 Barbera took art classes at the Art Students League of New York and the Pratt Institute and was hired to work in the ink and paint department of Fleischer Studios . In 1932 , he joined the Van Beuren Studios as an animator and storyboard artist . He worked on cartoon series such as Cubby Bear and Rainbow Parades , and Tom and Jerry . This Tom and Jerry series starred two humans ; it was unrelated to Barbera 's later cat @-@ and @-@ mouse series . When Van Beuren closed down in 1936 , Barbera moved over to Paul Terry 's Terrytoons studio . 
