Ed Benedict, 94; Created Cartoon Characters for Disney, MGM, Others
Ed Benedict, 94, an animator who designed many famous cartoon characters including Fred Flintstone, Yogi Bear and Huckleberry Hound, died Monday, his friend David Scheve said. Benedict died at home in Auburn, Calif. Scheve did not know the cause.
Born in Ohio and raised in L.A., Benedict started his career in cartoon animation in the 1930s at the Disney studio before moving to Universal and then back to Disney in the early ‘40s.
He moved to MGM in the early 1950s and became lead designer and layout artist.
His film credits for MGM include several shorts directed by Tex Avery and Michael Lah, in the “Deputy Droopy” series.
Benedict is best known for characters he designed in the late 1950s and early ‘60s after he moved to the Hanna-Barbera studio, including Yogi Bear and Boo Boo, his sidekick.
He also designed Huckleberry Hound, Quick Draw McGraw, Fred and Wilma Flintstone and their pals Barney and Betty Rubble for TV series starting in 1958.
Benedict moved to Carmel in the 1960s and continued freelancing for several studios until he retired.
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