Cartoonist William Hanna Dies

LOS ANGELES â€“ William Hanna, who with partner Joseph Barbera created such beloved cartoon characters as Fred Flintstone, Yogi Bear and Tom and Jerry, died Thursday. He was 90.<br><br>Mr. Hanna died at

Friday, March 23rd 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

LOS ANGELES â€“ William Hanna, who with partner Joseph Barbera created such beloved cartoon characters as Fred Flintstone, Yogi Bear and Tom and Jerry, died Thursday. He was 90.

Mr. Hanna died at his North Hollywood home with Violet, his wife of 65 years, at his side, said Sarah Carragher, a spokeswoman for Warner Bros., which owns Hanna-Barbera Studios. She said he had been in declining health for the last few years.

Mr. Hanna and Mr. Barbera collaborated for more than a half-century, first teaming up when both worked at MGM in 1937.

Mr. Hanna said, "I was never a good artist," but he said Mr. Barbera "has the ability to capture mood and expression in a quick sketch better than anyone I've ever known."

They created the highly successful Tom and Jerry cartoons, the antics of a cat and mouse team that won seven Academy Awards.

They broke new ground by mixing Tom and Jerry with live action stars such as Gene Kelly in Anchors Aweigh and Esther Williams in Dangerous When Wet.

They found new success in the 1950s with a witty series of television animated comedies, highlighted by The Flintstones, The Jetsons and Yogi Bear. Huckleberry Hound and Friends won the first Emmy Award given to an animated series.

They went on to receive seven more Emmys, including the Governors Award of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences presented in 1988.