Photo: Kerry Cisneroz / CC BY 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Joseph Barbera is one of those foundational figures whose fingerprints are on the childhood of nearly everyone, even people who never learned his name. Co-creating Tom and Jerry and building Hanna-Barbera reshaped how animation reached the world, and I find it remarkable that a former bank teller, son of Italian immigrants, became a defining storyteller of an entire medium. The genius I respect most is making characters beloved across generations with almost no dialogue, just timing and movement. His Walk of Fame star and Emmy recognition only confirm what the work already proved. He was an architect of popular culture, and his influence still hums beneath modern animation.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Joseph Barbera
- Name (Japanese)
- ジョセフ・バーベラ
- Reading
- じょせふ・ばーべら
- Born
- March 24, 1911 – December 18, 2006
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Boar
- Origin
- New York City, New York, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- film producer / film director / animator / executive producer / bank teller
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Erasmus Hall High School
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- Governors Award
- 1976 star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
- Daytime Emmy Award
- 1977 Winsor McCay Award
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Joseph Barbera born?
March 24, 1911 – December 18, 2006.
Where is Joseph Barbera from?
Joseph Barbera is from New York City, New York, United States.
What does Joseph Barbera do?
Joseph Barbera works as film producer, film director, animator, executive producer, bank teller.
Film producer — see all → · Film director — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.