William Hanna worked in the entertainment industry.
Hanna-Barbera Productions , Inc. ( simply known as Hanna-Barbera and also referred to as H-B Enterprises , H-B Production Company and Hanna-Barbera Cartoons , Inc. ) was an American animation studio that dominated American television animation for over three decades in the mid 20th century . Joseph Roland `` Joe '' Barbera ( [ bɑrˈbɛrə ] or [ ˈbɑrbərə ] ; [ barˈbɛːra ] ; March 24 , 1911 -- December 18 , 2006 ) was an American animator , director , producer , storyboard artist , and cartoon artist , whose film and television cartoon characters entertained millions of fans worldwide for much of the 20th century . William Hanna . In 1957 , they co-founded Hanna-Barbera , which became the most successful television animation studio in the business , producing programs such as The Flintstones , The Huckleberry Hound Show , The Jetsons , Scooby-Doo , The Smurfs , and Yogi Bear . In 1967 , Hanna-Barbera was sold to Taft Broadcasting for $ 12 million , but Hanna and Barbera remained heads of the company until 1991 .