Thanks for the tour of the old Hanna Barbera Studio. Too bad they couldn’t keep it as a Hollywood historic site. Brought back memories as I worked there on some projects during the early years of Cartoon Network. Got to meet Bill and Joe. They were semi retired, but would still come to the studio to hang out and occasionally work on a short. I treasure those experiences!
In July 1989 I flew to Los Angeles to visit a friend. Before the trip I called a couple studios. Hanna Barbara was one of them. I was given a tour of Hanna Barbara by Alvy Dorman. When I drove onto the parking lot I told the guard I had an appointment for a tour. When I entered the building there were large cut-outs of Hanna Barbara characters. All I can remember was Fred Flintstone. I was met by Alvy Dorman. We walked past an area that looked like a telecine room. There was some kind of work going on with 35mm reels spinning. Sorry, I was too much in awe to ask what they were doing. He showed me 2 recording studios. The first had a simple custom made audio console and a couple of MCI reel to reel decks. There was a glass window looking into a simple studio that had several condenser microphones arranged around a round table with chairs. He said this is where the voices are recorded. I wished I had asked what cartoons were recorded in the studio, but again, I was too overwhelmed. I asked; how did the animators draw the characters to match what was recorded. He said the animators used cassettes. He didn't go into much more detail. Then we went into another studio that had a large recording studio console, an MCI multichannel reel to reel recorder and an I.T.C. triple deck cart machine. I am going on a fuzzy memory, but I think the MCI reel to reel was an 8-track machine. I remember I.T.C. and MCI because I was in radio, and these machines were the top of the line. I commented that I was surprised they would be using cart decks for this type of work due to cue tone bleed through, but Alvy Dorman said the audio was picked up after the beginning of the cut, and they didn't use carts very often. I noticed a pencil drawing on the tabletop in the control room. It was a scene where George Jetson was pulled over by a cop for doing 75,000 miles per hour in a 55,000 miles per hour speed zone. I may have misremembered the 75,000MPH number. There was a commercial Hanna Barbara audio CD of the classic sounds on the table. I said I didn't know that CD was available. He said, it really wasn't very good. I could tell he was not pleased with the product. I hoped to see animators busy at work. I just saw empty tables setup for animators. At that time they were working on the Jetsons Movie. Alvy Dorman said the sound was being done by Universal, and the animation was being done over seas. In a stairwell I told Alvy Dorman that I always wanted to get into sound recording for motion pictures. He gave me encouragement, and said the first step was to get into the union. I never acted on it. I just went back to my life in the midwest. I was saddened to know the animation and sound for a new movie was not being done there, but It was an awesome day for a kid of the 60's. I am glad to see the building is still standing with a new purpose, and that there is a nod to what what had been there.
And there the final earthly remains of Joseph barbera and William Hannah rest. As far as those still living know. Neither of them Not knowing or caring that so many who still love and cherish their lifes work still vist them everyday.
They need to come out with like a whole box set of like classic Hanna-Barbera cartoons in like one box I feel like that would be a really good idea Also just to show people the good shows that they made
What a good video, I have a question... when entering the Studios, can you do it for free? Or you run the risk that some staff will take you out of the place. I am from Peru and my cousin will go to California these days
