Scooby-Doo

Story

Fred, Velma, Daphne and Shaggy travel around with their dog Scooby Doo, investigating sightings of witches, monsters and ghosts. With a mystery to solve, the gang must split up and look for clues to find out who’s behind all the mayhem.

Why we chose it

Scooby Doo has been on our screens for over 50 years, reinvented numerous times in cartoon and live action versions but the basic premise of four teenagers and a dog unmasking villains has proved to have enduring appeal.

Where it came from

CBS executive Fred Silverman came up with the show in an attempt to steer children’s TV away from violent superhero action. Originally, the gang solved mysteries between playing gigs in a band with their bongo-playing dog. Silverman named the dog Scooby Doo after hearing a recording of Frank Sinatra scat singing. Early episodes were heavily influenced by 1940s radio show I Love a Mystery and 1960s TV show Dobie Gillis.

Where it went next

The original series, Scooby Doo, Where Are You? was a great success, and prompted numerous follow-up and spin-off series. Various made-for-TV movies and two live-action feature films have been produced, as well as two stage adaptations. The characters also feature in several comics and a vast array of merchandise, ranging from board games to multivitamins.

Associated stories

Hanna-Barbera produced numerous other cartoons familiar to those who grew up in the 1960s and 70s, including Yogi Bear, The Flintstones and Top Cat.