Tony Benedict obit

Tony Benedict, Longtime Hanna-Barbera Writer And Story Artist, Dies at 89

 

He was not on the list.

Tony Benedict, one of the defining writer–storyboard artists of television animation’s formative years, has passed away at the age of 89.

A Marine Corps veteran who arrived in Hollywood with a sketchbook, a camera, and an appetite for humor, Benedict became an essential creative voice at Hanna-Barbera during the studio’s most explosive decade.

Little is known about Benedict’s early life, but after his discharge from the Marines in 1956, he loaded up his Studebaker and headed for Burbank. “I drove out here in my old Studebaker, 49 Studebaker, and came from a life in the Marine Corps to Walt Disney Studio in 1956,” he recalled in an interview hosted by The Animation Guild, embedded below.

The change was dramatic and joyous. “Was it a culture shock…? Yeah, that’s a soft way of putting it. It was… exhilarating. Everyone there could draw… everyone was drawing all the time and working on Sleeping Beauty.”

At Disney, he entered the animation training program, worked as an in-betweener on Sleeping Beauty, and helped repurpose classic shorts for the Disneyland TV series. “We’d take out whatever material was there… and adapt it for the Wonderful World of Color show,” he said. Looking back, he likened the studio to “the old medieval guilds… passing on information one on one.”

After a round of layoffs, Benedict moved to UPA to assist on Mr. Magoo and discovered he had a natural instinct for writing. When he and writer Phil Babet submitted a script to the fledgling Hanna-Barbera studio, Joe Barbera bought it and hired Benedict. “They hired me but didn’t hire Phil because I could draw and Phil couldn’t,” he said. From that point on, Benedict found himself at ground zero of TV animation’s first great boom.

Hanna-Barbera in the early 1960s was, in Benedict’s telling, a place of dizzying output and relentless invention. “There was a time in this animation business — we used to call it the cartoon business — that was different than any other period,” he said. “From 1957 to 1967, Hanna-Barbera pretty much owned the animation business… Everyone was working for them because the business had died outside Disney.”

He contributed writing and boards to The Flintstones, Top Cat, The Jetsons, Magilla Gorilla, Huckleberry Hound, and countless shorts and interstitials. He is also the creator of one of The Jetsons‘ most popular characters, Astro the dog. The workload was heavy, but the freedom was exhilarating. “We were writing and making these films, and they would pretty much get on the air the way we had written them,” he said. “There was no such thing as a Bible… We learned about these characters from doing them.”

Pitching was direct and personal. “Joe was really the only one. He had to be pleased. And he spoke only to God,” Benedict joked. Episodes would often come in short, and Benedict would be asked, on the spot, to come up with new material. “Whenever they were short, Hanna would ask me if I could give him two and three-quarter minutes… and I’d have to fill that up.”

According to Benedict, the mood at the studio was loose, generous, and relentlessly funny. Everyone caricatured everyone else. “That was the language of the studio,” Benedict said. “If you could get a laugh… you had a better chance of getting a raise from Joe Barbera.”

In the late 1960s, Benedict pursued a longtime dream: making his own animated special. When his Christmas story about two bear cubs was turned down internally, he left the studio. “I pitched it… and he passed on it,” he recalled.

Undeterred, Benedict produced, wrote, and directed what eventually became Santa and the Three Bears, an independently financed feature that found its way into theaters and became a seasonal TV staple.

The film’s difficult distribution saga hardened Benedict. “I was very bitter about it,” he admitted. “I just got out of the animation business.” But the hiatus didn’t last. By the 1980s, he was back at Hanna-Barbera as a writer and story editor on the revived Jetsons, followed by stints on The New Yogi Bear Show, Beany and Cecil, Tiny Toon Adventures, Tom & Jerry Kids, and many other television series.

Later, Benedict reinvented himself yet again, moving into early computer games. Though he initially knew nothing about the technology, he found that his instinct for visual storytelling translated. “I didn’t know anything about computers, but I knew animation,” he said.

In retirement, Benedict devoted himself to preserving the history he had lived. Throughout the 1960s, he had carried a camera everywhere, shooting 8mm footage of office antics, studio basketball games, and daily life at Disney, UPA, and Hanna-Barbera. He spent his later years restoring the films and photos, as well as gag drawings by colleagues like Jerry Eisenberg, Willie Ito, Tony Sgroi, and Corny Cole, with the goal of creating a documentary about the era. “I see it as trying to capture all that fun we had,” he said. “It’s like archaeology… mining all of the visual treasures.” His Facebook profile is an absolute goldmine of incredible photographs and amusing anecdotes.

Tony Benedict leaves behind a lifetime of characters and a load of enduring laughs. His work helped define the sound and shape of televised cartoons, and his relentless recordkeeping has helped preserve one of animation’s most charming eras.

 

Writer

The Lost Mind of Dr. Brain (1995)

The Lost Mind of Dr. Brain

7.9

Video Game

script

1995

 

Matt Frewer in The Pink Panther (1993)

The Pink Panther

6.8

TV Series

writer

1993

1 episode

 

The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show (1986)

The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show

7.8

TV Series

Writer (segment "Bugs Bunny's Christmas Carol")

1986

1 episode

 

Daws Butler, Don Messick, George O'Hanlon, Penny Singleton, Jean Vander Pyl, and Janet Waldo in The Jetsons (1962)

The Jetsons

7.0

TV Series

story byteleplay by

1962–1985

26 episodes

 

Saturday Supercade (1983)

Saturday Supercade

6.6

TV Series

story bywriter (segment "The great Q-Tee Contest", 1983-1985)

1983

2 episodes

 

Heathcliff (1980)

Heathcliff

6.5

TV Series

story (1980-1981)

1980–1984

 

Ruth Buzzi, David H. DePatie, Friz Freleng, Robert T. Gillis, Arte Johnson, Rick Steward, and Steve DePatie in Baggy Pants & the Nitwits (1977)

Baggy Pants & the Nitwits

6.4

TV Series

Writer

1977–1980

16 episodes

 

Mel Blanc in Daffy Duck's Easter Show (1980)

Daffy Duck's Easter Show

5.6

TV Movie

written by

1980

 

Daffy Flies North (1980)

Daffy Flies North

6.0

TV Short

story (uncredited)

1980

 

The Chocolate Chase (1980)

The Chocolate Chase

5.4

TV Short

story (uncredited)

1980

 

The Yolks on You (1980)

The Yolks on You

5.8

TV Short

story (uncredited)

1980

 

Bugs Bunny's Christmas Carol (1979)

Bugs Bunny's Christmas Carol

6.6

TV Short

Writer

1979

 

Bugs Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales (1979)

Bugs Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales

6.9

TV Short

written by

1979

 

Hell-Bent for Election (1944)

Fright Before Christmas

6.3

TV Short

Writer (uncredited)

1979

 

String Along in Pink (1979)

String Along in Pink

5.9

Short

story

1979

 

Crazylegs Crane (1978)

Crazylegs Crane

6.1

TV Series

writer

1978

16 episodes

 

Rich Little in The Pink Panther (1969)

The Pink Panther

7.8

TV Series

story

1969–1978

5 episodes

 

Pink Z-Z-Z (1978)

Pink Z-Z-Z

5.3

Short

writer

1978

 

The All New Pink Panther Show (1978)

The All New Pink Panther Show

7.1

TV Series

story

1978

16 episodes

 

Pinktails for Two (1978)

Pinktails for Two

5.9

Short

writer

1978

 

Cat and the Pinkstalk (1978)

Cat and the Pinkstalk

5.0

Short

story

1978

 

To Catch a Halibut

5.5

Short

writer

1978

 

ABC Afterschool Specials (1972)

ABC Afterschool Specials

7.2

TV Series

story (uncredited)

1978

1 episode

 

Blast-Off Buzzard (1977)

Blast-Off Buzzard

5.5

TV Series

writer

1977

13 episodes

 

Shake, Rattle and Roll (1977)

Shake, Rattle and Roll

6.9

TV Series

writer

1977

13 episodes

 

C B Bears (1977)

C B Bears

5.5

TV Series

writer

1977

13 episodes

 

Posse Impossible (1977)

Posse Impossible

6.7

TV Series

writer

1977

13 episodes

 

Undercover Elephant (1977)

Undercover Elephant

6.2

TV Series

writer

1977

13 episodes

 

The Pink Panther Laugh and a Half Hour and a Half Show (1976)

The Pink Panther Laugh and a Half Hour and a Half Show

7.5

TV Series

Writer

1976

 

Loopy de Loop (1959)

Loopy de Loop

6.2

TV Series

storywritten by

1971–1973

4 episodes

 

Chilly Willy (1953)

Gold Diggin' Woodpecker

5.4

Short

story

1972

 

Chilly Willy (1953)

Indian Corn

5.2

Short

story

1972

 

Santa and the Three Bears (1970)

Santa and the Three Bears

6.6

written by

1970

 

The Pink Panther Show (1969)

The Pink Panther Show

7.6

TV Series

story

1969

3 episodes

 

The Early Birds

Short

written by

1968

 

Cherche le phantom (1968)

Cherche le phantom

6.1

Short

story

1968

 

Hippydrome Tiger (1968)

Hippydrome Tiger

5.1

Short

story

1968

 

The Space Kidettes (1966)

Young Samson & Goliath

6.6

TV Series

story

1967–1968

20 episodes

 

The Atom Ant/Secret Squirrel Show

6.9

TV Series

story by

1967–1968

2 episodes

 

Super President (1967)

Super President

6.4

TV Series

story

1967

 

Jet Pink (1967)

Jet Pink

6.0

Short

Writer

1967

 

Ape Suzette (1966)

Bomb Voyage

6.1

Short

story

1967

 

The Secret Squirrel Show (1965)

The Secret Squirrel Show

6.6

TV Series

story bywritten by

1965–1966

26 episodes

 

Squiddly Diddly (1965)

Squiddly Diddly

6.4

TV Series

writer

1965–1966

26 episodes

 

The Atom Ant Show (1965)

The Atom Ant Show

6.4

TV Series

story bywritten by

1965–1966

26 episodes

 

Winsome Witch (1965)

Winsome Witch

6.7

TV Series

written by

1965–1966

26 episodes

 

The Super 6 (1966)

The Super 6

7.1

TV Series

writer

1966

2 episodes

 

The Space Kidettes (1966)

The Space Kidettes

6.7

TV Series

story (1966)

1966–1967

 

Mel Blanc, Bea Benaderet, Don Messick, Alan Reed, and Jean Vander Pyl in The Flintstones (1960)

The Flintstones

7.5

TV Series

written by

1962–1966

13 episodes

 

Punkin' Puss & Mushmouse (1964)

Punkin' Puss & Mushmouse

7.0

TV Series

story

1964–1966

10 episodes

 

Ricochet Rabbit & Droop-a-Long (1964)

Ricochet Rabbit & Droop-a-Long

6.8

TV Series

story

1964–1966

9 episodes

 

Yippee, Yappee and Yahooey (1964)

Yippee, Yappee and Yahooey

6.6

TV Series

story

1964–1966

16 episodes

 

The Magilla Gorilla Show (1964)

The Magilla Gorilla Show

6.2

TV Series

written bystory

1964–1966

15 episodes

 

Breezly and Sneezly (1964)

Breezly and Sneezly

6.4

TV Series

story

1964–1966

16 episodes

 

The Peter Potamus Show (1964)

The Peter Potamus Show

6.1

TV Series

story

1964–1966

26 episodes

 

Bear Up! (1963)

Bear Up!

5.4

Short

Writer

1963

 

Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har (1962)

Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har

6.4

TV Series

story

1962–1963

49 episodes

 

The New Hanna-Barbera Cartoon Series (1962)

The New Hanna-Barbera Cartoon Series

7.5

TV Series

story (uncredited)

1962–1963

52 episodes

 

Wally Gator (1962)

Wally Gator

6.3

TV Series

story

1962–1963

52 episodes

 

Touché Turtle and Dum Dum (1962)

Touché Turtle and Dum Dum

6.4

TV Series

story

1962–1963

39 episodes

 

Wolf in Sheep Dog's Clothing (1963)

Wolf in Sheep Dog's Clothing

5.1

Short

story

1963

 

Common Scents (1962)

Common Scents

5.3

Short

written by

1962

 

Top Cat (1961)

Top Cat

7.1

TV Series

written by

1962

1 episode

 

Hokey Wolf (1960)

Hokey Wolf

6.4

TV Series

written by

1961

21 episodes

 

The Huckleberry Hound Show (1958)

The Huckleberry Hound Show

6.6

TV Series

written by

1960–1961

24 episodes

 

The Yogi Bear Show (1961)

The Yogi Bear Show

6.6

TV Series

written by

1961

8 episodes

 

Catch Meow (1961)

Catch Meow

5.1

Short

story

1961

 

Child Sock-Cology (1961)

Child Sock-Cology

5.3

Short

story

1961

 

Jim Backus in Mister Magoo (1960)

Mister Magoo

6.5

TV Series

story

1960

14 episodes

 

Jack Mercer in Popeye the Sailor (1960)

Popeye the Sailor

7.1

TV Series

story

1960

1 episode

 

Art Department

Droopy: Master Detective (1993)

Droopy: Master Detective

6.3

TV Series

storyboard artist

1993–1994

13 episodes

 

Christopher Plummer, Ian James Corlett, Long John Baldry, A.J. Bond, Jim Byrnes, Babs Chula, Kristin Fairlie, Vanessa King, Kyle Labine, Andrea Libman, Scott McNeil, Kelly Sheridan, Tracey Lee Smythe, French Tickner, and Stevie Louise Vallance in Madeline (1989)

Madeline

6.8

TV Series

storyboard artist

1993–1994

20 episodes

 

Matt Frewer in The Pink Panther (1993)

The Pink Panther

6.8

TV Series

storyboard artist

1993

1 episode

 

Tom & Jerry Kids Show (1990)

Tom & Jerry Kids Show

6.3

TV Series

storyboard artist

1990–1993

65 episodes

 

The Adventures of Don Coyote and Sancho Panda (1990)

The Adventures of Don Coyote and Sancho Panda

7.1

TV Series

storyboard artist

1990–1991

26 episodes

 

Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures (1990)

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures

6.4

TV Series

storyboard artist

1990–1991

21 episodes

 

John Candy in Camp Candy (1989)

Camp Candy

6.8

TV Series

storyboard artist

1989–1990

16 episodes

 

Tiny Toon Adventures (1990)

Tiny Toon Adventures

7.5

TV Series

storyboard artist

1990

2 episodes

 

The New Yogi Bear Show (1988)

The New Yogi Bear Show

6.5

TV Series

storyboard artist

1988

45 episodes

 

Beany and Cecil (1988)

Beany and Cecil

6.5

TV Series

storyboard artist

1988

5 episodes

 

Daws Butler, Don Messick, George O'Hanlon, Penny Singleton, Jean Vander Pyl, and Janet Waldo in The Jetsons (1962)

The Jetsons

7.0

TV Series

story directorstoryboard artist (uncredited)

1985

41 episodes

 

The Huckleberry Hound Show (1958)

The Huckleberry Hound Show

6.6

TV Series

storyboard artist (uncredited)

1961

1 episode

 

Additional Crew

What a Cartoon! (1995)

What a Cartoon!

8.4

TV Series

story consultant

1995

1 episode

 

Daws Butler, Don Messick, George O'Hanlon, Penny Singleton, Jean Vander Pyl, and Janet Waldo in The Jetsons (1962)

The Jetsons

7.0

TV Series

story editor

1985

41 episodes

 

The Wuzzles (1985)

The Wuzzles

7.0

TV Series

story editor

1985

1 episode

 

Animation Department

Babes in Toyland: An Interactive Adventure

Video Game

animatorstoryboard

1997

 

Bugs Bunny's Christmas Carol (1979)

Bugs Bunny's Christmas Carol

6.6

TV Short

sequence director (uncredited)

1979

 

Bugs Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales (1979)

Bugs Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales

6.9

TV Short

sequence director

1979

 

Hell-Bent for Election (1944)

Fright Before Christmas

6.3

TV Short

sequence director (uncredited)

1979

 

Rod Taylor, Sandra Abbott, Cate Bauer, Barbara Beaird, Lisa Daniels, Lisa Davis, David Frankham, Betty Lou Gerson, Mimi Gibson, Barbara Luddy, Mickey Maga, J. Pat O'Malley, Tudor Owen, Thurl Ravenscroft, Rickie Sorensen, Martha Wentworth, Mary Wickes, Frederick Worlock, and Ben Wright in One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)

One Hundred and One Dalmatians

7.3

assistant animator (uncredited)

1961

 

Goliath II (1960)

Goliath II

6.7

Short

assistant animator (uncredited)

1960

 

Sleeping Beauty (1959)

Sleeping Beauty

7.2

assistant animator (uncredited)

1959

 

Director

That's Warner Bros.! (1995)

That's Warner Bros.!

6.5

TV Series

original material

1995

 

The Bugs n' Daffy Show (1996)

The Bugs n' Daffy Show

8.1

TV Series

original material

1996–1999

 

Mel Blanc in Daffy Duck's Easter Show (1980)

Daffy Duck's Easter Show

5.6

TV Movie

sequence director

1980

 

Daffy Flies North (1980)

Daffy Flies North

6.0

TV Short

Director

1980

 

The Chocolate Chase (1980)

The Chocolate Chase

5.4

TV Short

Director

1980

 

The Yolks on You (1980)

The Yolks on You

5.8

TV Short

Director

1980

 

Santa and the Three Bears (1970)

Santa and the Three Bears

6.6

directed by

1970

 

Producer

Pink Panther and Sons (1984)

Pink Panther and Sons

5.5

TV Series

associate producer

1984–1985

26 episodes

 

Pandamonium (1982)

Pandamonium

6.3

TV Series

producer

1982

11 episodes

 

Santa and the Three Bears (1970)

Santa and the Three Bears

6.6

produced by

1970

 

The Early Birds

Short

producer

1968

 

Special Effects

Santa's Christmas Elf (Named Calvin) (1971)

Santa's Christmas Elf (Named Calvin)

2.4

designed and manufactured by

1971

 

Thanks

Floyd Norman in Floyd Norman: An Animated Life (2016)

Floyd Norman: An Animated Life

7.4

special thanks

2016

 

Self

When Cartoons Were New Yorkers

Self - Interviewee

Pre-production

 

Pink Links

Video

Self

2019

 

Stu's Show (2006)

Stu's Show

6.6

Podcast Series

Self - Guest

2014–2019

4 episodes

 

Bezango, WA (2015)

Bezango, WA

Self

2015

 

Hanna-Barbera from H to B

Short

Self

2006

 

Here Comes a Star (1963)

Here Comes a Star

TV Special

Self - Writer (uncredited)

1963

 

Archive Footage

Mayor of the Sunset Strip (2003)

Mayor of the Sunset Strip

7.0

Additional Crew (archive footage)

2003