One of the men behind the renaissance of Saturday morning cartoons, including creating one of the most iconic characters of all time, Scooby-Doo, Joe Ruby, has passed away at 87. The Co-creator of some many great cartoons that shaped children’s weekends for decades died of natural causes on Wednesday. long with his partner in crime, Ken Spears, Ruby created not only Scooby-Doo, but so many other greats like Dynomutt, Jabberjaw, Thundarr the Barbarian, and more.
Ruby met Spears at Hanna-Barbara Productions after his time in the Navy and as a go-between a Disney. They invented Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and everyone’s favorite talking Great Dane, Scooby Doo, as a way to combat the complaints of violence from cartoons like Space Ghost. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? was the answer. Ruby and Spears wrote the first five episodes and managed the entire first season, which first aired in 1969. The series stayed on the air til 1976, and has since launched countless spin-offs, reboots, and films. Scooby Doo is a global phenomenon, an international calling card for fans everywhere.
Ruby went on to eventually start his own production company with Spears, spearheading even more great cartoons that really defined Saturday mornings for decades with shows like Mister T, Superman and The Plastic Man Comedy-Adventure Hour. They even went on to produce cartoons of live action properties like Rambo, Punky Brewster and Police Academy: The Animated Series.
Scooby-Doo Co-Creator Joe Ruby Dies at 87 https://t.co/QhmojmFZ6D
— Variety (@Variety) August 27, 2020
Joe Ruby is a name not many people know, but who has had an impact on all of our lives. We all grew up loving Saturday morning cartoons, waking up early on our day off from school just to make sure we didn’t miss a minute of our favorite characters and their zany adventures. Ruby helped create a wholesome form of escapism for kids everywhere, and while he may be gone, his creations make him immortal.
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