Farewell to Top Cat of cartoons.

Byline: By Gordon Barr

Hanna-Barbera were the original toon army!

Now, with the death of Barbera at 95, they leave only a legacy. But what a legacy ( Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera were the animation team that produced such beloved cartoon characters as Tom and Jerry, Yogi Bear and The Flintstones.

Barbera died on Monday of old age at his Los Angeles home, his wife, Sheila, at his side.

With his longtime work partner Hanna, he first found success creating the highly successful Tom and Jerry cartoons. The antics of the battling cat and mouse went on to win seven Academy Awards.

The partners, who first teamed up while working at MGM in the 1930s, went on to a new realm of success in the 1960s with a witty series of animated TV comedies, including The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Yogi Bear, Scooby-Doo and Huckleberry Hound.

They have been the staple of children's (and adults') TV for generations, and while older ones may remember them first time around, thanks to Hollywood blockbusters, even today's youngsters are enjoying their delights.

Barbera brought the comic gags and skilled drawing, while Hanna brought warmth and a keen sense of timing.

Warner Bros chairman and CEO Barry Meyer said: "From the Stone Age to the Space Age and from prime time to Saturday mornings, syndication and cable, the characters Joe Barbera created with William Hanna are not only animated superstars, but also a very beloved part of American pop culture. While he will be missed by his family and friends, Joe will live on through his work."

They first teamed cat and mouse in the short Puss Gets the Boot. It earned an Oscar nomination and MGM let the pair keep experimenting until the fully-fledged Tom and Jerry characters eventually were born.

Jerry was borrowed for the mostly live-action musical Anchors Aweigh, dancing with Gene Kelly in a scene that became a screen classic.

After MGM's animation department folded in the mid-1950s, Hanna and Barbera went into business for themselves and more stunning cartoon characters were born, including Scooby Doo.