Ken Spears, who co-created the character of Scooby-Doo and oversaw Saturday morning kids programming at CBS and ABC, all with his longtime creative partner, Joe Ruby, has died, reported The Hollywood Reporter. Spears who was 82 years of age at the time of his passing, was suffering from Lewy body dementia.
"Warner Bros. Animation is saddened to learn of the passing of Ken Spears and we send our warmest thoughts to his loved ones. He was a true innovator in the industry whose gifts of humour and storytelling continue to delight audiences," Sam Register, President, Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios, said in a statement.
Register added, "You cannot find a screen in the world that has not played a version of Scooby-Doo. We continue to be inspired by his work at Warner Bros. Animation and are honoured to carry on the legacy of his beloved characters.”
Spears passing comes three months after Ruby with whom he made Scooby-Doo died. A Los Angeles native, Spears first met Ruby when both were sound editors and then staff writers at the cartoon powerhouse Hanna-Barbera, and they created the supernatural kids show Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, which bowed on CBS in September 1969. All but four of the first 25 episodes were written and story-edited by them.
"We were worried it wouldn't last but one season, much less 38 years," Spears said in an undated interview. "It was up against The Hardy Boys on NBC, and we thought we'd get clobbered in the ratings."
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