110 Fun Facts About Scooby-Doo

In what year did the original "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!" series first air?

It debuted on Saturday morning, September 13, and lasted two seasons.

What breed of dog is Scooby-Doo?

Creator Joe Ruby briefly rewrote him as a sheepdog for fear he looked too much like Marmaduke, before CBS's Fred Silverman insisted on the bigger breed.

Who co-created the original "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!" series for Hanna-Barbera?

Ruby and Spears later followed Fred Silverman to ABC, where they supervised the network's Saturday-morning cartoons.

Aside from Scooby-Doo and Shaggy, which three characters make up the core of Mystery Incorporated?

Fred, Velma, and Daphne complete the gang. In the 1968 pitch they were Geoff, Linda and Kelly, with Shaggy as W.W., before the names were changed for CBS.

What is Scooby-Doo's full name?

His full name is Scoobert Doo, the name his parents Mumsy-Doo and Dada-Doo use for him in A Pup Named Scooby-Doo.

Which character is Scooby-Doo's nephew, often known for his catchphrase "Puppy Power!"?

Scrappy-Doo, Scooby's pugnacious nephew, debuted in September 1979 in Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo, shouting 'Puppy Power!' and 'Lemme at 'em!' at every monster.

Which member of the gang is its leader and wears an orange ascot in the original series?

Fred Jones was originally going to be 'Ronnie' until CBS's Fred Silverman had the name changed, reportedly after himself.

What kind of vehicle is the Mystery Machine?

The Mystery Machine is a van, painted turquoise and lime green with orange flowers, that carries the gang to every haunted mansion and amusement park.

What is Shaggy Rogers' often-forgotten given first name?

The 2023 series Velma leans into it, calling its version of the character only Norville.

Who was the original voice actor for Scooby-Doo in the 1969 series?

Don Messick voiced Scooby-Doo from the 1969 premiere until 1994; after he quit smoking his voice could no longer produce the dog's rasp, and he died in 1997.

Who was the first voice of "Shaggy" Rogers?

Casey Kasem voiced Shaggy from the 1969 debut until he retired from the role in 2009, after which Matthew Lillard, the live-action Shaggy, took over.

What is Velma Dinkley's signature catchphrase, often exclaimed when she finds an important clue?

"Jinkies!" is Velma's exclamation on finding a clue; her other running gag is losing her glasses and crawling about saying 'I can't see without my glasses!'

What nickname has Daphne Blake earned over the Scooby-Doo series?

Daphne's frequent habit of stumbling into traps or getting captured earned her the memorable nickname "Danger-Prone Daphne."

In Scooby-Doo, Fred's elaborate Rube Goldberg traps for catching villains are usually undone how?

Shaggy or Scooby trip them by mistake, and the crook still tends to end up caught, just by some other accident.

What is Shaggy Rogers' signature nonsense-word exclamation of surprise or fear in Scooby-Doo?

"Zoinks!" is Shaggy's word for alarm, as instinctive as his bottomless appetite and his habit of fleeing a monster in a blur of legs.

In Scooby-Doo, the unmasked crook's closing complaint blames the gang for spoiling the scheme; what does he call them?

'Meddling kids' (sometimes 'pesky kids') is the unmasked villain's parting gripe, so familiar that Wayne's World parodied it with a 'Scooby-Doo ending' in 1992.

Which comedic actor often appeared as himself in 'The New Scooby-Doo Movies'?

Don Knotts was a recurring guest star in "The New Scooby-Doo Movies," appearing in multiple episodes to assist Mystery Inc.

What year saw the release of the first live-action "Scooby-Doo" theatrical film?

The first live-action theatrical film based on the cartoon, simply titled "Scooby-Doo," was released in 2002.

Which horror icon voiced the warlock who guides the gang in The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo?

Vincent Price voiced Vincent Van Ghoul, a warlock modelled on him, who guides the gang by crystal ball as they recapture the 13 ghosts.

Which villain from the original "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!" was a glowing deep-sea diver?

Captain Cutler's Ghost, a glowing diver, haunted 'A Clue for Scooby-Doo', the second episode aired, luring the gang to the Graveyard of Ships.

Why was Scooby's nephew added to the show and its title in 1979?

To boost slipping ratings: ABC was weighing cancellation in 1979, and putting Scrappy in the title of Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo revived the show's numbers.

Which young con artist joined the gang in "The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo"?

Flim-Flam, a fast-talking boy con artist, joined Daphne, Shaggy, Scooby and Scrappy in 1985's The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, peddling his 'Lotsa Luck Joy Juice'.

Which of these superhero duos made multiple guest appearances in "The New Scooby-Doo Movies"?

Batman and Robin guested twice in 1972, in 'The Dynamic Scooby-Doo Affair' and 'The Caped Crusader Caper', facing the Joker and the Penguin both times.

Just before Fred Silverman renamed it, what was the show's working title?

Who's S-S-Scared? was the title CBS's Frank Stanton rejected as too frightening; the even earlier pitch had a teenage rock band solving mysteries between gigs.

Which singer's scat inspired executive Fred Silverman to name the dog Scooby-Doo?

Frank Sinatra's 'doo-be-doo-be-doo' ad-lib at the end of 'Strangers in the Night', heard by Silverman on a red-eye flight, gave both the dog and the show their name.

Why did the writers briefly turn Scooby into a shaggy sheepdog just before pitching the show?

They feared he looked too much like Marmaduke, the Great Dane of Brad Anderson's comic strip; the Great Dane design won out anyway, drawn deliberately un-show-worthy by Iwao Takamoto.

After its CBS run ended, which network aired the various Scooby-Doo series from 1976 until 1986?

Fred Silverman, by then running ABC, brought the gang with him and reshuffled the lineup almost every year.

In Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998), the gang investigates an island near which US city?

New Orleans: the gang's reunion trip takes them to a bayou island near the city, in the 1998 direct-to-video film that brought back the full grown-up gang without Scrappy.

What are the villains Simone and Lena revealed to be in Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island?

Simone Lenoir and Lena Dupree are werecats who drain visitors' life force; unusually for the franchise, the island's zombies are real, and they are the pair's past victims.

Who directed the 2002 live-action Scooby-Doo movie?

Raja Gosnell, who had made Home Alone 3 and Big Momma's House, directed the 2002 film and its 2004 sequel Monsters Unleashed.

Which actress played Velma in the 2002 live-action Scooby-Doo film?

Linda Cardellini played Velma in both live-action films and later voiced Marcie 'Hot Dog Water' Fleach in Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated.

Where was the 2002 live-action Scooby-Doo film shot?

Queensland, Australia: Spooky Island scenes were shot at the Tangalooma resort on Moreton Island and at Warner Bros. Movie World on the Gold Coast.

Which comedy actor played Spooky Island's owner Emile Mondavarious in the 2002 film?

Rowan Atkinson played Emile Mondavarious, the fussy resort owner who turns out to be a robot piloted by a vengeful Scrappy-Doo.

Which Canadian band performed the theme song for What's New, Scooby-Doo?

Simple Plan recorded the What's New, Scooby-Doo? theme and appeared as themselves in the 2003 episode 'Simple Plan and the Invisible Madman'.

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated is set in which self-styled 'most haunted place on Earth'?

The series unusually ran a season-long serialized mystery about an earlier team of sleuths who vanished.

Who voiced Shaggy in the 2020 animated film Scoob!?

Will Forte voiced Shaggy in Scoob!, the 2020 Warner Animation Group feature, taking over a role Matthew Lillard had voiced in most productions since 2010.

Where did TV Guide rank Scooby-Doo on its 2013 list of the greatest TV cartoons of all time?

Fifth: TV Guide's 2013 list of the 60 greatest TV cartoons placed Scooby-Doo at number five; the magazine had ranked Scooby 22nd among cartoon characters in 2002.

What two letters appear on the diamond-shaped tag of Scooby-Doo's collar?

SD, his initials, sit on the gold diamond tag of Scooby's blue collar, a detail unchanged since the 1969 series.

In which 1988 TV film is Shaggy forced to race in Dracula's Monster Road Rally?

Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf (1988) has Dracula turn Shaggy into a werewolf so his Monster Road Rally can go ahead; Scrappy and Shaggy's girlfriend Googie ride along.

What was the original working title of the show that became Scooby-Doo?

Mysteries Five was the 1968 treatment's title, modelled partly on The Archie Show: five teens in a rock band and their dog solving mysteries between gigs.

How does Scooby typically mangle his speech?

Starts words with an R: 'Ruh-roh', 'Rhaggy' and 'Rooby-Rooby-Roo' are typical, and everyone around him understands the R-heavy speech without comment.

Which actress played Daphne in the 2002 and 2004 live-action Scooby-Doo films?

Sarah Michelle Gellar, then starring in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, played Daphne in both live-action films and married co-star Freddie Prinze Jr. in 2002.

Which sitcom character was the model for Velma?

Zelda Gilroy, the brainy girl who pursued Dobie Gillis, was the template for Velma; Sheila James Kuehl, who played her, later became a California state senator.

What colour is Velma's signature baggy turtleneck sweater?

Orange is the sweater; she pairs it with a red pleated skirt, knee socks and the black square glasses she keeps losing.

What is Daphne's signature exclamation?

Jeepers! is Daphne's exclamation; the purple-clad redhead was first voiced by Stefanianna Christopherson in the 1969-70 season.

What was the title of the 1969 pilot episode in which Daphne and the gang first appeared?

What a Night for a Knight opened the series on September 13, 1969, with the gang unmasking the Black Knight ghost at the county museum.

What is Fred Jones's middle name?

Herman: Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated gives his full name as Frederick Herman Jones, son of the town's mayor, Fred Jones Sr.

In What's New, Scooby-Doo?, Fred's ascot was replaced by what?

A blue stripe: What's New, Scooby-Doo? dropped the ascot for a white sweater with a blue stripe, though the ascot returned in Mystery Incorporated.

Which actor played the sitcom title character who was the model for Fred Jones?

Dwayne Hickman played Dobie Gillis, the girl-chasing title character who was the template for Fred, for all four seasons from 1959 to 1963.

Who voiced Scrappy-Doo for his first season in 1979?

From 1980 Don Messick, Scooby's own voice, took over the puppy; Scott Innes voiced him in the 2002 film.

Who directed Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island?

Jim Stenstrum directed Zombie Island (1998) and followed it with The Witch's Ghost and Alien Invaders, the first three films of the direct-to-video run.

Who wrote the screenplay for the 2002 live-action Scooby-Doo film?

James Gunn wrote the screenplay and returned for 2004's Monsters Unleashed; he later wrote and directed Guardians of the Galaxy.

Who provided the voice of Scooby in the 2002 and 2004 live-action films?

Neil Fanning, an Australian actor, voiced the computer-animated Scooby in both live-action films; reggae star Shaggy and MxPx recorded theme versions for the first.

How much did the 2002 live-action Scooby-Doo film gross worldwide?

$275 million worldwide against an $84 million budget; despite poor reviews it spawned the Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster at Warner Bros. Movie World on the Gold Coast.

Which actress played Mary Jane in the 2002 Scooby-Doo film?

Isla Fisher, then best known in Australia for Home and Away, played Mary Jane, the love interest Shaggy meets on the flight to Spooky Island.

Which two actors joined the cast for Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed?

Seth Green (museum curator Patrick Wisely) and Alicia Silverstone (reporter Heather Jasper Howe) joined for the 2004 sequel, which was shot in Vancouver.

Which institution's grand opening is disrupted at the start of Scooby-Doo 2?

The Coolsonian Criminology Museum's opening, exhibiting the gang's old monster costumes, is wrecked when the Pterodactyl Ghost steals them for an Evil Masked Figure.

Which superhero does Mystery Inc. team up with in the 2020 film Scoob!?

Blue Falcon, here Brian Crown, the original hero's bumbling son, joins the gang to stop Dick Dastardly from unleashing the three-headed dog Cerberus.

Who voiced the villain Dick Dastardly in Scoob!?

Jason Isaacs voiced Dick Dastardly, the Wacky Races schemer recast as a grander villain hunting the three skulls of Cerberus.

Which two actors voiced Fred and Daphne in Scoob!?

Zac Efron voiced Fred and Amanda Seyfried voiced Daphne, with Gina Rodriguez as Velma; Frank Welker, as Scooby, was the only returning voice.

Who directed Scoob!?

Dax Shepard co-directed for a period before leaving in 2018; Chris Columbus became an executive producer.

How many episodes of The New Scooby-Doo Movies were produced?

24: sixteen hour-long episodes aired in 1972-73 and eight more in 1973-74, each pairing the gang with a guest star.

Which 2019 series revived the celebrity guest-star format of The New Scooby-Doo Movies?

It premiered on the Boomerang streaming service on June 27, 2019.

Which original Velma voice actress retired from acting after The New Scooby-Doo Movies?

Nicole Jaffe, Velma's first voice, retired in 1973 to become a talent agent; she returned only for two 2003 direct-to-video films.

Which comedy legends were voiced by imitators on The New Scooby-Doo Movies?

Living guests like Don Knotts, Sonny & Cher and Dick Van Dyke voiced themselves.

How many episodes of Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo were made for its single 1979 season?

16 half-hour episodes made up the 1979-80 season, the first with Scrappy; from 1980 the show switched to three seven-minute shorts per episode with only Shaggy, Scooby and Scrappy.

Which network did Fred Silverman leave ABC to run in 1978, stranding Scooby-Doo?

NBC: Fred Silverman, who had championed Scooby at CBS and then ABC, became NBC's president in June 1978, leaving the show without its backer.

Who developed A Pup Named Scooby-Doo before leaving to create Tiny Toon Adventures?

Tom Ruegger developed and produced A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, then left Hanna-Barbera for Warner Bros., where he created Tiny Toon Adventures and later Animaniacs.

Who voiced Fred in A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, the first time someone other than Frank Welker did?

Carl Steven, a child actor, voiced the grade-school Fred; Welker stayed on the show voicing other parts, and it ran on ABC from 1988 to 1991.

What's New, Scooby-Doo? aired on which programming block?

Kids' WB carried What's New, Scooby-Doo? on Saturday mornings from September 2002 to 2006, the first Scooby series made by Warner Bros. Animation.

Which former Facts of Life star voiced Velma from 2002?

Mindy Cohn, Natalie on The Facts of Life, voiced Velma from What's New, Scooby-Doo? in 2002 until 2015.

Which channel aired Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated from 2010 to 2013?

It was the first Scooby series not to air traditionally on Saturday mornings and used a serialized story arc.

How many episodes did Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated run for?

It ended on April 5, 2013, exactly three years after its preview aired.

Who voiced Velma in the 2023 HBO Max adult series Velma?

Mindy Kaling voiced Velma and executive-produced the HBO Max series, created by Charlie Grandy, which premiered in January 2023.

What made the series Velma unique in the Scooby-Doo franchise?

It has no talking Great Dane: Scooby is absent entirely, making Velma the first franchise entry without him; it ran two seasons on HBO Max from 2023.

Which pirate's ghost supposedly haunts the bayou island in Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island?

Morgan Moonscar, the pirate whose crew drove the island's settlers into the bayou in its backstory, gives Moonscar Island its name; the 1998 film was dedicated to Don Messick, who died in 1997.

Which Japanese studio animated Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island and the next three DTV films?

Mook Animation, a Tokyo studio, handled the animation for Zombie Island, The Witch's Ghost, Alien Invaders and Cyber Chase, the first four direct-to-video films.

Which two rock bands contributed to the Zombie Island soundtrack?

Third Eye Blind's 'How's It Going to Be' and Skycycle's 'It's Terror Time Again' feature in the film, the latter scoring the zombie chase.

Which goth rock band was introduced in Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost?

The Hex Girls debuted in the New England town of Oakhaven and kept coming back across later films and series.

Which horror writer invites the gang to Oakhaven in The Witch's Ghost?

Ben Ravencroft, a horror novelist voiced by Tim Curry, invites the gang to Oakhaven, where he turns out to be a warlock seeking his ancestor Sarah's spellbook.

Which 2001 film was the final production of the Hanna-Barbera studio?

Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase, released in October 2001, was the last production credited to Hanna-Barbera before the studio was absorbed into Warner Bros. Animation.

Casey Kasem quit voicing Shaggy in the 1990s over a commercial for which chain?

A strict vegetarian, he later returned on condition that Shaggy be depicted as a vegetarian too.

On what condition did Casey Kasem agree to return to his Scooby-Doo role?

Shaggy would be a vegetarian: Kasem, a strict vegetarian, returned for What's New, Scooby-Doo? in 2002 only after the producers agreed to make Shaggy one too.

Which famous radio countdown show did Shaggy's voice Casey Kasem create and host?

American Top 40, which Kasem co-created and first hosted on July 4, 1970, ran for decades with his sign-off 'keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars'.

Which superhero sidekick did Casey Kasem voice in Super Friends?

Robin: Kasem voiced Dick Grayson's Boy Wonder across every Super Friends incarnation from 1973 to 1985, alongside his radio career.

In which 2006-08 series does Shaggy inherit a mansion and fortune from his Uncle Albert?

Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get a Clue! (2006-08) had Shaggy inherit Uncle Albert Shaggleford's mansion and fortune, with Dr. Phibes as the recurring villain.

Which 1996 slasher role made Matthew Lillard a horror star before he played Shaggy?

Stu Macher, the giggling co-killer in Wes Craven's Scream (1996), made Lillard a horror name; he became Shaggy's animated voice after Kasem retired in 2009.

What treats does the gang use to bribe Scooby into facing a monster?

Scooby Snacks, boxed dog biscuits Shaggy eats just as happily, are the standard bribe: 'Would you do it for a Scooby Snack?'

On what date was Hanna-Barbera founded?

July 7, 1957: William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, cut loose when MGM shut its cartoon unit, founded H-B Enterprises with film director George Sidney.

Which famous cat-and-mouse duo did William Hanna and Joseph Barbera create at MGM?

Tom and Jerry, launched at MGM in 1940 with Puss Gets the Boot, won the pair seven Academy Awards before they set up their own studio.

Which band starred with the gang in the 2015 film Rock and Roll Mystery?

KISS: Scooby-Doo! and KISS: Rock and Roll Mystery (2015) had Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer voice themselves at the KISS World park.

Which studio, founded by two ex-Hanna-Barbera writers in 1977, produced Fangface and Thundarr the Barbarian?

Ruby-Spears Productions, founded in 1977 by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears after they left ABC, made Fangface, Thundarr the Barbarian and the 1983 Mister T cartoon.

Which Disney classics did Scooby designer Iwao Takamoto work on before Hanna-Barbera?

Cinderella, Lady and the Tramp and Sleeping Beauty: Takamoto joined Disney in 1945, having learned to draw from fellow internees at Manzanar, and moved to Hanna-Barbera in 1961.

Which Jetsons character was also designed by Scooby's designer Iwao Takamoto?

Takamoto also designed Penelope Pitstop; he learned to draw in a WWII internment camp.

In The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, where does Daphne's plane strand the gang?

The Himalayas: on a flight to Honolulu, Daphne's plane is thrown off course and lands in the mountains, where Scooby and Shaggy are tricked into opening the chest.

Which two bumbling ghosts trick Scooby and Shaggy into opening the Chest of Demons?

Weerd and Bogel, two bumbling ghosts, pose as helpful spirits and trick Scooby and Shaggy into opening the Chest of Demons, loosing the thirteen ghosts.

Which 2019 film finished the story of the 1985 series and revealed its last spirit?

A different creative team made the follow-up film 34 years after the show.

Who directed the 2009 TV film Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins?

It shows how the gang met; a sequel, Curse of the Lake Monster, followed in 2010.

Who played Velma in the 2009 TV film Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins?

Nick Palatas was Shaggy, Robbie Amell was Fred and Kate Melton played Daphne, with Frank Welker voicing a CGI Scooby.

In which Ohio town is Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins set?

Scooby is a stray up for adoption who ends up in Shaggy's bedroom after fleeing a graveyard.

Which cousin of Scooby's debuted in The Scooby-Doo Show in 1976?

Scooby-Dum, Scooby's slow-witted grey cousin who hums 'dum-dum-dum-dum' and carries a magnifying glass, first appeared in The Scooby-Doo Show in 1976.

Which Hanna-Barbera hero was paired with Scooby in a 1976 programming hour?

Dynomutt, Dog Wonder, the bionic sidekick of the Blue Falcon, shared The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour in 1976 before it grew into the two-hour Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics.

Which superhero's dog, Krypto, helps the gang in the 2023 film Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too!?

Superman's dog meets the gang with the Justice League vanished and Metropolis overrun by villains like Joker, Harley Quinn and Brainiac.

Which two DC reporters call in Mystery Inc. in Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too!?

Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen, the Daily Planet reporters, bring in Mystery Inc.; Jimmy spends the film proclaiming Daphne his girlfriend over her protests.

Which Archies character was the model for the sheepdog version of Too Much?

Hot Dog, the Archies' white sheepdog, was the model for the sheepdog version of Too Much before the character was redrawn as a Great Dane.

Who performed the original Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! theme song?

Larry Marks sang the theme, written by David Mook and Ben Raleigh, for the 1969-70 season; Austin Roberts re-recorded it for season two.

Who voiced Daphne from 1970 to 1997 after Stefanianna Christopherson retired?

Heather North voiced Daphne from 1970 to 1985 and again in 1997, including the 1983 run in which Daphne reported for a teen magazine with Shaggy, Scooby and Scrappy.

Who voiced Shaggy in Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island?

Billy West, later Fry and Zoidberg in Futurama, voiced Shaggy in the 1998 film while Casey Kasem was away from the role.

Which two later Hanna-Barbera series had characters debut on The New Scooby-Doo Movies a year early?

It was the first time Batman and Robin appeared in a Hanna-Barbera cartoon.

Who voiced Scooby-Doo in the direct-to-video films from Zombie Island (1998) to Cyber Chase (2001)?

Scott Innes voiced Scooby from Zombie Island through Cyber Chase, and Shaggy as well from The Witch's Ghost, before Frank Welker took Scooby in 2002.