for me of the shows lol
Yogi Bear annoyed me though…
Good list
January 30th, 2009 at 2:47 am
Actually I learned English from these cartoons. I’m I wrong in thinking that the Wacky Races and Top Cat were made by Hanna-Barbera? They were pretty funny.
January 30th, 2009 at 2:49 am
Tom and Jerry, pure perfection.
January 30th, 2009 at 2:51 am
Ruff and Ready!
January 30th, 2009 at 2:51 am
Scooby Doo still rocks!
January 30th, 2009 at 2:52 am
Awsome list takes me back to a better time anyways first list I totally agree with flintstones ftw yah know. Fred flintstone is my homey and barney ain’t that bad either.
January 30th, 2009 at 3:03 am
In my opinion, Tom n Jerry should be no.1 and Flintstones no.2.
Yeah, I still lough out loud watching Tom n Jerry.
And Flintstones, Is the Great Grandfather of Simpsons !
ScoobyDoo was great when I was a kid, but now i just say, “Man, that’s retarded.
January 30th, 2009 at 3:05 am
More Hanna-Barbera toons that deserve mention:
Josie & the Pussycats
Top Cat (have to second TC!)
Ruff & Reddy (HB’s first toon produced exclusively for tv)
Dexter’s Laboratory
Two Stupid Dogs
Hong Kong Phooey (starring the voice of Scatman Crothers)
Loved the list Jaime, lots of memories except for The Smurfs
Maybe it’s because I was already grown and in college by the time they came on the scene.
January 30th, 2009 at 3:08 am
Oops, spelled that wrong, its Ruff and Reddy, of course. H & B’s first TV cartoon, it was infinitely superior to The Smurfs and The Herculoids and definitely belongs on this list.
January 30th, 2009 at 3:10 am
Why can’t you say something about WHY they made the list? These facts I could have found myself.
January 30th, 2009 at 4:09 am
I am not sure why T&J got dropped to #4. I think at the very least, you should swap T&J and Smurfs.
That gives me an idea. Why not allow the readers to vote on the Top 10. List the 10 and allow them to rank them. Use a weighted scheme and that determines the reader’s choice. That way, we could have the author’s top 10 list and the popular choice.
What say, JFrater?
January 30th, 2009 at 4:37 am
loved hanna-barbera cartoons but hated most of the ones on this list except the top two. have to agree with previous posts: hong kong phooey and top cat were amongst their best BUT the best hanna-barbera cartoon ever was CAPTAIN CAVEMAN
January 30th, 2009 at 4:40 am
Now I just feel OLD
January 30th, 2009 at 4:59 am
Rumour: When translated into Spanish for South American viewers, the general script for most Flinstone episodes had to be completely rewritten. The “American style” humour of the big, dumb, buffoon (though well-meaning) husband didn’t translate as well into Spanish culture- viewers would wonder why Wilma would put up with a man like that.
Now, I know this site is visited by people around the world. Is there anyone from South America that can confirm/refute this?
January 30th, 2009 at 5:01 am
NO Wacky Races!?!!?!?
NO Wacky Races!!?!?!?!
Wacky Races is the greatest of them all!!
Also, Tom & Jerry should be n°1. They will be immortal even 1000 years in the future, while Flinstones are too much 60′american life to survive the test of time.
January 30th, 2009 at 5:26 am
I think there’s a groundswell for Tom & Jerry at No1. Those cartoons were as good as classic Warner Bros. Let’s face it, most of the HB stuff is pretty hacky.
January 30th, 2009 at 5:30 am
I am glad to see some mentions of Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law. It is completely hilarious and features some great re-imaginings of classic cartoons.
Kalyan – That is actually a neat idea. Have a little “click your favorite” box on the side of the list so there would be a popular vote alongside the author’s opinions. It would be interesting to see how they varied! Who knows how hard that would be to do for every list though…
January 30th, 2009 at 5:36 am
I watched some of the classic TV show “The Honeymooners” recently. That show is a blatant rip-off of “The Flintsones”.
January 30th, 2009 at 5:37 am
Johnny Quest was one of my favorite Saturday morning cartoons, ranking just below the Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour. I loved all the adventure shows, which reminds me. What about The Banana Splits? Shows like Danger Island, The Arabian Knights, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckberry Finn all made that show a staple, brought to you by Hanna-Barbara.
January 30th, 2009 at 5:41 am
the smurfs better than tom & jerry? no way.
January 30th, 2009 at 5:50 am
I thought for sure Space Ghost would be #1. I still watch some of these cartoons on the Boomerang channel. I hope I never grow up.
January 30th, 2009 at 5:58 am
Yay!
January 30th, 2009 at 6:04 am
Tom and Jerry – number 1. No question
January 30th, 2009 at 6:06 am
SPACE GHOST FTW and BIIIRDMAN??????
January 30th, 2009 at 6:10 am
#31 ronsantohof, I think that’s the other way around. The Honeymooners was on in the 50’s and the Flintstones came out in the 60’s.
Most of my faves are listed here, but there was one on US television that I absolutely loved, “School House Rock.” I used to have the entire collection on VHS (now I have the DVD), and a few years ago I happened to mention it to one of my neighbors. She asked if I could make her a copy for her kids, so I did. Next thing I knew, people from all over the neighborhood were lining up to give me blank tapes so I could make them copies for their kids.
January 30th, 2009 at 6:14 am
#31 ronsantohof: Yeah, Honeymooners is a complete rip-off of Flintstones… especially since it aired 5 years before the Flintstones did.
Can’t say that I disagree much with the list, but I’m not entirely sure what all is in Hanna-Barbera’s stables. I still enjoy watching Johnny Quest and The Flintstones. Can’t say the same about the Smurfs nor Scooby Doo.
January 30th, 2009 at 6:25 am
I think the best part about these cartoons is that they encouraged a moral outcome, cartoons now a days are just looking for shockfactor. Makes me sad
January 30th, 2009 at 6:25 am
I just looked through the listing on IMDB.com A few others that Hanna-Barbera did.
Pound Puppies
Young Robin Hood
The Pirates of Dark Water
Captain Planet
Superfriends
I’d say drop the Herculoids for Superfriends and give Captain Planet an honorable mention at the very least.
January 30th, 2009 at 6:26 am
omg!! scooby-doo’s my fab.. i thot it wud b #1…bt yea…it really took me 2 my childhood des. flintstones comes next 2 my list… luph dese characters…. mmwahhh!
January 30th, 2009 at 6:38 am
Every day had to have some Scooby-Doo in it. One of my most vivid childhood memories was at about five years old. I got in trouble and Mom told me I couldn’t watch Scooby-Doo. I cried and threw a fit until Mom gave in and I got to watch. Mom never gave in, so this was a significant victory to a five-year-old!
January 30th, 2009 at 6:40 am
BOOMARANG!!!!!! I watch all these daily with my 4 year old!!!
January 30th, 2009 at 6:40 am
And I liked Top Cat alot…
January 30th, 2009 at 6:48 am
Wonder Twin Powers… ACTIVATE!
January 30th, 2009 at 6:49 am
Now these are quality cartoons, great list.
January 30th, 2009 at 6:51 am
i prefer the Klasky-Csupo Nick-toons…but most of these are pretty aweseome too.
Remember when the Jetsons met the Flinstones? that was one of the greatest moments in tv history.
January 30th, 2009 at 6:54 am
The Laff-a-Lympics and Space Ghost need honorable mentions! Great, fun list!
January 30th, 2009 at 6:55 am
I am, of course, old enough to remember many of these in their original runs, and others in their first syndication. Before the days of cable TV, you’d find Hanna-Barbera cartoons used as filler all over the place, in nearly every daytime slot, 7 days a week.
But what this list doesn’t really admit is that H-B cartoons were critically dismissed at the time due to their endless reliance on formulas and what was considered to be shoddy animation. The formulaic tag can certainly be hung on H-B—just try watching ANY of these cartoons for any length of time and realize very quickly that they’re all the same stories, told over and over again. Gets a bit dull. But by the standards of 80s and 90s TV animation–which was abysmal–the H-B cartoons particularly of the late 50s and the 60s seem like theatrical quality. Even today I see some animation on TV that appalls me in its lousiness of form–and then you turn a channel and see Huckleberry Hound in all his solid, much more three-dimensional-seeming glory.
I really have to take you guys to task, though, for leaving off TOP CAT. Top Cat was a million times superior to most of the other H-B fare, simply by virtue of the great character voices and the funny/seedy Brooklyn venue of the series.
Oddly enough, when I was a kid, my favorite H-B cartoon was Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy.
January 30th, 2009 at 7:01 am
I`ve watched all of these cartoons as a kid,and i loved only The Flintstones and Tom & Jerry-which i still love em today.
And if u ask me Tom & Jerry No.1 xD
January 30th, 2009 at 7:13 am
This could easily have been a top 15 or top 20 list, there are so many good Hanna-Barbera cartoons. This list really takes me back, great job.
January 30th, 2009 at 7:18 am
I think part of the fun of H-B cartoons is the fact you can definitely see the evolution of the techniques used in animation pretty easily. They are very formulaic, but the thing is that kids in particular like formulaic. I can wish they didn’t since mine have definite preferences and try to make me watch their shows all the time. I’ve actually seen every cartoon on the list at least once which surprises me greatly.
My kids now watch PBS and Disney and I find myself snatching up any Tom and Jerry cartoons I can find for them. Tom and Jerry is the current favorite. The current stuff just isn’t the same. While I do think cutting out the violence in many cartoons is probably wise, the stories just lack more without it. It’s pretty sad that you totally miss that sort of violent slapstick humor, but it is still funnier.
January 30th, 2009 at 7:23 am
the banana splits show is the best hanna-barbera cartoon; hands down. i still watch it to this day, and it is consistently funny and entertaining. good music, too.
January 30th, 2009 at 7:29 am
I had no idea The Jetson’s run was so short. I feel like it was on all the time when I was little…I must have annoyed the crap out of my mom watching the same episodes over and over.
I was never a huge fan of the Smurfs as a kid. Maybe I should watch them now.
January 30th, 2009 at 7:38 am
this list made me
srsly my brother and i wanted to be johnny quest. and smurfs fuck yea. i am still a huge fan of cartoons. it’s sad to see that we don’t have enough of them and the ones that are on have been dumbed down just a bit too much. i mean this was simple animation, but all fun and very very good. now….well american cartoons just look dumb. or we don’t have them at all.
January 30th, 2009 at 7:46 am
I’ve just rediscovered Tom and Jerry with my 2 1/2 year old son, and it makes me laugh to see Tom smoking cigars, drinking alcohol, and shooting guns, things that would NEVER fly in today’s cartoons (at least the ones geared towards little kids). Amazing that cartoons over 60 years old in some cases still hold up today….
January 30th, 2009 at 7:58 am
Did Hanna-Barbera do Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch ?
January 30th, 2009 at 8:07 am
I loved Tom & Jerry when growing up (and still do). There are so many great episodes made from the 40s through the end of the 50s. Among the best episodes (IMHO), some of which you can find on YouTube, are:
Yankee Doodle Mouse
Texas Tom
Kitty Foiled
Solid Serenade
The Zoot Cat
Cat Fishing
January 30th, 2009 at 8:08 am
Tom and Jerry should be #1. My kid is so in love with the old cartoons like these and not the new stuff. Makes me proud! (tear up)
Can’t believe Smurfs was even on the list let alone better than any before it! That was the dumbest show ever!
New list…dumbest cartoons ever:
1. Hong Kong Phooey
2. Smurfs
3. Teddy Ruxbin
4. She-ra
5. Care Bears
6. Jem
7. Dennis the Menance
8. Magilla Gorilla
9. Atom Ant
10. Speed Buggy
January 30th, 2009 at 8:12 am
I loved watching most of these on Cartoon Network when I was younger. Great thing to grow up with; not like all this crap I see on TV nowadays.
January 30th, 2009 at 8:16 am
There were many great things about Johnny Quest (come on, not as good as the Smurfs?!?
.
– the music
– the action
– the fun stories
– the great character designs (wouldn’t YOU like to have a genius scientist for a father and a 24/7 bodyguard who could make mincemeat out of sumo wrestlers?)
– the often superior animation
– the fact that in JQ, guns actually hit something — or someone — and could kill a person (unlike GI Joe)
– and then there’s Hadji, Dr. Quest’s adopted son, who’s treated completely as an equal. If I’m not mistaken, JQ was the first (or one of the first) cartoons to feature a non-white as an equal instead of subordinate or comic relief.
January 30th, 2009 at 8:18 am
*Sigh* This reminds me of the old days, when every one in America was perfect and anti-communist, and teen girls didn’t get pregnant, and no one committed crimes.
*Rolls eyes*
January 30th, 2009 at 8:20 am
it seemed like the Harlem Globetrotters popped up in a lot of HB cartoons, especially the adventure ones like Justice League, Scooby, Josie, etc.
January 30th, 2009 at 8:42 am
I really enjoyed this list, it brought back so many memories, the Smurfs were my heroes then – hence my nickname on this comment list
Thanks JF + astro.
January 30th, 2009 at 8:42 am
For the love of God, why isn’t Top Cat on this list?!? It’s easily the edgiest H-B series, I think because of this it didn’t appeal as much to kids, so it only lasted one season. Scooby sucks. Put Top Cat there.
I have a theory regarding the Flintstones. The show isn’t set in a prehistoric world, but a post-apocalyptic one. Think about it. They are the survivors of a nuclear holocaust, trying to preserve civilization using the primitive raw materials they have left. The dinosaurs aren’t as such, they’re just giant mutated lizards. Watch the show with this in mind and it takes on a whole new meaning. And here’s the clincher: how else could they have Christmas shows?
January 30th, 2009 at 8:42 am
#49 “The Laff-a-Lympics and Space Ghost need honorable mentions! Great, fun list!”
The Laff-a-Lympics was the best!!!! I loved that cartoon.
Can anyone remember on the Smurfs why the hell did Gargamel want the Smurfs in the first place? Did he want to eat them or did he need them for a gold recipe?
January 30th, 2009 at 8:46 am
johnny quest was my favorite show as a child. i wish they showed reruns but they never do.
January 30th, 2009 at 8:47 am
Captain Caveman – Zowie Cavey! (it was a little naff but I remember lovin’ it)
)
Godzilla & Godzuki – Great theme song
Top Cat – Loved the Phil Silvers Show inspiration
January 30th, 2009 at 8:51 am
where is Johnny bravo he is hilarious yeah i didn`t like The Flintstones ,mine for top 5 is……..
5-scooby
4-Wacky Races
3-Johnny bravo
2-JQ
1-tom & jerry
January 30th, 2009 at 8:52 am
#66 – spot on with the theory Timmy – maybe there should be a Battlestar Galactica style re-imagining of the Flinstones on that basis.
January 30th, 2009 at 8:56 am
“*Sigh* This reminds me of the old days, when every one in America was perfect and anti-communist, and teen girls didn’t get pregnant, and no one committed crimes.
*Rolls eyes*”
You mean before segregation? I agree.
January 30th, 2009 at 8:58 am
Great choices, though there is much to choose from when it comes to great Hanna-Barbera cartoons!
I would’ve had Tom & Jerry much higher, but Flintsones isn’t a bad #1 choice either.
I also think it wouldn’t be a bad idea to come up with a “modern” (post-Cartoon Network acquisition) Hanna-Barbera cartoons list, so you’d be able to mention more recent greats like Dexter’s Laboratory, Johhny Bravo, Two Stupid Dogs, etc. (which are technically Hanna-Barbera cartoons too!)
January 30th, 2009 at 9:11 am
27. Jessy, I´m from Mexico, I grew up watching all of these from the spanish adaptation, the fact is that the translation meant so much for the cartoon that it usually changed the whole meaning of the humor.
For example, I used to love Top Cat until I watch the original in english and discovered that the characters were extremely dull compared to the spanish version.
Flintstones were also a favorite among mexican viewers, we had (surprisingly) excellent interpreters who adapted the concept of the cartoon to make it fit and become part of our culture.
On the other hand good humor is universal so yeah, Fred made us laugh and Wilma could fit well into our subjugated macho stereotyped society.
There wasn´t a local version for each part of South America (Argentina, Colombia, etc) so all cartoons were dubbed in Mexico.
January 30th, 2009 at 9:24 am
I would have included the Super Globetrotters and more recent cartoons such as Cow and Chicken or Samurai Jack.
As Randall (#50) said, all of the cartoons on the list used to be repetitive, I don´t think it exclusively responds to the lack of imagination from the creators, but it also has to do with the naiveté of the old days in which they were created, and I´m likely to believe that the reason has to do with the need for children to listen to the same bed time story over and over again. This gives them security from the fact that they can predict and control what is coming next.
January 30th, 2009 at 9:31 am
What about Wile E Coyote and the Roadrunner?
January 30th, 2009 at 9:32 am
Jetsons = #1
January 30th, 2009 at 9:38 am
The best was Wildfire.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildfire_(1986_TV_series)
January 30th, 2009 at 9:39 am
Timmy:
Actually, I always kinda imagined that the Flintstones and the Jetsons *coexisted,* and that the world of the Flintstones simply represented the slave labor, forced to live on the surface, which supported the high-tech kitsch-futuristic world of the Jetsons (why else live on towers, miles above the surface? Of course–because of pollution and radioactive fallout below, where the great unwashed live in their primitive state.
Someday, however, the Flintstone people will revolt, and bring down the oppressive world of tomorrow in a blood-soaked tumult beyond imagining.
January 30th, 2009 at 9:45 am
WOW! What a fantastic trip down memory lane.
My first memory of Tom & Jerry cartoons were from the movie theaters, where they played between the two full length movies, the serial, and the news reel.
Many of the cartoons I remember, as does Randall, first run series on t.v.
Randall also said, “But what this list doesn’t really admit is that H-B cartoons were critically dismissed at the time due to their endless reliance on formulas and what was considered to be shoddy animation”. He is spot on about that! The immediate forerunners were the MaxFleischer cartoons, many (though not all) of which were full of rich animation, including background animation. They tended to be beautiful and imaginative, or funny and sassy. They were also terribly expensive.
January 30th, 2009 at 9:55 am
Love this stuff, top car and captain cavey are ace! Have watched most of these, and prefer them to modern comupter animated efforts.
A couple of missed ones: Atom Ant, Ruff n Ready.
January 30th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Top car? Top Cat! Hay Benny! What’s Up whi chu?
January 30th, 2009 at 10:04 am
Take our advice, at any price, a gorilla like Magilla is mighty nice. Gorilla, Magilla Gorilla for sale!
My buddy Magilla didn’t even make it in to the notable omissions.
Like Randall mentioned the plots was almost the same every time and you knew what was going to happen at the end but maybe that’s what was so comforting about these cartoons when you watched them.
We’ve got a gorilla for sale
Magilla Gorilla for sale.
Won’t you buy him,
Take him home and try him,
Gorilla for sale.
Don’t you want a little gorilla you can call your own,
A gorilla who’ll be with ya when you’re all alone?
“How much is that gorilla in the window?”
Sorry I just had to finnish the song.
January 30th, 2009 at 10:19 am
#76 JR – Road Runner was Looney Tunes, not H-B
January 30th, 2009 at 10:22 am
Well,the list is fine–But Jay Ward’s “Rocky and Bullwinkle” with Natasha and Boris et al were far above any of those in the 60’s.
January 30th, 2009 at 10:23 am
LOL!
Blogball, that song just zoomed me back to 4 years of age, standing on an apple crate, a *huge* microphone in front of me, singing “How Much Is That Doggie In the Window?” on radio in Sydney.
No connection to cartoons, just the Magilla song reminded me so strongly I had to share.
January 30th, 2009 at 10:38 am
Pretty good list; I remember these cartoons when they were new. I’m with Blogball on this – Where is Magilla Gorilla? and what is The Herculoids? Must have had a pretty short run, I’ve never even heard of it, let alone seen an episode.
I also agree that Boris and Natasha are much better than those listed – BUT they’re not Hanna-Barbera.
Randall; “Oddly enough, when I was a kid, my favorite H-B cartoon was Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy” – not so odd for those of us who know you. And I agree; awesome cartoon.
January 30th, 2009 at 10:45 am
Man, I used to love these cartoons! Well, except the Herculoids, never saw that one, they must not have aired it during the 80s when I watched the rest of these. Oh how I miss getting up to watch Saturday morning cartoons! Do they even still do that? Run cartoons all morning on Saturdays? I might get up tomorrow & see what’s on any of the few channels I get.
January 30th, 2009 at 10:47 am
Copaface #13, screw you pal
Now what’s in that pickinic basket.
Hanna-Barbera made terrible cartoons, the animation is atrocious. Looney Toons rule!
January 30th, 2009 at 10:52 am
My little brother is 9… and he hunts for every single Tom and Jerry episode on youtube! lol! Says it all.. Tom & Jerry no1
January 30th, 2009 at 10:53 am
Yabba Dabba Dooooo! Great List and it brings back good memories.
January 30th, 2009 at 10:54 am
I think everyone needs to consider the years in which these cartoons were released. I grew up a great fan of the original, older Johnny Quest, it was revamped later, but still good. I work with a lot of 20-30 year olds that are Scooby-Doo people, but with no offence intended, I can’t bear to watch it, not one second. Later on my daughter, who now has two children, was a Smurfs fan, therefore I had to watch it, here again, it’s just not as entertaining as the earlier series to me. So. there’s three generations right there.
Top Cat was one of the most entertaining cartoons ever made – I still remember the song
“He’s the boss
He’s the VIP
He’s a championship
He’s the most tip top – Top Cat “
January 30th, 2009 at 10:55 am
Mom–I knew they weren’t Hanna-Barbera-(Rocky and Bullwinkle)-They were done by Jay Ward Productions. I was just saying I thought they were superior to The Hanna- Barbera cartoons
January 30th, 2009 at 11:03 am
Segue #80, those gorgeous Tom & Jerry cartoons you saw at the movies were MGM productions, animated the old fashioned way. What I consider true Hanna-Barbera cartoons came later. Made for TV, not the movies, they were cheap looking. Of course that didn’t stop me from watching them for hours on end. It’s 7:00 Saturday morning, time to watch cartoons and eat a large bowl of sugary cereal.
January 30th, 2009 at 11:03 am
I would have put The Smurfs as #10. (Or not on the list at all.) I couldn’t stand that show. Especially compared to The Jetsons and The Flintstones.
January 30th, 2009 at 11:05 am
This wasn’t HB but does anybody remember Clutch Cargo where they used human lips along with almost no animation?
Only old farts like me would remember.
Mom …segue…Randall ?
I found a clip of it on you tube.
January 30th, 2009 at 11:09 am
Smithstar4 #93, too right! Although my main complaint about H-B cartoons visual style is also true for Rocky, the writing was far superior.
BTW it should have been noted, The Flinstones was a parody of The Honeymooners and my favorite cartoon, Top Cat, was based on The Phil Silvers Show.
January 30th, 2009 at 11:16 am
The hair bear bunch has got to be in there, anyone who has ever owned an invisible motor bike will understand
January 30th, 2009 at 11:25 am
Blogball:
I missed Clutch and his pals by a hair’s breadth, Blog. Clutch Cargo and Space Angel (the other “syncro vox” show, made by the same company) aired for a brief time only in I think 1964. I came into being (and blessed all of you with my presence) in 1965. And if those shows were ever re-run, it wasn’t where I grew up, in New York.
I’ve seen Clutch though, since then… it was a more innocent time, wasn’t it? We were willing to watch anything as long as it moved (and had bright colors… and imagine the generation of my older siblings—they didn’t even have the color).
January 30th, 2009 at 11:36 am
I knew it would be the mighty Flintstones at #1.Yabba dabba doo!!!
January 30th, 2009 at 11:39 am
Speaking of having no color, me and a friend of mine still watch old VCR tape recordings of “Gigantor”
January 30th, 2009 at 11:40 am
Coming back to this business of poor animation… all one need do is compare even the best of made-for-TV Hanna-Barbera with, say, Looney Tunes or MGM cartoons of only five-to-ten years earlier, made for theater presentation. (or Fleischer cartoons from far earlier). Immediately one sees the difference and can recognize the cost-cutting tricks.
However, what ought to impress the younger set out there amongst you (and I remind my kids of this every time we sit down to watch an old cartoon) is that ALL of those old cartoons, be it Warner Bros., MGM, Disney, Hanna-Barbera, etc., were DONE BY HAND. Extensive, oftentimes gorgeous background cels were created (we all know what a cel is don’t we, by now?) with character cels placed over them, and then animated. Even with H-B’s skimping on character movement (if you pay attention to even the earliest–and therefore best–Scooby-Doos from 1969, you notice that there are protracted periods during dialogue when the characters don’t move at all) their backgrounds were still often lush (particularly on Jonny Quest and to some extent Scooby) and the movement at least flowed and had some dynamism to it. It’s impressive that all this was done by hand, whereas today a lot of the work is done on computer.
Take a look sometime at some of the Rankin-Bass animation, or worst of all, Filmation. Rankin-Bass wasn’t so bad…. they were known mostly for some of the Christmas specials we know and love) but Filmation cartoons were usually of very poor quality, animation-wise. Sadly, these are the guys who did the animated Star Trek in the early 70s—which was actually a great show, since Gene Roddenberry and his original team kept pretty tight creative control over it–but the animation itself was pretty awful—it’s badly static, when you watch it these days… but worst of all it relies heavily on recycled stock footage of the same character movements, angles, and poses, over and over again–sometimes regardless of context or continuity. Saving money is one thing guys, but being cheap is another. I’m not sure Filmation even exists any longer.
January 30th, 2009 at 11:41 am
damien:
The Dickies did a great version of the theme song to “Gigantor” back in the 80s.
January 30th, 2009 at 11:54 am
I absolutely LOVED all of these… I´d be very hard-pressed to choose just one as my favorite!
I also just noticed that I was born way after these first aired but for some reason I remember thinking that I always watched new episodes… LOL…
27. Jessy :
I was very young when I watched The Flintstones (this was the 80s in Venezuela). All I remember thinking was “Wow, if I translate that in my head it sounds so much funnier…” I guess it might have something to do with what psychosurfer (74) said about the translation: I guess I just didnt get the Mexican humor. I remember being very relieved when we finally got a satellite dish (I dont know if anyone has seen them but they were MASSIVE things stuck on your back lawn…) and I was able to watch them in English.
And psychosurfer (75), I think your comment about the safety that predictability brings is spot on. Kuddos.
20. ChuChu353 : I had completely forgotten Hong Kong Phooey!!! I LOVED THAT SHOW!
January 30th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Amazing list!!!
I used to love all of these shows when I was little.
It really brings back memories of how great tv USED to be.
January 30th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
96. Blogball – YES yes, I remember Clutch Cargo – it was one of my favorites when I was a kid. It really was horrible animation, if you want to call it that. And you are correct, almost all of it was pictures or drawings with the creepy mouth hole things moving, and what pictures did move it was the camera moving over the still pictures. But – it was about rockets and moon bases and space and that’s all that mattered back then.
January 30th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
For those who haven’t seen them, or miss seeing them, all of the cartoons on this list are shown on Boomerang, the Cartoon Network’s sister station. It’s not part of the basic cable package; so, you might not get it.
And I think they air every day.
January 30th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
The Jetson’s was supposed to take place in the year 2062, I think. I hope I live long enough to scoff.
January 30th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
66. Timmy: Your theory has left me quite intrigued. It makes a lot of sense… a LOT of sense!
In fact, it actually makes more sense than the original premise itself does, because in true prehistoric times humans didn’t actually coexist with dinosaurs, and it’s far more “realistic” that humans would coexist with mutated dinosaur-like creatures in a post-apocalyptic future!!! That, dear dying boy, is GENIUS!!!
January 30th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
When the Flintstones take over, I vote Barney Rubble – Emperor of the Universe!
January 30th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
I’m sixteen and I remember watching the old Scooby-Doo cartoons as a kid. Hell, I still watch them when they’re on…
January 30th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Tom and Jerry is the best!!
January 30th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
JayArr:
A nice sentiment, but the fact is that we’ll have no say in the matter. OUR civilization is the one headed toward Jetson-fueled doom, destined to be brought down in a bloodbath of revenge by the downtrodden post-apocylptic “stone age” men.
They will build a pyramid of our skulls that stretches to touch the sky, greased with the blood and flesh of our crumpled bodies.
However, yes… Barney will then stand on the top of that grisly tower, shaking his angry and gore-drenched fist at the ruined remnants of our high-tech world.
January 30th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
I love Johnny Quest. Personally I think the smurfs sucked. What about blue falcon and dogwonder, Jabberjaw, Laff a Lympics,?
Favorite Hanna Barbera Villian = Dick Dastardly
January 30th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
i would call for the jetsons and smurfs ahead of the flintstones…but that could just be me.
wasn’t he-man a Hanna Barbera cartoon? if so, it should be on the list.
January 30th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
“These cartoons are not full of skimpily clad girls with attitudes that would make an adult blush (as so many are today)”
What about Josie and the Pussycats? Last time I checked, they were skimpily clad…
January 30th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
113. Randall -
improve your mood. go get laid.
*shudder ‘gore-drenched fist’*
January 30th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
the best thing was an amusement park in virginia called King’s Dominion. it was a hanna barbera themed amusement park. smurf rides, yogi bear rides, etc. paramount bought it in the 90s though and changed the format. so sad.
January 30th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Timmy: I’m seriously in love with your “innocent little theory”. If you don’t mind, I’ll be “pitching” your theory to a sci-fi news/opinion site (io9.com) to see what they think about it. I hope they get as intrigued as me about it!! (I’ll credit you, or rather your “name” for the idea, if they ask me, obviously
)
January 30th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Who the heck are the Herculoids ? I was in front of the T.V every saturday morning as a kid but never heard of them. Quick Draw Mc Graw kicks ass on all cartoons.
January 30th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
I loved Scooby Doo, Superfriends and Laff-A-Lympics. I HATED the Smurfs. My brother used to love them and I could not stand to be in the room with him when they were on. God, that was the worst cartoon EVER.
Captain Caveman was good. I remember one called The Drak Pack, with these kids that were monsters. The Drak kid always did a cheesy Maxwell Smart imitation. I loved that one.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drak_Pack
Also one called The New Schmoo, kind of like Scooby Doo only with a Schmoo (from the Li’l Abner comic strip, originally).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Shmoo
January 30th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
So if Timmy’s theory is correct. The Flintstones existed after the Jetsons. This would also explain why they speak English.
I also noticed that spell check accepts the word Flintstones but not Jetsons. So I guess Microsoft thinks more of them also.
January 30th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
I still love Scooby-Doo!! but only the classics. and everyone must think i’m a little 6yr old now for saying that. sadly im not, just a teenager who doesnt wanna grow up
January 30th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
The first ever showing of Tom and Jerry before it came a regular cartoon was in the movie Anchors Aweight with Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly. Gene “dances” with Jerry. This was 1945, 20 years BEFORE Tom and Jerry was brought out as a regular cartoon.
January 30th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
We used to get Secret Squirrel here in the UK, and for a 60’s show its great – much better than atom ant, and funky animation.
January 30th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Where´s Dyno-mutt and the Blue Falcon or the Funky Phantom?
And any other Australians giggling at the term Shmoo?
There´s a great parody of the Herculoids on Family Guy btw. Shmoo as a potential baby sitter.
And although not a cartoon, I think the Banana Splits deserves a mention! Tra la la, tra la la la
January 30th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
niceface- Bet it was like King’s Island in Ohio. Paramount bought it, too. It had a Hanna-Barberra land with huge fiberglass cartoon characters. I got my picture taken while sitting on Scooby-Doo’s back while holding a stuffed Scooby. I was the happiest kid in the world that day
January 30th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
66. Timmy: I’m also intrigued with your Flintstone’s theory.
However, upon re-reading the lyrics to the show’s opening theme, it’s a bit ambiguous:
Flintstones. Meet the Flintstones.
They’re the modern stone age family.
From the town of Bedrock,
They’re a page right out of history.
Let’s ride with the family down the street.
Through the courtesy of Fred’s two feet.
When you’re with the Flintstones
you’ll have a yabba dabba doo time.
A dabba doo time.
You’ll have a gay old time.
Ok, the “modern stone age family” description fits in perfectly with your theory. However, it’s the “they’re a page right out of history” that might throw a monkey in the wrench.
I have to do some research behind the origin of “Yabba Dabba Doo!” Perhaps this phrase has a significant hidden value to support your claim. I’ll get back to you after further study.
January 30th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
I always hated Johnny Quest, but my STUPID little brother loved it, so I had to sit through it every Saturday morning until we could get back to the “good” shows. Notice that I didn’t go off and do something useful for that 1/2 hour – no, I watched a show I didn’t even like rather than leave our tiny black and white television. Ah, being a kid was the greatest….
January 30th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Have you ever seen the naughty Smurfs video? – The Lost Episode – it’s hilarious!
http://bluebuddies.com/help/the_smurfs_the_lost_episode.htm
January 30th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
I never heard of the Herculoids. I didn’t like the Flintstones until I got a little older. I hadn’t realized it was based on The Honeymooners and then I started to see who some of the celebrities were supposed to be, like “Ann Margrock.” The Smurfs was really bad. I would have put it last. It always bugged me that all the boys were noted for something like Brainy or Handy; but they only had one girl and she was only known as being a girl. Scooby Doo was annoying, but now it’s kinda funny (just kinda) because of course Shaggy must be a pot head, and jokes about having the first Lesbian cartoon character. Good idea for a list, but I definitely would have changed the order.
January 30th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
I miss the days when this stuff was okay to show to kids. Apparently it’s all now damaging to their upbringing or some other bull shit like that.
January 30th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
damien_karras, I just looked it up
Yabba Dabba Doo: Greek in origin meaning “everything old is new again”
January 30th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
Geni- Just clicked on link-very funny plus it had my favorite cartoon character of all time TOWLIE !! Don`t forget to bring a towel.
January 30th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
Blog_ball: Thanks for making me snarf all over the keyboard… well done research sir!
January 30th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
Awesome list! My favorite is still definitely Tom & Jerry. I love it because they don’t talk, so it’s more fun to actually watch than the others. In my book , Tom & Jerry is #1, but great list nonetheless.
January 30th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Many kids were raised on Disney, but my childhood was surrounded by Hannah Barbera. Thank you for making this list. It is nice to see a part of my life rather than all the Disney crap which was never as good as the greats! THANKS!
January 30th, 2009 at 8:17 pm
Personally I wouldn’t have put the Smurfs above Scooby, but still a great list. Glad to see The Stones as #1.
January 30th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
I loved Quest, particularly the kick-ass score that sounded so grown-up. And the design work by comics great Alex Toth gave it a much richer feel than anything else HB did. Though watching as an adult I have a strong urge to drop Bandit in a deep hole somewhere.
I grew up with the full stable of HB short-episode characters– Huckleberry Hound, Quick Draw McGraw (loved El Kabong, a fine one-joke feature). I don’t remember where I was when I discovered Ruff and Reddy, but they were a revelation, a comparatively serious adventure feature completely unlike the standard gag shows. I loved those toons.
Tom and Jerry were excllent in the early days, embarrassing in their late-era cheesinness.
And while the cheapness of the HB productions is undeniable, the up side of that is that they learned how to crank out product for tv, allowing all of us little urchins to have lots and lots of new cartoons to watch every week.
January 30th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
OK, Mostly great choices but honestly…Smurfs over Scooby-Doo and Tom & Jerry????? Really?? My top 5
5. Johnny Quest
4. Yogi Bear
3. Flintstones
2. Tom & Jerry
1. Scooby-Doo
I would rather watch a continuous loop of Greedo shooting first than watch 5 minutes of The Smurfs
January 30th, 2009 at 9:12 pm
Smurfs?? The only people who didn’t HATE the damn smurfs were eight year olds.
January 30th, 2009 at 9:26 pm
I loved the Smurfs when I was little but was banned from watching them because there were supposedly satanic elements in them. LOL.
January 30th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
i love smurfs!
i love the smurfs!
i love the smurfs!
i love the smurfs!
i love the smurfs!
i love the smurfs!
i love the smurfs!
i love the smurfs!
i love the smurfs!
i love the smurfs!
*we got it! now turn off the computer, child and go back to bed!*
January 30th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
No Josie and the Pussycats? Even though it was an errant ripoff of Scooby-Doo (solving mysteries, playing in a band…that’s not blatantly similar), I loved it anyways. You can’t beat that themesong!
January 30th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
TOP CAT is most definitely the best cartoon series i’ve seen. It’s a pity only 30 episodes were made. Arnold Stang as the lead character is simply brilliant as are all the supporting characters. They just don’t make stuff like this anymore.
January 30th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
Sorry for being a grammar freak, but shouldn’t the Smurfs actually be the Smurves? (wife- wives ,life -lives)
LOL
January 31st, 2009 at 12:32 am
how about the impossibles?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Impossibles_(cartoon)
or wacky races!
January 31st, 2009 at 1:55 am
104.GTT – this is for you
January 31st, 2009 at 11:12 am
tom and jerry should be 1st!
January 31st, 2009 at 1:12 pm
146. Vasco: Sorry for being a grammar freak, but shouldn’t the Smurfs actually be the Smurves? (wife- wives ,life -lives)
****
Yes, but not for the grammatical reason you propose. You have to judge it against another word ending in “rf”, say, scarf, the plural of which is scarves. So, unless Smurf falls under some irregular form we don’t know about, Smurves would be correct.
January 31st, 2009 at 1:31 pm
The only reason I appreciate Hanna-Barbera is because it spawned Space Ghost Coast to Coast and Harvey Birdman. Even as a kid I hate Flinstones and the Jetsons… gimme Warner Bros. lol
January 31st, 2009 at 1:37 pm
94. YogiBarrister: Segue #80, those gorgeous Tom & Jerry cartoons you saw at the movies were MGM productions, animated the old fashioned way.
****
Yogi! That was amazing! as soon as I read those words, the MGM opening for the Tom & Jerry Movie cartoon flashed in front of my eyes, as plain as day.
I have an extremely visual memory, and things like this delight me no end!
****
96. Blogball: This wasn’t HB but does anybody remember Clutch Cargo where they used human lips along with almost no animation?
Only old farts like me would remember.
Mom …segue…Randall ?
****
Oh Yeah! It always creeped me out a bit, but I always watched it anyway. There was something bizarrely fascinating about the show. Even as a kid, I knew it was wrong; this was wrong in a world where I had no trouble accepting singing pigs and flying elephants.
Go figure.
January 31st, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Segue; I vaguely recall the animation with the lips and little movement otherwise. Only vaguely – I’m assuming I must have been very young. The crappy animation that I recall most though was a little later – Hercules, Daedalus, Newt et al, as well as Rocket Robin Hood. If I recall they were played early Sunday mornings on The Commander Tom Show, right after Duh-avey and Goliath.
January 31st, 2009 at 2:15 pm
The fact that there is no mention of Dasterdly and Muttley breaks my heart.
January 31st, 2009 at 6:12 pm
153. Mom424: I remember the opening of Commander Tom, but very little of the show itself.
****
154. chemical_echo: Apparently jfrater either was unaware of, or not a fan of, Dastardly and Muttley.
January 31st, 2009 at 7:30 pm
How is Scooby-Doo better then Tom and Jerry?
January 31st, 2009 at 11:18 pm
I like how the ONLY one they put any effort into the animation, design, and quality is number 4, and the rest are all abominations that were Chuck Jones, Clampett, etc. etc. dead at the time of their production, they would have been rolling in their graves.
Hanna Barbera is what made cartoons bad in the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. Very few survived with what make cartoons good.
February 1st, 2009 at 2:11 am
I’m sorry but the Smurfs were the real deal… especially where I live, it was a great success, more than Scooby-doo and the Jetsons – although the Flinstones made quite the thing back then as well… but my generation was more drawn to the Smurfs back then (at least were I live… I’m french-canadian (Quebec), here they were called “Schtroumpfs” – which was the original name brought up by Peyo by the way) and they are still my heroes… although the stories were pretty much the same episodes after episodes but it still was the greatest cartoon ever. I’m not misjudging the other H-B cartoons but… hell… THE SMURFS !!! BRING IT BACK ! PLZ !!
February 1st, 2009 at 5:00 am
Tom and Jerry RULEZ!! They should be no.1. The original Tom and Jerry that is. There have been TOm and Jerry Kids and a movie also that sucked big time.
As a kid I was always on Jerry’s side of course and laughed at every catastrophe that befell the bullying Tom. However, as a grown-up I tend to feel sorry for the poor blue cat. Anyone feel the same?
February 1st, 2009 at 5:58 am
I was a young un back in the 70’s, and i too remember getting up early on Saturday mornings to watch all of these. Right now I can’t get Captain CAAAAAVEMAAAAN out of my head! As an adult, I still appreciate these as an escape from reality… Has anyone ever turned on a Tom and Jerry episode, and then closed your eyes? The raw talent that those musicians had is unbelievable! You can’t find that kind of talent anywhere in tv today.
February 1st, 2009 at 6:38 am
i loved tom and jerry!i could never get enough.i hated the smurfs.lolz, as i have two cats now myself, i always ponder what misfortunes should befall my furry friends should they meet their real “jerry” counterpart.
February 1st, 2009 at 9:11 am
What? No Rocky & Bullwinkle, or Dudley Do-Right??
I thrived on their warped sense of humor!
February 1st, 2009 at 9:12 am
…and the old Popeye cartoons. Especially the black & white ones.
February 1st, 2009 at 12:14 pm
I’d have definitely put ‘It’s The Wolf’ on that list. Maybe not one of the best-remembered HB cartoons, but it was my personal favourite!
February 1st, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Hey JF,
Thanks for using my list! Great way to start my week…
And reading all the positive comments is great too.
For anyone interested, it’s great fun to watch all the intros to these shows on YouTube. Think my fav has to be the Jetsons intro…love the flying car which folds up into a briefcase.
February 2nd, 2009 at 9:21 am
Makes me want to watch Laffalympics.
February 2nd, 2009 at 1:25 pm
ur list blows he-man how can u forget he-man bloody he-man and bravestar.
February 2nd, 2009 at 1:50 pm
He-man was not created by HB as far as I know.
February 2nd, 2009 at 10:48 pm
Wikipedia: “In the 1980s, competing studios such as Filmation and Rankin/Bass began to introduce successful syndicated cartoon series based upon popular toys and action figures. These included Filmation’s He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and She-Ra: Princess of Power and Rankin/Bass’s Thundercats, Silverhawks and Tigersharks.”
Trust me liam, if He-Man was HB it would be no.1…hands down, the greatest.
February 3rd, 2009 at 1:48 am
man, I am Sorry but no wacky Races, No banana splits, no “Ut OHHHH JUNGOOO!!”… no Gulivers travels… *(sorry for my horrible spelling), This list is very partial!! research some of the other stuff and you might change your list! =)
February 3rd, 2009 at 6:50 am
Didn’t read EVERY post but didn’t see any mention of all those great hanna barbera live action shows like H.R. Puf’n Stuf, Liddsville or Sigmund the seamonster. Check out liddsville, the guys who came up with that were on some serious drugs.
February 3rd, 2009 at 8:08 am
Seems I’m one of the many who learned English watching these cartoons. Much much better than anything on telly these days.
February 3rd, 2009 at 9:58 am
Asking what the best Hanna Barbera animation ever offered is like asking which species of animal produces the most fragrant turds.
February 3rd, 2009 at 10:27 am
howie13:
HR Puf’n Stuf, Liddsville, Sigmund, The Bugaloos, Land of the Lost etc. were NOT Hanna-Barbera productions. They were productions of Sid and Marty Krofft.
February 3rd, 2009 at 11:35 am
Best HB cartoon Flintstones. Of all time…SPEED RACER WITH GIGANTOR 1A!!!!!
February 3rd, 2009 at 7:44 pm
I love Dastardly and Muttley espically Muttley
February 5th, 2009 at 10:10 am
Where the hell is Top Cat!!
February 5th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Shows how bad today’s cartoons suck.
February 6th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
No Thundar The Barbarian? This list fails.
February 7th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
I agree that Tom and Jerry should be number 1, although the mid-60’s cartoons–where the tweaks in animation made him look like a close relative of The Grinch–weren’t as good as the earlier ones. I also have a special place in my heart for Mr. Jinks (“I hate meeces to pieces!!!!!) and Yakky Doodle. FYI–Tim Matheson, Animal House fame, did the voice of Jonny Quest.
February 8th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Hey sdavis; I loved , loved, loved Rocky & Bullwinkle; but it’s not a Hanna Barbara cartoon.
February 16th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
bahahaha! THE SMURFS!! i like the smurfs xD
February 23rd, 2009 at 3:14 pm
i have 2 agree wit da shows on dis list 100%, although i would put a few in a different order…
April 3rd, 2009 at 4:05 am
I agree w/ those of you who say Tom and Jerry should have been at number 1. I especially love the version where they’re friends mostly because Jerry doesn’t usually triumph over Tom like he does, usually but not always, in the other versions. I like it better when Tom is Jerry’s friend because when he Jerry’s enemy it usually gets him in trouble. By the way I disagree w/ all these people who criticize Tom and Jerry: the movie & Tom and Jerry Kids. I think they’re both very enjoyable!
April 15th, 2009 at 6:17 am
I can’t believe Scooby-Doo wasn’t #1. It has far outlasted The Flinstones in many ways. Good list but Scooby-Doo should be number one.
April 29th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
Oh Man! I loved the Jetson’s! Remember their maid, Rosie the Robot? In the early 90’s, I recall watching with extreme boredom as a young co-worker chatted with some unknown young lady over a new invention called The Internet! It took like 5 minutes to get a response. (snooze) He called me an old fuddy-duddy! But actually I was disappointed. After all, I grew up with George Jetson! George simply turned on a monitor to talk to other people. The web-cam was just a tad bit more impressive. I thought by now I would be totally done with housework. The Flintstones had more innovation than we do. Remember the garbage disposal?
May 13th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
Another point for Tom and Jerry – without them, there would be no Itchy and Scratchy.
June 2nd, 2009 at 3:45 pm
They don’t make cartoons like they used to!
July 20th, 2009 at 6:56 am
CRAP!(what I saw!)
July 23rd, 2009 at 6:59 am
my top ten would be:
1.top cat
2.yogi bear
3.the flintstones
4.tom and jerry
5.hong kong phooey
6.huckleberry hound
7.quick draw mcgraw
8.the jetsons
9.richociot rabbit and droop a-long
10.scooby-doo
I know a lot disagree
July 23rd, 2009 at 7:52 am
how about top hanna barbera characters?
August 4th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Scooby Doo: number 1. Wheee!!
To tell you the truth, I barely watched most of them. However, I have so MANY SD CDs!
August 26th, 2009 at 1:39 am
Not sure if it was a HB cartoon , i cant remember the name but it had the worlds ugliest dog called ‘It’ in it , he wore a doghouse on his head , hung out with a very small caped hero and he would use his ugliness to stop crooks , he was a riot .
August 26th, 2009 at 1:46 am
Quick bit of research , the show is Mighty Man and Yukk , also its not a HB cartoon , sorry bout that
August 27th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Ugg I always hated Tom and Jerry. They are boring as heck. And I always wanted that stupid mouse to get eaten, just like that stupid roadrunner.
November 14th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
best list ever.
January 2nd, 2010 at 6:07 am
I agree w/ those of you who say Tom and Jerry should be number 1. The Flintstones are very good too, though.
January 9th, 2010 at 9:30 am
Wonderful memories growing up with these cartoons.Johnny Quest was a favorite & it first aired in prime time.I believe it had pretty good ratings but Hanna-Barbera did not produce it for a second season due to high production costs.Herculoids was great also,I liked that it was about superhero creatures for a change instead of humans.Though not strictly a cartoon,Hanna-Barbera’s New Adventures of Hucklebarry Finn was quite interesting.Like JQ it was aired at night when it premiered.It involved 3 live actors playing Huck,Tom Sawyer,& Becky Thatcher who enter via a mysterious vortex into an animated world.The actors remain live but are always within animated scenes,the animation style was like JQ & quite good.
February 4th, 2010 at 12:43 pm
The Jetsons rule! Totally… Flinstones was always sorta annoying, in my book.
February 7th, 2010 at 10:55 am
I was going to say I’ve never heard of The Herculoids, but on closer inspection of the picture I realized I have seen it before, but I never knew what it was called! I remember the Rhino creature and the Blobs- wow, talk about a long lost memory!
Other than that, I remember watching every other on this list as a kid. They had to have been 90s versions or reruns since that was when I watched them. I used to love Johnny Quest (I am a girl- it’s not just for boys!). I also remember Space Ghost before and after he became a talk show host.
February 7th, 2010 at 11:05 am
@Tempe (199): You loved Johnny Quest but would have hated Johnny Bravo!