Before entering animation, he had a strong background in music. He claimed that this aided in his mastery of animation timing and direction.
He began his animation career as a 20 year old working for Hugh Harman and Rudolph Ising. Like many animation legends, his first job in animation was washing cels.
Inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1994 with his creative partner, Joseph Barbera.
Longtime partner of Joseph Barbera.
Though never credited, Hanna provided all of the screams and yelps of Tom in the "Tom and Jerry" cartoons.