Screen Gems: Early Hanna-Barbera ABC Prime-time Shows

Welcome to my blog dedicated to the 4 prime time Hanna-Barbera cartoon series from the early 1960’s. The Flintstones, Top Cat, The Jetsons and Jonny Quest all ran in primetime on ABC-TV and were distributed by Columbia Pictures television subsidiary, Screen Gems. For this reason, all these entities (including ABC retro logo) are depicted in my blog banner. 

To most animation purist and historians, Hanna and Barbera output with exception of their classic MGM Tom & Jerry cartoons have been largely ridiculed. Looking at their efforts post 1968 I would be inclined to agree with that assessment but I believe many of their early made for TV animated cartoons such as Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear, Quick Draw McGraw and others all had elements which made them memorable and entertaining if not aesthetically pleasing to some. Whether it be stylized characters and backgrounds, distinctive voices and catchy music they remain favorites of post late 50’s/early 60 TV watching baby boomers who did not grow up watching theatrical cartoons on the big screen. I have decided to focus on Hanna-Barbera prime time shows produced for the ABC-TV in the early 1960’s. For me, these are the H-B shows I most identify with and enjoyed watching - even to this day. In the weeks and months ahead, I plan to delve deeper into the origins, stories and creative people behind these wonderful shows.