"Scooby Doo, Where Are You!" (1969) TV series 1969-1972

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

13 September 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Family | Mystery | Comedy | Adventure

Plot:

A group of friends and their dog (Scooby Doo) travel in a van solving strange and hilarious mysteries

Plot Keywords:

Scooby Doo | Dog | Van | Great Dane | Friend

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Nov. 16	12:00 PM	TOON	Hassle in the Castle	#1.3
Tue. Nov. 17	12:00 PM	TOON	Haunted House Hang-Up	#2.5

Cast

Don Messick	...	Scooby Doo (25 episodes, 1969-1970)
Casey Kasem	...	Shaggy (25 episodes, 1969-1970)
Nicole Jaffe	...	Velma (25 episodes, 1969-1970)
Frank Welker	...	Fred (25 episodes, 1969-1970)
Stefanianna Christopherson	...	Daphne (17 episodes, 1969-1970)

Also Known As:

Mysteries Five (USA) (working title)
Mystery Five (USA) (working title)
W-Who's S-S-Scared? (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

30 min (25 episodes) | Argentina:30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

UK:U (video rating) | USA:TV-G | Argentina:Atp

Company:

Hanna-Barbera Productions

Trivia:

David Mook performed the "Scooby-Doo Where Are You!" theme for the first season episodes, while Danny Janssen performs it for the second season episodes. Janssen also co-wrote and performed all the "chase songs" present in the second season episodes.

Quotes:

[repeated line]
Assorted villains: ...and I would have gotten away with it, too, if it wasn't for you meddling kids.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The 100 Greatest Cartoons (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

Strange but fascinating cartoon

"Scooby Doo" was one weird little cartoon in its day, but a great cartoon all the same. Part of what made it so good was the genuinely surreal feeling of every episode. We have 4 hippie kids and their dog, totally into the 60's culture, and yet none of their surroundings resemble anything like planet Earth. Instead, they drive their groovy van into creepy landscapes consisting of green fog and dark, menacing forests. On the rare occasion when they would leave the Valley of Death and go to an actual city, they would be surrounded by abandoned warehouses and empty construction sites. Take all of this and add that spooky xylophone music, and you have one hell of an atmosphere.

The creepy Gothic settings, however, were off-put by the total cheerfulness and optimism of these kids. Fred especially was disturbingly happy ("Good job, gang!"). It is also strange that reasonably smart and well-adjusted kids like Fred, Daphne, and Velma would choose to hang out with some goofy stoner who talked to his dog (ever notice how he's the only one who can actually HEAR Scooby?). The obvious implication is that he supplied them with "Scooby snacks," but they don't seem to be as tripped out on the evil weed as Shaggy. Then again, maybe that's why they were so happy about everything. Maybe all the weird atmospheres and monsters were just hallucinations. Maybe it was all a fever dream. Who can tell? As for these theories that Fred and Velma were gay... who knows? Maybe they were, maybe they weren't. Whatever the case may be, it all boils down to 4 kids and a dog driving around aimlessly, and occasionally catching people dressed in monster suits. Weird, weird stuff, but still wildly entertaining. It is a classic cartoon that should be remembered for its weirdness.