[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 138 (Wednesday, October 13, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2085-E2086]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  A TRIBUTE IN HONOR OF JOSEPH BARBERA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES A. BARCIA

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 13, 1999

  Mr. BARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mr. Joseph 
Barbera, who, along with his partner Mr. William Hanna, created some of 
the most beloved characters of the twentieth century, including Scooby-
Doo, Tom and Jerry, Yogi Bear and Boo Boo, The Flintstones, The 
Jetsons, Johnny Quest, Huckleberry Hound, and Quick Draw McGraw. For 
many generations of young viewers, these characters have served both as 
barometers of American culture and as tools for shaping the way these 
viewers relate to their family and friends. And not just in this 
country--Hanna-Barbera shows have been seen in nearly 100 countries and 
translated into 22 languages. It is with great pleasure that I speak 
today about part of that duo, Mr. Barbera, who is being honored with 
the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Italian American Cultural 
Society.
  Joseph Roland Barbera was born in New York City in 1911 to Vincente 
and Frances Barbera. In the early 1930's in New York City, he began his 
famous animation career as an accountant, and fortunately for us, found 
that his more exceptional skills lay elsewhere. He started 
supplementing his work by drawing cartoons for magazines, and soon had 
a job as an animator. In 1937 his career took another turn, and Mr. 
Barbera joined MGM Studio's cartoon unit, where he met Mr. Hanna and 
the two immediately produced one of their most famous creations. Their 
first collaboration was titled ``Puss Gets the Boot,'' which led to two 
of America's most entertaining pals, Tom and Jerry. The duo would 
eventually receive seven Academy Awards throughout the next two decades 
for their cat-and-mouse team.
  In 1957, when MGM closed its animation studio, Mr. Barbera joined 
with Mr. Hanna in forming Hanna-Barbera Productions. A year later the 
studio had won the first of eight Emmy Awards for ``The Huckleberry 
Hound

[[Page E2086]]

Show.'' The duo went on to create many more classics such as ``The 
Flintstones,'' ``the Jetsons,'' ``Top Cat,'' and ``The Adventures of 
Jonny Quest,'' to the great delight of viewers of all ages.
  The reason that both adults and children have such an affinity to the 
shows can perhaps be given by Mr. Barbera himself. In a recent 
interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal he said, ``We never really 
played down to kids. We made what I call entertainment for families. 
The kids got on board and the adults came on board. We never really 
lost any of them.'' today, the Flinstones still rank as one of the top-
rated programs in syndication history.
  In addition to great talent, Mr. Barbera is blessed with a loving 
family. He and his wife, Sheila, live in Studio City, CA, where Mr. 
Barbera continues to serve as a creative consultant, most recently with 
the animated feature film ``Tom and Jerry--The Movie.'' He is also 
blessed with three children, Jayne, a production executive; Neal, a 
writer/producer; and Lynn, married to a producer and a mother of two.
  Mr. Speaker, I invite you and my colleagues to join with me in 
honoring Mr. Joseph Barbera, who has given many generations, both young 
and old alike, beloved characters like Scooby-Doo, Tom and Jerry, Yogi 
Bear and Boo Boo.

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