Archive for Hanna-Barbera

Mel Blanc

Posted in Hollywood Forever Cemetery with tags , , , on March 25, 2019 by Cade

May 30, 1908 – July 10, 1989

It’s no stretch to call Mel Blanc the most famous voice actor of all time. The immensely talented actor spent more than six decades providing the voices for some of the most popular cartoon characters ever. From his groundbreaking and legendary work with Warner Bros. (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Yosemite Sam, Porky Pig, Foghorn Leghorn, Sylvester AND Tweety, Elmer Fudd, Speedy Gonzalez…etc. etc. etc.) to his work with Hanna-Barbera (Barney Rubble, Dino, Cosmo Spacely, Speed Buggy, Captain Caveman…you get the picture) his characters endeared and enamored generations and still carry on to this day. Born and raised in San Francisco, Blanc transferred his love for dialects and voices into successful radio appearances. His work with Warner Bros. radio in Los Angeles drew the attention of the company’s animation group and the rest is history.

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William Hanna

Posted in Ascension Cemetery with tags , , , on February 24, 2014 by Cade

hanna1July 14, 1910 – March 22, 2001

As one half of the most successful film and television animation duo in the history of Hollywood, William Hanna created cultural icons like Tom and Jerry, The Flintstones, Scooby-Doo and The Jetsons. Hanna started his career in animation in the Harman and Ising1 studio out of a simple need for a post-Depression job. He quickly rose through the ranks and moved on to MGM. At MGM, he met Joseph Barbera and the two quickly teamed up and started a 60 year partnership. Hanna-Barbera’s early success with the classic cat and mouse series Tom and Jerry (which won 7 Academy Awards) led to more an more successes – especially among adult viewers. Sensing they had something to offer, they forayed into prime time television with a spoof of The Honeymooners called The Flintstones. The Flintstones became the first truly successful animated prime time series and ran for 6 seasons. Continue reading →

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Jean Vander Pyl

Posted in Ascension Cemetery with tags , , on October 1, 2013 by Cade

vanderpyl1October 11, 1919 – April 10, 1999

An American radio and voice actress, Jean Vander Pyl’s name may not be that familiar, but her voice should be. She voiced Wilma Flintstone on the Hanna-Barbera classic, The Flintstones. Her work wasn’t limited to Bedrock, though. She made a nice career of lending voices to popular characters on shows such as Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss, Yogi Bear, The Jetsons and Scooby-Doo as well as reprising her role of Wilma in various incarnations of The Flintstones up until the late 1990s. She also act-acted. Ms. Vander Pyl made guest appearances on many of the great, classic sitcoms like The Beverly Hillbillies, Petticoat Junction, Leave it to Beaver and The Donna Reed Show. She died of lung cancer at the age of 79. Continue reading →

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