April 10, 2003
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MR. BARBERA’s BIRTHDAY
As the entire staff of WB Animation made their way downstairs to the party, The Flintstones theme song played. There were Hanna Barbera cartoons showing on a large monitor.
Well, of all times this could happen, our camera died on us. We only managed to get a few shots:
click on the images for closer view
L to R standing: A voice director (what’s his name?), Lucille Bliss, June Foray, Alan Oppenheimer, Janet Waldo, Casey Kasem, Gary Owens, Carlton (Mr. B’s assistant and organizer of this event), Doug Young (behind him), and Sander Schwartz (WBA President)
L to R seated: Jerry Eisenberg (Hanna-Barbera layout arist/designer), Joe Barbera (THE MAN himself on his 92nd birthday), Iwao Takamoto (designer legend/creator of Scooby-Doo).
Something we learnt today: when Iwao Takamoto designed The Jetsons, he researched SILVERWARE as reference for body shapes! Wow.
Above: Sander Schwartz and the b’day present – drawings of Joe Barbera by various artists at WB Animation. That’s Jean McCurdy in the blue shirt (ex-president of WBA).
Janet Waldo (Judy Jetson) gives her speech.
The walls were decorated with old B/W photos from Mr. B’s life. There was food. There was old interview footage with Mr. B. He’s such a funny man.
Eddie: This was definitely a very surreal experience; as a kid I used to draw Hanna Barbera characters and send them in to Cartoon Corner, (Channel 9, 4PM ever day)…now I’m attending Joe Barbera’s birthday party!
Seeing Casey Kasem was also great – apart from being Shaggy, I remember him also from American Top 40, which he used to countdown every week. I think his greatest performance is immortalised in the Jacknife Lee song, ‘A Dog Named Snuggles’, where we hear the REAL Casey!
Meanwhile …
Terrorism Kit So Dumb It’s A Winner (smh.com.au)
“The Australian Government’s $15 million fridge magnet campaign to educate Australians about terrorism has scooped an international award as one of the most stupid security measures introduced since September 11.”
Comments (2)
Wha-wha-whaaaaaat? Casey Casem was Shaggy? How did this trivia tidbit elude me all these years?
Did he talk at the celebration and break out in Shaggy-talk?
“Yo Barbera dude… you are like one oooooooold cat!”
No, dammit – he didn’t break out in Shaggy-speak! (But would he STILL sound like Shaggy, we wonder?)