From mystery-solving dogs to stone-age suburbanites, the 1960s marked a glorious era for animation, giving birth to some of the most iconic cartoon characters.
These animated legends have transcended generations with their wit, charm, and unforgettable antics. Let’s look back at some of these icons that have been entertaining us since the swinging sixties and have kept us laughing—and sometimes crying.
Fred Flintstone (The Flintstones)
This Stone Age patriarch first stomped onto our screens in 1960 with his iconic “Yabba Dabba Doo!” war cry. Fred’s boisterous personality, wild schemes, and love for his family have kept audiences entertained for over six decades.
Whether he’s bowling with dinosaurs or causing chaos at the quarry, Fred Flintstone remains the ideal modern stone-age family man, mirroring the struggles of the everyday working class in a prehistoric setting. By the ’90s, Fred’s cultural influence even seeped into high fashion—Miuccia Prada once cited The Flintstones as inspiration for her “imperfect glamour” designs.
What made The Flintstones particularly phenomenal was the way it cleverly mirrored mid-century suburban life, complete with stone-aged appliances like the “foot-powered” car and The Daily Granite, one of the news slabs (newspapers) in Bedrock (the fictional town in The Flintstones).
Bugs Bunny (Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies)
This carrot-chomping anthropomorphic rabbit has been outsmarting Elmer Fudd since 1938, but his peak ’60s era saw him evolve into a full-blown pop culture icon.
With his Brooklyn-accented “What’s up, Doc?” cool demeanor and cross-dressing antics, this wise-cracking quick wit who starred in over 150 Looney Tunes shorts by 1964 became a fan favorite for a reason. Bugs’ influence on pop culture is so profound that he even has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Bonus trivia: Mel Blanc, his original voice actor, also voiced Daffy Duck and Porky Pig.
Scooby-Doo (Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!)
Zoinks! This cowardly Great Dane and his mystery-solving gang have been unmasking fake ghosts since 1969. Scooby’s insatiable appetite for Scooby Snacks and his signature “Ruh-roh!” are just some reasons fans have enjoyed every bit of this Saturday morning cartoon.
Debuting at the tail end of the ’60s, Scooby-Doo offered lighthearted escapism during a politically turbulent era, swapping superhero violence for ghostly hoaxes and slapstick humor. Despite his fears, Scooby always manages to save the day, proving that true bravery comes in all shapes and sizes – even those of a clumsy, talking dog.
The show’s mix of comedy, mystery, and just a touch of spookiness has kept audiences coming back for more across multiple iterations and generations.
Fun fact: The series’ emphasis on human villains (rather than real monsters) was a deliberate response to parental concerns about media violence in the late ’60s.
Legacy: The show has spawned over 50 years of reboots, films, and adaptations, cementing its status as a timeless icon.
Charlie Brown (Peanuts animated specials)
Though Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts comic strip debuted in 1950, Charlie Brown’s existential dread (“Good grief!”) resonated deeply with the ’60s counterculture when it made it to the small screen as an animated series special in 1965, making the show a staple of 1960s television.
Charlie Brown’s eternal optimism in the face of constant failure made him super endearing. Whether he’s trying to kick that elusive football, play baseball, or talk to his crush, we can’t help but root for this round-headed kid. His philosophical musings and deep thoughts about life and meaning made him a uniquely introspective cartoon character.
The 1965 A Charlie Brown Christmas—with its jazz soundtrack and anti-commercialism message—is pretty much a holiday fixture, while Snoopy’s Red Baron daydreams represent the era’s anti-war sentiments.
Tom and Jerry
This cat-and-mouse duo has been chasing each other across screens since 1940, but their clownish antics continued to delight viewers throughout the 60s and beyond when they especially dominated TV screens.
Tom and Jerry managed to keep its viewers entertained without so much as a word, except when minor characters spoke — like the housekeeper we’ve all seen (saying “seen” would be generously putting it since we rarely got to see her entire being). Especially when those actions involve anvils, mousetraps, and endless schemes.
Their wordless comedy, which mostly involved exploding toasters, falling anvils, piano-flattened tails, mousetraps, a lot of chasing, and endless schemes, transcends language barriers, making them universally loved and ensuring their place in animation history. Unsurprisingly, all that rivalry, running and chasing earned the original theatrical shorts seven Oscars and a permanent spot in animation history.
Winnie the Pooh (Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree)
Disney’s adaptation of A.A. Milne’s honey-loving bear debuted in Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree (1966), followed by other short film adaptations in the late 60s, 70s, and 80s transforming the “silly old bear” into a global ambassador of gentle wisdom.
With his Hundred Acre Wood pals—neurotic Piglet, gloomy Eeyore, and hyper Tigger—Pooh was the epitome of childhood innocence and philosophical simplicity. Pooh’s simple wisdom in facing setbacks with a resigned “Oh, bother” won audiences over — his kind nature and ability to find joy in life’s little pleasures—especially when they came in jars of honey—stuck.
The 1977 The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh musical anthology film cemented his status as one of Disney’s most lucrative non-princess franchises, spawning toys, theme park attractions, and even a 2018 Chinese social media censorship quirk (where Pooh became a meme for political satire).
Fun fact: Sterling Holloway, Pooh’s original voice actor, also voiced Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland—another whimsical thinker.
Woody Woodpecker
This mischievous bird’s distinctive laugh (“Ha-ha-ha-HA-ha!”) has been echoing through living rooms since 1940, remaining a familiar sight throughout the ’60s.
His wild energy and carefree attitude continue to resonate with viewers who appreciate a good laugh, making him a timeless symbol of cartoon chaos and fun. While his theatrical shorts ended in 1972, syndicated reruns kept his prankster spirit alive.
Trivia: Woody’s original voice was Mel Blanc (Bugs Bunny). After 1941, several actors briefly filled the role until Grace Stafford took over in 1950. She voiced him for 41 years, becoming his defining voice through reruns and specials until 1991.
Space Ghost
A superhero from Hanna-Barbera’s stable, Space Ghost debuted in 1966 as one of animation’s first intergalactic defenders. With his sleek costume and powerful gadgets like power bands, Space Ghost fought cosmic villains decades before space-faring superheroes became a staple of mainstream animation.
His later reinvention as a talk show host in Space Ghost Coast to Coast (1994) showcased the character’s versatility and enduring appeal across different formats and audiences.
Enduring Appeal: The character’s legacy spans both earnest superheroic and postmodern comedy, solidifying his status as a versatile icon.
Secret Squirrel (The Secret Squirrel Show)
Debuting in 1965 as a prime-time NBC special (The World of Atom Ant and Secret Squirrel), Secret Squirrel was the trench-coat-wearing James Bond of the rodent world.
Equipped with a variety of gadgets like bullet-proof gear and a machine-gun cane and accompanied by his sidekick Morocco Mole, The Secret Squirrel Show (1966) parodied the spy genre at the height of its popularity and had villains like “Yellow Pinkie” (a nod to Goldfinger).
His adventures combined action, comedy, and just the right amount of absurdity, making him a standout character in the crowded landscape of 1960s cartoons.
Trivia: After Secret Squirrel debuted in 1965 as a special, the character became a Saturday morning staple with The Atom Ant/Secret Squirrel Show cartoon (1965). Secret Squirrel finally received his own show in 1966 with The Secret Squirrel Show.
Yogi Bear (The Yogi Bear Show)
Hanna-Barbera’s picnic-basket bandit charmed audiences with his self-proclaimed genius (“I’m smarter than the average bear!”) and endless quest to outwit Jellystone Park’s exasperated Ranger Smith.
Debuting in 1958 as a supporting act in The Huckleberry Hound Show, Yogi’s popularity skyrocketed thanks to his roguish charm and dynamic with timid sidekick Boo-Boo—a classic comedy duo echoing Bud Abbott and Lou Costello.
His 1961 solo series, The Yogi Bear Show, pioneered the “cartoon antihero” trope, blending mischief with harmless fun (no basket was ever truly safe). Yogi Bear’s cultural footprint has expanded beyond cartoons to theme parks (Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts), political satire, and a 2010 live-action reboot reimagining him as an environmental crusader.
Bonus trivia: Voice actor Daws Butler modeled Yogi’s voice and swagger after Art Carney’s Ed Norton from The Honeymooners—a nod to the era’s sitcom golden age.