Joe Ruby, co-creator of "Scooby-Doo", dies at the age of 87
Animator, writer and executive Joe Ruby - who, with partner Ken Spears, created the beloved Hanna-Barbera cartoons The Jabber shark (Jabberjaw), Blue Falcon and the ever popular Scooby-Doo, where are you? - died Wednesday of natural causes at the age of 87 in Westlake Village, California. His nephew Benjamin Ruby in an itervista a Variety, he said that Joe Ruby has always remained very creative and highly motivated: "He never stopped writing and creating, even when he got older."
Born in Los Angeles, on March 30, 1933 Joe Ruby studied art and began his journey in animation as an interlayer at Disney, before moving on to music editing in the 50s. Ruby joined the United States Navy and served as a radio operator during the Korean War, then moved on as a sound editor at Hanna-Barbera, where she met and began working with Ken Spears. The couple wrote a specific script and joined the studio's writing staff in the 60s, where they created The Jabber shark.
“There hasn't been a great awakening or anything like that. I did a few comics in magazines years before, but I never followed that much. It was just a strange opportunity that presented itself to Hanna-Barbera in 1959, ”Ruby told ScoobyAddicts.com in an interview. "They desperately needed people to write the beginning, ending, and 30-second center points for the Praccobald Bau e the Yogi Bear, and both Ken and I started writing them while working regularly in the editorial department. "
The development of Scooby-Doo, where are you? It was promoted by CBS president of children's programming, Fred Silverman, who hired Ruby and Spears to oversee the Saturday morning network cartoons and find a gentler alternative to the violent action of children's cartoons. Together with character designer Iwao Takamoto (1925-2007), they had several ideas (including the popular rock band setup) before founding the Mystery, Inc. gang now known worldwide as: Freddie, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and the cowardly Great Dane, Scooby-Doo.
With the success of Scooby Doo, Ruby and Spears left Hanna-Barbera, writing with Sid and Marty Krofft Television Productions and looking to produce at the DePatie-Freleng animation studio, where they created The Barkeleys e The Houndcats.
The duo formed their own company, Ruby-Spears Productions, in 1977. When Silverman moved to ABC, they together created Blu Falcon (1976-77). Ruby and Spears' scripts include the animated series of Beware of Luni (Fangface), Superman, Thundarr the Barbarian, The Plastic Man Comedy-Adventure Hour, Mister T and in the 80s Alvin and the Chipmunks .
The Ruby-Spears Prod. Was acquired by Hanna-Barbera's parent company, Taft Entertainment, in 1981, and their cartoons were placed on the HB bookstore when Turner bought it in 1991.
Ruby later executive produced an animated series based on Rambo, Police academy e Punky Brewster. Outside of animation, he has worked with famed comic artist Jack Kirby on a variety of characters and narrative worlds.
[Sources: Variety, Den of Geek]
