An animated Joe Barbera and Bill Hanna with a legion of their creations. Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Animation.

I believe the success I experienced in shaping these two men and their studio into worldwide celebrities had more to do with their leaving me to my own resources in building their images. I did what I felt was best for them at my own pace using whatever resources were available to me. Indeed, the entire studio operated on that premise. We all knew our jobs and what was expected of us. The studio was a magical kingdom run by employees who understood their jobs and performed each day. None of us ever heard of an MBA, and if we had, would have never understood what guys in dark suits could do for Scooby-Doo. After leaving the studio I held senior positions with Warner Bros. Studios, including its animation division, The Walt Disney Co., DIC Ent., Fox Family Channel, PAX TV Network and OpenTV. Compared to these companies Hanna-Barbera was in a world of its own…

John Michaeli, Former HB PR Exec

As Jayne Barbera said in her tribute, 'Hanna-Barbera was like getting a masters in life... the best school in town for the last of a quality education in animation.' I couldn't be more grateful for the learning tree it provided... 31 years later I apply my Hanna-Barbera experience daily. With all the red tape that it takes to make a cartoon show in 2007, I have to smile when I think back on Joe Barbera pitching and selling a show on his mere charisma... Thanks for including me...

Ginny McSwain, Casting & Recording Director

There's one story that will always stand out in my mind about Joe Barbera…

Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Animation.

I was the director of PR at H-B from October 1994 through September 1996. I believe it was my second or third day on the job in '94 when I was asked to sit in on an interview a reporter was doing with Mr. Barbera. The interview went well over an hour and after the reporter left, I chatted briefly with Joe about how excited I was to be joining the company and how I watched all the Hanna-Barbera shows as a kid. Mr. Barbera then turned to me and said, "Why don't you join me for lunch?" Although I politely declined because I didn't want to impose on his lunchtime, he insisted I join him and we went to Ca del Sol in North Hollywood where I remember everyone greeting him with a "Good Afternoon Mr. Barbera!" He had his own table there, which they kept reserved for him each afternoon. I remember being completely in shock that within just a few days of starting work at the studio, here I was sitting down for a meal with one of television's greatest legends. Mr. Barbera told me some incredible stories about the early days of the Hanna-Barbera studio and how he planned to keep working in this business right to the very end, because he loved his work and it kept him feeling young. A few days later, Mr. Barbera came to my office with a copy of what was then his new biography, My Life In Toons. I told him during our lunch I wanted to read the book and I was touched that not only had he remembered, but he wrote a personal note on the inside cover, along with a Tom and Jerry picture which he sketched right before my eyes. It's one of my most treasured possessions because it's rare that you get to work with someone so iconic, yet completely genuine and gregarious. I was honored to know him and I know I join many of my fellow co-workers there who will miss him dearly.

Marc D. Grossmann, Director, Public Relations, Taffy Ent.

You know there's the old expression 'A picture is worth a thousand words.' Well, Joe Barbera would say that sometimes the most enduring characters are ones that spring out of a cartoonist's mind or imagination. Some of us could make a drawing of a character, and Mr. B would like it, and he'd say, "Let's develop a show around this character." And it would work.

Jerry Eisenberg

Iraj Paran with Joe Barbera.

Joe Barbera meant a great deal to me. I respected him and always admired his zeal for cartoon humor that never seemed to tire. For about 40 years thar I knew him, it was always a pleasure for me to be involved with him in our numerous studio projects.

You wanted to be around him and to learn from him. He had a certain charisma that attracted everybody. We didn't think we were working, we were having fun -- because the way he managed, that was his demeanor. We all loved working and being around him.

Iraj Paran, Emmy-winning Art Director, who designed the signature H-B Logo

I heard a definition not too long ago of the word "soul," that somebody "had soul," And that definition was that he made it his life's work to make other people feel good about being alive. To me, Joe Barbera really had soul.

The energy of the voice is really what makes it happen, and Joe was a great one for energy. He had one line he'd always say - "Do it right and then do it faster." And that one little thing has followed me throughout my career as a director of comedies ever since."

Joe's strength was his humanity and his story telling ability and his sense of humor

Any cartoon you look at that has the Bill Hanna-Joe Barbera stamp on it in some form or another has that lifeforce and the jokes and the humor - they're really little celebrations of life.

Gordon Hunt