Lippy the Lion is a Hanna-Barbera cartoon character, an anthropomorphic lion in a tattered top hat and vest who first appeared in 1962, partnered with Hardy Har Har, an anthro hyena in a hat and bow tie who was an eternal pessimist. The latter's name is ironic, as it's an onomatopoeia for laughter; indeed, one short implies that expression of joy or happiness actually puts Hardy in pain.
Their names seem to be intended as an evocation of Laurel and Hardy, despite the fact that the two pairs have almost nothing in common.
History
Lippy and Hardy first appeared in "The New Hanna-Barbera Cartoon Series" in 1962, along with Wally Gator and Touché Turtle and Dum Dum.
Their cartoons revolved around Lippy's attempts to get rich quick, with Hardy serving as a foil. Whatever the consequences were to Lippy's schemes, Hardy would end up getting the worst of it — a fact he always seemed to realize ahead of time, with his moans of, "Oh me, oh my, oh dear."
In 1971, Lippy and Hardy got their own cartoon show, simply titled "Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har"; it lasted one season.
Since then, the duo have been frequently included in the cast of Hanna-Barbera's ensemble shows (e.g., "Yogi's Gang"). They were no longer constantly pursuing Lippy's get-rich-quick schemes, but their personalities were unchanged; Lippy was still the smiling optimist, Hardy the moaning pessimist.
List of appearances
- "The New Hanna-Barbera Cartoon Series," 1962
- "Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har," 1971
- The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie: Yogi's Ark Lark (TV-movie), 1972
- "Yogi's Gang," 1973
- "Fender Bender 500," 1990-1992
External links
- Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har at IMDb
- The New Hanna-Barbera Cartoon Series at IMDb
- Don Markstein's Toonopedia: Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har
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