Joe Ruby, co-creator of Scooby Doo, dead at 87

Animation legend Joe Ruby is dead at 87, reports the BBC. Ruby co-created Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?, among many other classic titles, and with Ken Spears founded the Ruby-Spears animation studio in 1977. Both were Hanna-Barbera veterans who saw its dominance of U.S. TV animation as an opportunity to compete. And that they did.

"He never stopped writing and creating, even as he aged," said his grandson Benjamin Ruby.

Warner Bros' animation president, Sam Register, said Ruby "made Saturday mornings special for so many children, including myself"."He was one of the most prolific creators in our industry who gifted us some of animation's most treasured characters and it was a thrill to host him at our studio," he continued.

"Scooby-Doo has been a beloved companion on screens for more than 50 years, leaving an enduring legacy that has inspired and entertained generations."