PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, THE: INSIDE MEDIA: THE FUNTASTIC WORLD OF HANNA-BARBERA: INSIDE THE STUDIO {PUBLIC SHORT VERSION}
Summary
One in a series of evenings and special screenings presented as part of The Paley Center for Media's Inside Media events. Held at the Paley Center in Los Angeles, this afternoon honors the 70th anniversary of Hanna-Barbera, the animation studio which produced iconic cartoon series including "The Flintstones," "The Jetsons," "The Yogi Bear Show," "Top Cat," and "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?" Craig Hitchcock, executive director of The Paley Center in Los Angeles, offers opening remarks before bringing moderator Gary Owens, radio announcer and actor, to the stage.
Owens talks about his own vocal work on various Hanna-Barbera cartoons, including "Space Ghost," before introducing a clip montage (not included in this Public Short Version seminar).
Owens acknowledges several Hanna-Barbera voice actors in the audience, including June Foray, Marvin Kaplan, and Casey Kasem, as well as David Butler, son of vocal talent Daws Butler, and Mark Evanier, writer and producer of "Garfield." Owens then introduces the panelists: Hanna-Barbera animators Ken Spears, Willie Ito, Butch Hartman, and Jerry Eisenberg.
The panelists address subjects which include: how each began working for studio heads William Hanna and Joseph Barbera; the arduous process for getting hired; experiencing "the golden age of animation"; rivalries between the major animation studios; a typical day at Hanna-Barbera; how Jackie Gleason and Art Carney's work on "The Honeymooners" became the inspiration for "The Flintstones"; pressure caused from last-minute deadlines; dealing with censors; how guidelines for content have changed over the decades; the demise of "the Saturday morning lineup"; and what inspired each animator to choose the profession.
Questions from the audience then lead to a discussion of the following topics: shows that each panelist regrets not getting to work on; the value to an animator of "being surrounded by funny people"; the audition process for Hanna-Barbera's voice talent; why television executive Fred Silverman always served as an advocate for animators; how cartoons veered toward "edgy" adult humor in the last decade; and ways in which an aspiring animator can now break into the business.
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: August 22, 2009 4:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:07:39
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 100389
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Craig Hitchcock … Host
- Gary Owens … Moderator
- Ken Spears … Panelist
- Willie Ito … Panelist
- Butch Hartman … Panelist
- Jerry Eisenberg … Panelist
- Joseph Barbera
- David Butler
- Daws Butler
- Art Carney
- Mark Evanier
- June Foray
- Jackie Gleason
- William Hanna
- Marvin Kaplan
- Casey Kasem
- Fred Silverman