TV Hot Spot: News

Scooby-Doo Creator Dies

Post by: Sal

Iwao Takamoto, an animation designer who created the beloved cartoon dog Scooby-Doo, has died at the age of 81.

Takamoto was being treated for respiratory problems at Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center when he suffered a heart attack and died Monday, Jan. 8, report news soruces.

In a career that spanned more than six decades, Takamoto was an animator, film director and television producer.

Iwao Takamoto was born in Los Angeles in 1925 to parents who had emigrated from Japan. During World War II, he and his family were sent to the Manzanar internment camp in California. It was there he learned basic illustration techniques from other internees.

Following the war, he landed a job as an assistant animator at Walt Disney Studios. While there, he worked on such projects as "Cinderella," "Peter Pan," "101 Dalmatians" and "Lady and the Tramp."

From there, he shifted to Hanna-Barbera Studios, where he fulfilled a number of duties including character animator. He created the popular sleuthing dog Scooby-Doo after consulting with a Great Dane breeder and then named him after the catchy song phrase in Frank Sinatra's "Strangers in the Night." He's also responsible for creating the affable Astro on "The Jetsons," the dastardly Muttley and Penelope Pitstop.

He also worked on "Jonny Quest," "Josie and the Pussycats," "The Secret Squirrel Show," "The Flintstones," "The Addams Family," "Hong Kong Phooey," "Jabberjaw," "Super Friends" and "Snorks." Takamoto also directed a couple feature-length animated projects: 1975's "Charlotte's Web" and 1990's "Jetsons: The Movie." As Hanna-Barbera's VP of creative design, he also oversaw the company's product-related merchandising.

Most recently, he served as the VP of Special Projects for Warner Bros. Animation where he worked on the Tom and Jerry short "The Karateguard" and designed characters for the Cartoon Network/Kids' WB! series "Krypto the Superdog."

In 2005, he was honored with the Golden Award from the Animation Guild, for his more than half a decade of service in the animation field.

Takamoto was survived by his wife, Barbara, son Michael and stepdaughter Leslie.