Scooby-Doo co-creator Ken Spears dies at 82

Variety

Spears' death of complications related to Lewy body dementia come less than three months after his fellow Scooby-Doo co-creator Joe Ruby died at age 87. Spears got into animation after befriending the son of Hanna-Barbera co-founder William Hanna. While working in the editing department, he met Ruby. They would go on to create Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, Dynomutt, Dog Wonder and Jabberjaw for Hanna-Barbera, in addition to The Barkleys and The Houndcats. In 1977, Spears and Ruby created their own studio, Ruby-Spears Productions, producing shows such as Superman, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Fangface and Mister T. “Ken will forever be remembered for his wit, his story-telling, his loyalty to family, and his strong work ethic,” said his son, Kevin Spears. “Ken has not only made a lasting impression on his family, but he has touched the lives of many as co-creator of Scooby-Doo. Ken has been a role model for us throughout his life and he will continue to live on in our hearts.”