Hanna-Barbera is an institution when it comes to classic kids' cartoons. After creating MGM's Tom and Jerry, Joseph Barbera and William Hanna created their production company in the late 1950s. Years later, multiple generations can recognize characters from franchises like Scooby-Doo, The Jetsons, Yogi Bear, and The Flintstones.
The most memorable Hanna-Barbera cartoons only scratch the surface of a gigantic catalog. Saturday mornings of the past were filled with an array of colorful characters with exciting worlds. Even if not everyone remembers them, the characters below are great examples of the unfettered creativity at Hanna-Barbera over several decades.
The Banana Splits
The Banana Splits was a musical variety show starring an animal band of the same name. Snorky, Drooper, Fleegle, and Bingo donned red helmets, drove their "Banana Buggie" vehicles, made music, and had fun at Six Flags and Coney Island amusement parks. The series presented a combination of live-action and animated segments and originally ran from 1968 to 1970.
A feature-length dark comedy based on The Banana Splits came out in 2019.
The Biskitts
The dogs of Biskitt Island are responsible for guarding Biskitt Castle's crowned jewels. Like Robin Hood, the animals try to help the impoverished while working under the king. The king's mean brother and a wildcat named Scratch are the two biggest dangers to the Biskitts.
From 1983 to 1984, the Biskitts dutifully guarded their jewels and tried to help others. Even though they're dogs, they look a little bit like the Care Bears.
Peter Potamus
The Peter Potamus Show first aired from 1964 to 1966. The purple hippopotamus is paired with a monkey named So-So, who is included in one of the show's segment titles, "Peter Potamus and So-So." The other two segments are "Yippee, Yappee, & Yahooey" and "Ricochet Rabbit and Droop-a-Long." There are many more notable crossovers involved with the characters from The Peter Potamus Show, including a connection to Magilla Gorilla.
The Holidays
The Holiday family on The Roman Holidays bears an obvious similarity to the look of The Flintstones. Gus Holiday is the main character, living with his wife named Laurie, a lion named Brutus, and children named Happius and Precocia. The series gives Ancient Rome a modern edge, complete with apartments, television, and a crowded road of chariots. Though the premise is intriguing, The Roman Holidays only lasted for one season in 1972.
Top Cat
In the 1960s, Top Cat livened up living rooms with a crew of Manhattan alley cats. The get-rich-quick cats bounce from scheme to scheme, routinely coming up against their foil, Officer Dibble. The series seems to have had greater success internationally than it originally did in the United States, particularly with a 2011 movie.
Snagglepuss
Not to be mistaken for the Pink Panther, Snagglepuss is a fancy cougar who can be recognized by his collar, bowtie, and cuffs. Snagglepuss appreciates classic literature, and one of his catchphrases is "Heavens to Murgatroyd!" The sophisticated pink character first appeared in 1959, and through the voiceover work of original actor Daws Butler, Snagglepuss evokes the aura of Bert Lahr's Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz.
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kids
Hanna-Barbera's Butch Cassidy shares the name of a real bank and train robber of the late 1800s. The real Sundance Kid was one of the outlaws in Cassidy's "the Wild Bunch." In the cartoon, which lasted for one season from 1973 to 1974, Butch Cassidy is the lead singer of a band called the Sundance Kids. When they aren't making music, the Sundance Kids are fighting crimes in collaboration with the government. The groovy attire of this lesser-known crew might look similar to the iconic fashions of Scooby-Doo.
Shazzan
Nancy and Chuck are cousins from Maine who unearth halves of a ring inside a chest. Their discovery leads them to an Arabian Nights setting with a genie named Shazzan. Shazzan explains that the teenagers must reunite the ring with its owner before they can go home. Nancy and Chuck travel around on a camel named Kaboobie.
Shazzan (1967-1968) possibly contributed to a bunch of 1990s kids misremembering the movie Kazaam (in which Shaquille O'Neal is a genie) as a nonexistent movie called Shazaam (in which Sinbad supposedly plays a genie).
The Skatebirds
Satchel (a pelican), Knock-Knock (a woodpecker), and Scooter (a penguin) are the names of the Skatebirds. In their live-action/animated hybrid show, the birds were featured in segments where they were played by costumed actors (like in The Banana Splits).
The large, roller-skating birds have a feline nemesis named Scat Cat who loves to chase them. Coincidentally, a character from Disney's The Aristocats (1970) was also named Scat Cat. The Skatebirds originally ran from 1977 to 1978.
Snorks
Those who know of the Snorks might remember the characters as a follow-up to the Smurfs. These colorful creatures have snorkels coming out of their heads and were thought to be non-violent and cooperative. The Snorks, who lasted for a solid four seasons (1984-1989), led to other spin-offs of The Smurfs through the years.