Hanna-Barbera

[Drtooth]

Then of course there's this. Not exactly in love with giving everyone super DC designs, but I get what they're going for. And even though I never really got into HB's action-adventure shows, that crossover series with Jonny Quest, Space Ghost, Birdman, et al looks pretty kick butt!

I meant to grab the first issue of that at a certain local comic book store that was offering half off on all DC titles for the next couple months (no doubt because of the DC Rebirth gimmick), and never got around to it. Out of all the other comics, it does sound like the best of the bunch. I was looking forward to Wacky Raceland...until I saw how Dick Dastardly looks like something Johnny Depp should have played. Plus..I dunno...Five bucks an issue? Maybe I'll pick up the first one if it's part of the half off dealie.

I think I saw this a couple of months ago but must've forgotten this thread existed. But that's really cool, I can't wait to see them finally revive some of their properties that aren't Scooby Doo or Tom and Jerry or some terrible live action reboot with CGI animals like that 'Yogi Bear' movie.

While I don't know if this strongly hints at anything, the Funtastic World of Hanna Barbera ride had this interesting pre-show. Skip to about 2 minutes in when Dastardly appears...

Now, I am only making a guess here, but that line seems to suggest that if The Jetsons:The Movie didn't fail at the box office, it would have been the start of an HB animated movie series. There's probably a nugget of truth to that, or it may just be a wild coincidence.

I don't mind an HB movie series, but I really don't think everything needs to be a cinematic universe. They've been trying for a live action Jetsons movie since 1996 at least. The Johnny Quest project sounds like its happening (GOOD! WB's heads shouldn't have forcced the Venture Bros writers to start calling him "Action Johnny" for nothing). But there's surprisingly little in HB that actually shares anything. Yogi Bear and those 60's cartoons share a universe as far as Yogi's Gang and Treasure Hunt is concerned, and that may share a universe with Wacky Races since Dastardly and Muttley are in there. The Flintstones and Jetsons...well... yeah, that telefilm and it's mentioned in the first Flintstones NES game. Yogi does appear in a Flintstones, but I'm calling that a throwaway gag. And I'm guessing the action series share a universe (minus Fantastic Four for the most obvious of reasons).

Oh... and yeah...there's Laff-a-lympics, but that's something I don't want to wrap my head around. Unless you play the "troupe of actors" route.

 

[Mo Frackle]

I meant to grab the first issue of that at a certain local comic book store that was offering half off on all DC titles for the next couple months (no doubt because of the DC Rebirth gimmick), and never got around to it. Out of all the other comics, it does sound like the best of the bunch. I was looking forward to Wacky Raceland...until I saw how Dick Dastardly looks like something Johnny Depp should have played. Plus..I dunno...Five bucks an issue? Maybe I'll pick up the first one if it's part of the half off dealie.




While I don't know if this strongly hints at anything, the Funtastic World of Hanna Barbera ride had this interesting pre-show. Skip to about 2 minutes in when Dastardly appears...

Now, I am only making a guess here, but that line seems to suggest that if The Jetsons:The Movie didn't fail at the box office, it would have been the start of an HB animated movie series. There's probably a nugget of truth to that, or it may just be a wild coincidence.

I don't mind an HB movie series, but I really don't think everything needs to be a cinematic universe. They've been trying for a live action Jetsons movie since 1996 at least. The Johnny Quest project sounds like its happening (GOOD! WB's heads shouldn't have forcced the Venture Bros writers to start calling him "Action Johnny" for nothing). But there's surprisingly little in HB that actually shares anything. Yogi Bear and those 60's cartoons share a universe as far as Yogi's Gang and Treasure Hunt is concerned, and that may share a universe with Wacky Races since Dastardly and Muttley are in there. The Flintstones and Jetsons...well... yeah, that telefilm and it's mentioned in the first Flintstones NES game. Yogi does appear in a Flintstones, but I'm calling that a throwaway gag. And I'm guessing the action series share a universe (minus Fantastic Four for the most obvious of reasons).

Oh... and yeah...there's Laff-a-lympics, but that's something I don't want to wrap my head around. Unless you play the "troupe of actors" route.

Yeah, I remember seeing that pre-show bit. Of course, we did eventually get Flintstones and Scooby flicks, but they were the first of many live-action/CG movies to come.

Fred and Barney also pop up in "Yogi Bear's All Star Comedy Christmas Caper," and the Flintstones and the Rubbles appear briefly in "Top Cat and the Beverly Hills Cats," but I'm thinking those too were throwaways.

There was an episode in the original "Jetsons" series in which Elroy's classmate mentions that he's watching a rerun of "The Flintstones." Trying to connect all of these universes seems rather silly - I'd accept it either way you slice it.

Speaking of "The Jetsons," I liked how "Harvey Birdman" treated them - easily one of my favorite HB parodies in that series.

 

[C to the J]

Long ago, I checked out a fan fiction sitcom by Xerus called HB House. It brings the characters of Hanna-Barbera together quite well, and by golly, it would've been perfect as a half-hour show on Cartoon Network! If there can a House of Mouse featuring many Disney characters, why not make a show that reintroduces HB characters in one place?

Here's access to the first episode. There are four other ones plus a Christmas episode that I'm sure you'll save for later.
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/1257754/1/HB-House

 

[Mo Frackle]

Another thing about that pre-show, I love the cheesy childish acting Bill and Joe are doing! Intentionally silly stuff, methinks.

"Nowadys, cartoons are even being made with computers!"

Here's the full ride. It was later replaced with a very similar Nickelodeon-themed ride, with Jimmy Neutron in place of Yogi.

At a time when the voice over industry had just lost some of its greats (Daws Butler, Mel Blanc, George O'Hanlon), HB made some wise recasting decisions. Greg Burson especially did a fine Yogi.

Here's part of that 50th' anniversary special I mentioned earlier.

Greg Berg (Baby Fozzie and Baby Scooter) voiced Augie Doggie and Baba Looey.

I realize the quality isn't so hot, so here's a nice cel of the orchestra, and lineup of characters used.

http://www.devonautographs.com/store/catalog/images/HannaBarberaOrchestraOfTheStars.jpg

 

[Drtooth]

Yeah, I remember seeing that pre-show bit. Of course, we did eventually get Flintstones and Scooby flicks, but they were the first of many live-action/CG movies to come.

I'm sure that even the Flintstones movie wasn't even a gleam in their eye. Makes me think that they were going to make a series of animated features, but the Jetsons dropped such a huge ball. I watched it back when I got the DVD and I feel that it's still good for the most part, but you can tell where the movie has real issues with script and forcing that Pop star they got into the film.

Of course, the film's production problems delayed the film, and we got "The Wizard" (the video game movie that was a 90 minute advertisement for Nintendo) as a stop-gap replacement. Sad thing is, The Wizard is well remembered in video gaming circles, and The Jetsons is only known for its voice actors dying during production and Janet Waldo getting screwed out of playing her own character for an at the moment music star.

That lithograph's pretty awesome. Though it does make me wonder. While I get the connection of the animal characters, Hong Kong Phooey and Scooby-Doo are no doubt completely different shows, arguably The Impossibles, who are also there. Wonder why Space Ghost or Johnny Quest aren't in there if the Impossibles are.

 

[Mo Frackle]

Here's a nice little tribute put together for Joe Barbera. Kind of bittersweet, since many of the actors (and not to mention Joe himself) either passed on not to long after this was made (Burson and Corden), or left us recently (Kasem and Waldo). Greg Burson really was a wonderful successor to Daws Butler.

If the H-B shows ever got a proper revival, I'd really want Tom Kenny to voice T.C. again.

 

[Mo Frackle]

Pitch for a primetime H-B sitcom that was never picked up. It definitely looks like a cross between "cute" and "boring." It's clear that some of the elements were incorporated into "The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan." Someone also likely had "The Brady Bunch" on the brain. Featuring the voices of Casey Kasem, John Stephenson, and Janet Waldo.

 

[Drtooth]

You know, I was all ready to say "UGH! That's H-B productions in the 70's for you." But you know what? I respect the effort and concept, especially the live action photograph backgrounds. Seems like they either used the concept for the Addams Family cartoon, or recycled it with a less morbid family. Certainly better than most of their other 1970's efforts. Probably couldn't sell because they weren't a mystery solving rock band.

At least we get a similar concept with The Loud House.

 

[D'Snowth]

Probably couldn't sell because they weren't a mystery solving rock band.

My theory is that there were just simply way too many characters to keep track of: not only are there twelve kids, but there's also the parents and the dog, it would be quite difficult writing for all of them per episode (not to mention it would probably send more than a few animators to the psych ward). After all, this was one of the problems M*A*S*H had during its first season: there were almost twice as many recurring, supporting characters as there were main characters, that all but two (Klinger being one of them) were axed the following season.

 

[Drtooth]

As Mo Frackle pointed out, they'd use the big family concept again with Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan. Although pointing that out does prove the point there were too darn many characters. I...I really hate Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan. I respect the cartoon for initially casting Asians to play Asians (something that wouldn't have happened even the same decade with the racist buck toothed "so solly" caricature still being able to fly), but the show is a hot mess. I hated it as a kid watching reruns and I hate it as an adult now. The older kids are there for the Archies knockoff factor, the younger kids are there to be precocious and obnoxious, and Charlie Chan's just...there.