While Joseph Barbera’s death is getting all the press, the real loss in the world of animation is Hayward who gave us Dudley Do-Right and much of the wonderful world of Rocky & Bullwinkle. R&B was brilliant, clever and worked just as well for adults as for kids. It channeled the spirit of Mad Magazine and remains one of the best examples of satire ever broadcast. Furthermore it has held up very well. Whatsamatta U. and Fractured Fairy tales are still funny and relevant. Let us remember for a moment Snidely Whiplash, Dudley’s love interest Nell and Nell’s strange fascination with Dudley’s horse who was named Horse.
Although Mr. Barbera gave us Tom & Jerry, I think that accomplishment is severely overshadowed by the incredibly horrible worked churned out by his Hanna-Barbera Studios. I can’t think of a single cartoon HB did that was even vaguely funny (and all those of you who want to argue for the Flintstones clearly haven’t seen it in a while). Hanna-Barbera cartoons were remarkable for their consistency: They were consistently ugly and stupid. I hated them when I was a kid and nothing I’ve seen since has given me a reason to change that opinion.
Collateral Damage 