Hanna-Barbera (1960-1973)
Many of Hanna-Barbera's original TV series were produced for prime time broadcast, and they continued to produce prime time TV cartoons up until the early 1970s. Such shows as The Huckleberry Hound Show and its spin-off, The Yogi Bear Show, Quick Draw McGraw, Top Cat, Jonny Quest, The Jetsons, Wacky Races, and especially The Flintstones were originally broadcast during prime time hours, competing with live-action comedies, dramas, and quiz shows.
The first prime time animated series from Hanna-Barbera were The Ruff & Reddy Show (1957) and The Huckleberry Hound Show (1958), though the studio hit its stride in 1960s when it scored with The Flintstones. This was the first half-hour "sitcom" cartoon, and like many of its successors it was originally aired during prime time when the whole family would be watching television. The Flintstones was the first of several prime-time animated series from Hanna-Barbera, which included the acclaimed Jonny Quest, generally thought of as Hanna-Barbera's best television work; however, prime time animation did not produce any other high-rated TV series, and Hanna-Barbera turned its efforts to the growing market for Saturday morning cartoons.
Read more about this topic: Prime Time Cartoon