Scooby Doo co-creator Ken Spears dies … months after animation partner Joe Ruby passed away



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Scooby-Doo co-creator Ken Spears has passed away at the age of 82.

His passing comes less than three months after the death of his animation partner Joe Ruby.

His son Kevin Spears has revealed that his father died on Friday, November 6, 2020 due to complications from Lewy Body Dementia, according to Variety.

Ken and Joe were the brains behind Scooby-Doo, Where Are You !, which premiered in 1969.

RIP: Scooby-Doo co-creator Ken Spears has died aged 82;  he died on Friday

RIP: Scooby-Doo co-creator Ken Spears has died aged 82; he died on Friday

Kevin said of his father, “ Ken will be forever remembered for his wit, his stories, his loyalty to family and his strong work ethic, ” he told Variety.

Ken not only made a lasting impression on his family, but he also touched the lives of many as the co-creator of Scooby-Doo. Ken has been a role model for us throughout his life and he will continue to live in our hearts.

Ken is survived by his sons Kevin and Chris, their wives, five grandchildren and three great grandchildren, according to Variety.

Her Scooby-Doo co-creator, Joe, died on August 26, 2020 at the age of 87 from natural causes in Westlake Village, Calif., According to Variety.

Ken and Joe created the Scooby-Doo animated series and founded Ruby-Spears Productions.

Ken was born Charles Kenneth Spears on March 12, 1938, growing up in Los Angeles.

Genius: Ken and Joe were the brains behind Scooby-Doo, Where Are You !, which premiered in 1969

Genius: Ken and Joe were the brains behind Scooby-Doo, Where Are You !, which premiered in 1969

Caption: Kevin said of his father, 'Ken will be forever remembered for his wit, storytelling, loyalty to family and strong work ethic,' he told Variety

Caption: Kevin said of his father, ‘Ken will be forever remembered for his wit, storytelling, loyalty to family and strong work ethic,’ he told Variety

He befriends William Hanna’s son, an animation producer; In 1959, he was hired as a sound editor in the Hanna company, Hanna-Barbera Productions.

During his time at the production company, Ken met Joe, starting not only a friendship but a writing partnership, through Variety.

The duo have written television series for Hanna-Barbera, DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, and Sid and Marty Krofft Television Productions.

They created Scooby-Doo, which is about a Great Dane and his human friends as they solve crimes involving supernatural elements; the animated show premiered in 1969.

Scooby is joined by the teenage members of Mystery, Inc .: Shaggy, Fred, Velma and Daphne; they had a van called the Mystery Machine.

They wrote the first five episodes and then did the editing and supervision for the rest of the inaugural series; the show aired until 1976 but has since had several movies, reboots and spinoffs based on it.

In August: Her death comes less than three months after the death of her animation partner Joe Ruby (pictured)

In August: Her death comes less than three months after the death of her animation partner Joe Ruby (pictured)

The Buddies: They created Scooby-Doo, which is about a Great Dane and his human friends as they solve crimes involving supernatural elements;  the animated show premiered in 1969

The Buddies: They created Scooby-Doo, which is about a Great Dane and his human friends as they solve crimes involving supernatural elements; the animated show premiered in 1969

They also created the animated series Dynomutt, Dog Wonder and Jabberjaw for Hanna-Barbera, as well as The Barkleys and The Houndcats for DePatie-Freleng.

In the 1970s, they were hired to oversee the Saturday morning cartoon programming for CBS by the network’s president of children’s programming, Fred Silverman.

When Fred moved to ABC, the duo followed suit.

Ken was also a history consultant for the 1974 television series Planet of the Apes.

In 1977, Ken and Joe created Ruby-Spears Productions, where they produced Fangface, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Superman, Mister T, Thundarr the Barbarian, Saturday Supercade and The Plastic Man Comedy-Adventure Hour.

In 1981, Hanna-Barbera’s parent company, Taft Entertainment, purchased Ruby-Spears Productions; ten years later, their catalog as well as that of Hanna-Barbera were sold to Turner Broadcasting.

Scooby-Doo continued: Their animated series led to a cinematic version of the film, released in 2002 starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Linda Cardinelli, Matthew Lillard and Freddie Prinze Jr.

Scooby-Doo continued: Their animated series led to a cinematic version of the film, released in 2002 starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Linda Cardinelli, Matthew Lillard and Freddie Prinze Jr.

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