William Hanna

Biography

William Hanna was an American animator who also did voice work and music. He started at Harman and Ising in 1930 without formal training, then moved to MGM, where he directed cartoons and partnered with Joseph Barbera. Together they created Tom and Jerry, beginning with Puss Gets the Boot (1940), which was nominated for an Academy Award. The series won seven Academy Awards. In 1957 the pair launched Hanna-Barbera, a studio that produced The Huckleberry Hound Show, The Flintstones, Yogi Bear, Scooby-Doo, The Jetsons, and The Smurfs. The studio became the most successful in television animation, and its shows reached a worldwide audience in the 1960s. Hanna and Barbera received eight Emmy Awards and remained heads of the studio until 1991, then stayed on as advisors. Hanna died in 2001.

90years old at death

Born July 14, 1910Melrose
Died March 22, 2001North Hollywood
Star sign: CancerThe sign runs June 21 to July 22
William Denby Hanna (birth name)Also credited as Bill Hanna

Movie Career

Films: 8
Career span: 82 years1940 to 2022

Genres

Animation100%, 8 films
Comedy75%, 6 films
Family63%, 5 films
Adventure25%, 2 films
Action13%, 1 film

First and latest

Did you know?!

Early training
Hanna had no formal animation training, yet at the Harman and Ising studio he rose to head of the ink and paint department and also wrote songs and lyrics.
First role
In 1936 Hanna got the chance to direct a cartoon for the first time, and the result was To Spring, which was part of the Harman-Ising Happy Harmonies series.
Big break
After Puss Gets the Boot succeeded, Hanna and Barbera kept working on the cat-and-mouse theme even though Quimby resisted the idea.
A change of course
Hanna branched into television during his last year at MGM by forming Shield Productions with animators Mike Lah and Jay Ward.
A first
The new company's name came down to a coin toss, which gave Hanna precedence. First called H-B Enterprises, it was soon changed to Hanna-Barbera Productions.

William Hanna movies on Netflix

Tom and Jerry Cowboy Up!2022IMDb rating 5.2as Tom / Jerry (archive sound) (voice)
Tom and Jerry: Shiver Me Whiskers2006IMDb rating 6.4as Tom / Jerry (archive sound) (voice)
I Yabba Dabba Do!1993IMDb rating 6.4as Bill Hanna
Saturday Evening Puss1950IMDb rating 7.7as Tom (voice)
The Hollywood Bowl1950IMDb rating 7.9as Tom
The Little Orphan1949IMDb rating 7.7as Tom / Jerry (voice)
Fraidy Cat1942IMDb rating 7.4as Tom's and Jerry's vocal effects (voice)
Puss Gets the Boot1940IMDb rating 7.6as Jinx (voice)

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

Puss Gets the Boot1940 Animation, Comedyas Jinxvoice
IMDb rating 7.62.8K votes
The Little Orphan1949 Adventure, Animationas Tom / Jerryvoice
IMDb rating 7.72.3K votes
The Hollywood Bowl1950as Tom
IMDb rating 7.91.9K votes
Fraidy Cat1942as Tom's and Jerry's vocal effectsvoice
IMDb rating 7.41.7K votes
Saturday Evening Puss1950as Tomvoice
IMDb rating 7.71.3K votes
I Yabba Dabba Do!1993as Bill Hanna
IMDb rating 6.4927 votes
Tom and Jerry: Shiver Me Whiskers2006as Tom / Jerry (archive sound)voice
IMDb rating 6.42.6K votes
Tom and Jerry Cowboy Up!2022as Tom / Jerry (archive sound)voice
IMDb rating 5.2741 votes

Worked with

William Hanna shares three films with Lillian Randolph, and one with each of the others. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Lillian Randolph

Harry Lang

Frank Welker

Kevin Michael Richardson

Fred Tatasciore

Wallace Shawn

Joseph BarberaDirector, 5 films

Films together

Lillian Randolph3 films together, 1940 to 1950
Lillian Randolph's page
- Saturday Evening Puss1950IMDb rating 7.7Hanna as TomvoiceRandolph as Mammy Two-Shoesvoice
- Fraidy Cat1942IMDb rating 7.4Hanna as Tom's and Jerry's vocal effectsvoiceRandolph as Mammy Two-Shoesvoice
- Puss Gets the Boot1940IMDb rating 7.6Hanna as JinxvoiceRandolph as Mammy Two-Shoesvoice
Harry Lang2 films together, 1940 to 1942
Harry Lang's page
- Fraidy Cat1942IMDb rating 7.4Hanna as Tom's and Jerry's vocal effectsvoiceLang as Tomvoice
- Puss Gets the Boot1940IMDb rating 7.6Hanna as JinxvoiceLang as Jaspervoice
Frank Welker1 film together, 1993
Frank Welker's page
- I Yabba Dabba Do!1993IMDb rating 6.4Hanna as Bill HannaWelker as Barney Rubblevoice
Kevin Michael Richardson1 film together, 2006
Kevin Michael Richardson's page
- Tom and Jerry: Shiver Me Whiskers2006IMDb rating 6.4Hanna as Tom / Jerry (archive sound)voiceRichardson as Red Pirate Ron / Blue Pirate Bob / Purple Parrotvoice
Fred Tatasciore1 film together, 2022
Fred Tatasciore's page
- Tom and Jerry Cowboy Up!2022IMDb rating 5.2Hanna as Tom / Jerry (archive sound)voiceTatasciore as Clemvoice
Wallace Shawn1 film together, 2006
Wallace Shawn's page
- Tom and Jerry: Shiver Me Whiskers2006IMDb rating 6.4Hanna as Tom / Jerry (archive sound)voiceShawn as Barnacle Paulvoice
Joseph BarberaDirector, 5 films, 1940 to 1950
All films by Joseph Barbera
- Saturday Evening Puss1950IMDb rating 7.7Hanna as Tomvoice
- The Hollywood Bowl1950IMDb rating 7.9Hanna as Tom
- The Little Orphan1949IMDb rating 7.7Hanna as Tom / Jerryvoice
- Fraidy Cat1942IMDb rating 7.4Hanna as Tom's and Jerry's vocal effectsvoice
- Puss Gets the Boot1940IMDb rating 7.6Hanna as Jinxvoice

Awards

Five awards and honors from 1974 to 1977, one of them major.

Top

William Hanna's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Result
Emmy Awards
1974	Daytime Emmy Award	Won
Other honors
1977	Winsor McCay Award	Won
1976	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame	Honored
	Distinguished Eagle Scout Award	Won
	Governors Award	Won

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

Top