Photo: Photo by Elson-Alexandre, Los Angeles / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
William Hanna is, quite literally, a founding architect of how the world laughs. Co-creating Tom and Jerry and building Hanna-Barbera alongside Joseph Barbera, he shaped the childhoods of multiple generations across the planet. What delights me most is the small, human detail that he personally voiced the vocal effects for both Tom and Jerry, putting his own breath into characters now recognized everywhere. The Daytime Emmy, the Winsor McCay Award, the Hollywood Walk of Fame star, all earned. He passed in 2001, but that cat and mouse still chase each other endlessly. Few creators leave a legacy this universal.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- William Hanna
- Name (Japanese)
- ウィリアム・ハンナ
- Reading
- うぃりあむ・はんな
- Born
- July 14, 1910 – March 22, 2001
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Cancer / Dog
- Origin
- Melrose, New Mexico, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- film producer / film director / animator / writer / painter
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Compton High School
- University
- University of California, Los Angeles
Awards & achievements
- 1974 Daytime Emmy Award
- 1976 star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
- 1977 Winsor McCay Award
- Governors Award
- Distinguished Eagle Scout Award
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was William Hanna born?
July 14, 1910 – March 22, 2001.
Where is William Hanna from?
William Hanna is from Melrose, New Mexico, United States.
What does William Hanna do?
William Hanna works as film producer, film director, animator, writer, painter.
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.