Photo: Kerry Cisneroz / CC BY 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Joseph Barbera, born on March 24, 1911 in New York City, New York, United States, was a film producer, film director and animator. Death is recorded on December 18, 2006, at the age of 95. Joseph Barbera studied at Erasmus Hall High School. Listed accolades include Governors Award, star on Hollywood Walk of Fame (1976), Daytime Emmy Award and 1 more.
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
- Occupation
- film producer / film director / animator / executive producer / bank teller
2. Background
- High school
- Erasmus Hall High School
Awards & achievements
- Governors Award
- 1976 star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
- Daytime Emmy Award
- 1977 Winsor McCay Award
3. Links
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Joseph Barbera born?
Born March 24, 1911.
When did Joseph Barbera die?
Died December 18, 2006, aged 95.
Where was Joseph Barbera from?
Joseph Barbera was from New York City, New York, United States.
What did Joseph Barbera do?
Joseph Barbera worked as film producer, film director, animator, executive producer, bank teller.
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