
Hanna-Barbera's 50th: A Yabba Dabba Doo Celebration, titled onscreen as A Yabba Dabba Doo Celebration: 50 Years of Hanna-Barbera, is a 1989 live-action/animated television special. Originally airing on TNT, the special featured hosts Tony Danza and Annie Potts celebrating 50 years of William Hanna and Joseph Barbera's partnership in animation. This is the first animated project to be presented in Dolby Surround sound system.
Covered are Hanna and Barbera's years working for the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio, and then the history of Hanna-Barbera Productions Inc., which was set up in 1957. Featured are many clips from the studio's classic works, with particular focus going to Tom and Jerry, The Huckleberry Hound Show, The Quick Draw McGraw Show, The Yogi Bear Show, The Jetsons, and The Flintstones. The special also included new animated/live-action material, including several musical performances by the Hanna-Barbera characters, and a behind-the-scenes look at the then-upcoming Jetsons: The Movie.
As a running gag throughout the special, Fred Flintstone keeps pestering the hosts to ask when they are going to get to his show's montage. Also, each act opens with celebrities giving anniversary greetings and attempting to sing the Flintstones theme song. Some do a better job than others.
The special was dedicated to the memory of Daws Butler, who died during this collaborative production. It was also the last television and film project for Mel Blanc, who died seven days before the special's telecast. This marked the final time Mel Blanc voiced Barney Rubble.
Characters[]
Among the cartoon characters who appear in the new animation produced for this special are the following:
- Astro
- Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy
- Baba Looey
- Barney Rubble
- Betty Rubble
- Brainy Smurf
- Boo Boo
- Cindy Bear
- Choo Choo
- Dick Dastardly
- Ding-a-Ling
- Dino
- Elroy Jetson
- Fancy-Fancy
- Fred Flintstone
- George Jetson
- Hokey Wolf
- Hong Kong Phooey
- Huckleberry Hound
- Jane Jetson
- Judy Jetson
- Magilla Gorilla
- Muttley
- Papa Smurf
- Peter Potamus
- Pixie and Dixie
- Quick Draw McGraw
- Rosey
- Ruff and Reddy
- Scooby-Doo
- Scrappy-Doo
- Secret Squirrel
- Shaggy Rogers
- Smurfette
- Snagglepuss
- Snooper and Blabber
- Squiddly Diddly
- Tom and Jerry
- Top Cat
- Touché Turtle
- Wally Gator
- Wilma Flintstone
- Yogi Bear
Celebrities[]
- Tony Danza (host)
- Annie Potts (co-host)
- Betty White
- Joe Ferguson
- Jonathan Winters
- Phyllis Diller
- Sammy Davis Jr.
- Shari Belafonte
- Tiffany
- Tommy Lasorda
- Valerie Harper
- Victor Borge
- Whoopi Goldberg
Voices[]
- Paul Winchell - Dick Dastardly, Clyde, Gargamel, Goober
- Janet Waldo - Pebbles Flintstone, Judy Jetson, Josie McCoy and Penelope Pitstop
- Dave Willock - Wacky Races Narrator, Gus
- Sarah Kennedy - Bunny
- Kathy Gori - Lori, Sarge
- Laurel Page - Taffy Dare, Minnie
- Scatman Crothers - Hong Kong Phooey
- Frank Welker - Fred Jones Jabberjaw Nugget Nose Shmoo
- Indira Stefanianna/Heather North - Daphne Blake
- Nicole Jaffe - Velma Dinkley
- Michael Bell - Mark, Allstar Seaworthy, Mr Pyrite, Mr Big weed, Grouchy Smurf, Lazy Smurf, Handy Smurf, Johan Ranger Rangerfield
- Greg Burson - Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Quick Draw McGraw
- Casey Kasem - Shaggy
- Don Messick - Boo Boo, Scooby-Doo, Muttley, Papa Smurf, Ring a Ding, Professor Pat Pending, Gravel Slag, Sawtooth
- Dick Beals - Elroy Jetson
- Greg Berg - Baba Looey, Augie Doggie
- Henry Corden - Fred Flintstone
- Jean Vander Pyl - Wilma Flintstone, Pebbles Flintstone
- John Stephenson - Doggie Daddy, Super Snooper Mr Slate, Lazy Luke , Blubber Bear
- Mel Blanc - Barney Rubble, Dino, Captain Caveman, Speed Buggy
- Penny Singleton - Jane Jetson
- Daws Butler - Peter Perfect, Sergeant Blast, The Red Max, Rufus Ruffcut, Rock Slag, Narrator (impersonating Phil Silvers)