Ruh Roh! September 13th is Scooby Doo Day! The beloved cartoon dog has become a fixture in American pop culture, and has been exposing the nefarious dealings of malevolent, mask-wearing schemers since the late 1960’s. A vet discusses the iconic animated pooch below.
Starting Out
Scooby Doo, Where Are You? wasn’t exactly an immediate success. Nor was Scooby. In an early version, titled Mysteries Five, the canine star was, well, more of a dog and less of a sleuth.
Genre Change
The show was originally planned as a horror/mystery, but execs thought it may be too scary for kids, and made it a comedy. The rest, as you know, is history. Or, as Scooby would put it, ‘Ristory.’
Name
Scooby Doo was actually named after a Frank Sinatra song: the pup’s moniker was inspired by the ‘Doo-be-doo-be-doo’ line in Strangers in the Night. There were also fictional characters named Skooby Doo in the 1953 film Swingin Together and in the Archies’ song Feelin’ So Good (S.K.O.O.B.Y.-D.O.O.)
Voices
Scooby has been voiced by dozens of actors over the years. One of the more iconic voices behind the adorable pup was Don Messick, who also spoke for the Jetsons’ beloved pup, Astro. He gave up the role soon after quitting smoking, which took the iconic rasp out of his voice.
Cameos
Scooby Doo has also popped up in cameos or guest roles on many different films and TV shows, including Johnny Bravo, Looney Tunes: Back In Action; and Space Jam II.
Celebrity
Scooby Doo and his buddies are now iconic characters. However, the gang needed a little help in the early days. Many stars were happy to pitch in. Some of the celebrities that made guest appearances include Dick Van Dyke, Phyllis Diller, Sonny and Cher, Don Knotts, Mama Cass Elliot, and the Harlem Globetrotters!
Scrappy
We can’t forget about Scooby’s adorable nephew, the aptly-named Scrappy Doo. The puppy soon became famous in his own right, and starred with his uncle for several years in spinoff series The Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show, along with their bff, Shaggy. Puppy Power! However, Scrappy isn’t Scooby’s only relative. Cousins Scooby-Dee and Scooby Dum have also lent the gang a helping paw in solving cases.
Do you have a Great Dane with a love for Scooby Snacks? Contact us, your local animal clinic, today!
