'Flintstones' co-creator Joseph Barbera dies

Joseph Barbera, the man who co-created several iconic cartoon shows such as The Flintstones and Scooby-Doo, has died at the age of 95 from natural causes. He passed away at his home in Los Angeles with wife Sheila by his side.

Barbera, along with William Hanna, formed the formidable 'Hanna-Barbera' partnership after a stint working together on the Tom and Jerry cartoon. Along with the aforemention classics, they also created Huckleberry Hound and Yogi Bear.

Hanna passed away in 2001, but Barbera continued to work as an executive producer on contemporary reinventions of the Scooby-Doo and Tom and Jerry cartoons. The pair are widely cited as having a huge influence on The Simpsons.

Warner Brothers chairman Barry Meyer paid tribute to Barbera: "Joe will live on through his work. The characters he created with his late partner, William Hanna, are not only animated superstars but also a very beloved part of American pop culture."