Ken Spears who created Scooby-Doo alongside Joe Ruby has died. Spears, who was eighty-two (82), died of complications from Lewy body dementia (LBD), a type of progressive dementia that leads to a decline in thinking, reasoning, and independent function. His son, Kevin, confirmed that he died in Los Angeles on Friday.
It is particularly striking that Spears’ death is coming three month after the demise of his creative partner, Ruby.
Spears entered a writing partnership with Ruby following their meeting in the editing department of Hanan-Barbera where the former was hired as a sound editor in 1959. Their partnership is what birthed the popular TV sensation, Scooby Doo.
The original show, Scooby Doo, Where Are You!, ran for two series for a period of one year (1969-1970) but templates of the typical spawned 50 years of stories.
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Reacting to the news of Spears’ death, president of Warner Bros Animation and Cartoon Network Studios, described the Scooby Doo co-creator as ‘a true innovator in the industry whose gifts of humor and storytelling continue to delight audiences.’
Spears’ son, Kevin, in a statement said,
‘Ken will forever be remembered for his wit, his story-telling, his loyalty to family, and his strong work ethic.
‘Ken Spears has not only made a lasting impression on his family, but he has touched the lives of many as co-creator of Scooby-Doo. Ken has been a role model for us throughout his life and he will continue to live on in our hearts.’
The official Scooby Doo instagram account also paid tribute to Ken Spears.
Nelson Okoh
Photo Credit: New York Post