Ed Benedict

Edward Allen Benedict (23 August 1912 - 28 August 2006) was an animator and main character designer at Hanna-Barbera. His many character designs defined the studio's visual style in the 1960s.
== Biography ==
Ed Benedict was the main character designer for all the early Hanna-Barbera comedy cartoons: Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Quick Draw McGraw and others. Benedict, who worked at MGM, Universal and other studios on short, theatrical cartoons, joined William Hanna and Joseph Barbera soon after the pair launched their groundbreaking Hanna-Barbera TV animation studio in the late 1950s. Among Benedict's many designs for them were the characters for their first series, 1957's The Ruff & Reddy Show.
For The Flintstones, the story of a "modern Stone Age family", Benedict designed not only the hapless cavemen Fred and Barney, but also their long-suffering wives, Wilma and Betty, and the show's clever array of Stone Age houses and gadgets, including the characters' foot-powered cars.
The Flintstones, one of the first cartoon series created for adults as well as children, debuted in 1960 and was an immediate hit. Many years later, Fred and Barney remain squarely in the public consciousness as pitchmen for various products, including Flintstones Chewable Vitamins and Pebbles cereals. Without the time and budget that were lavished on classic theatrical cartoons, TV animated comedies had to leave out beautiful backgrounds and lifelike movement in favor of witty dialogue and stories with vivid characters.
Before joining Hanna-Barbera, Benedict worked for another cartoon legend, Tex Avery, at both Universal and MGM studios. At MGM, where Hanna and Barbera also worked, Benedict was the lead layout artist and designer on "Deputy Droopy" and other popular theatrical shorts.
He also worked with "Woody Woodpecker" creator Walter Lantz on several shorts, including "The Dizzy Dwarf" and "Unpopular Mechanic".
Benedict's last work for Hanna-Barbera was on Johnny Bravo, where he contributed to 33 episodes. He died in August 2006 at the age of 94. He requested that his ashes be scattered over California's Carmel Bay.
== External Links ==
* Ed Benedict at the Internet Movie Database
Category:Animators
Category:Real People
Category:The Funtastic Index