William Hanna was born in Melrose, New Mexico, on July 14, 1910. Hanna studied to become a structural engineer but had to drop out of college with the onset of the Depression. A talent for drawing led him to join the Harman-Ising animation studio in 1930; there he worked for seven years in the story and layout departments.

When the MGM animation unit was established in 1937, Hanna became one of its first staff members and directed many of the Captain and the Kids cartons in 1938-39, together with William Allen.

In 1938 he and Joe Barbera were teamed for the first time on a short titled Gallopin' Gals; the association proved mutually satisfying, and in 1939 Hanna and Barbera collaborated again on "Puss Gets the Boot," the first entry in the Tom and Jerry series.

The Tom and Jerry cartoons went on to dizzying success, and from 1939 on the professional career of Joe Barbera became inseparable from that of William Hanna.

Hanna and Barbera's 17-year partnership on the Tom & Jerry series resulted in 7 Academy Awards for Best (Cartoon) Short Subject, and 14 total nominations, more than any other character-based theatrical animated series.

Hanna and Barbera were placed in charge of MGM's animation division in late 1955; however this was short-lived as MGM closed the division in 1956.

Following this they teamed up to produce the series The Ruff & Reddy Show, under the company name H-B Enterprises, soon changed to Hanna-Barbera Productions.

Hanna-Barbera Productions became by the late-1960s the most successful television animation studio in the business, producing hit programs such as The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Jonny Quest, and Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! by the end of the decade.

The studio thrived until 1991, when Hanna and Barbera sold it to Turner Entertainment. Hanna and Barbera stayed on as advisors and periodically worked on new Hanna-Barbera shows.