He got his name from a throwaway line in a Sinatra song, and his premise
from I Love a Mystery and Dobie Gillis. That covers something old
and something borrowed. Creating a strange pastiche of supernatural spooks and
pratfalling comedy counts as something new. And those electric blue dungarees
Fred was always wearing? Those would be the something blue.

Those elements and others made for one of the most successful marriages
between Hanna-Barbera and its audience, when in 1969, Fred Silverman, Ken
Spears, Joe Ruby brought the speech-limited pooch to the production company in
hopes of producing a hit show.

Scooby exceeded everyone’s
expectations, appearing in spinoffs, live action features, comics and a gaggle
of high-grossing premiums. The show survived an episode expansion (from a
half-hour to an hour in 1972). Scooby even managed to welcome crossover guests
from other genres like Batman, Jeannie, Speed Buggy and Richie Rich without
jumping the shark.

We know he suffered something of a misstep with that
needless sequel last year, but everyone’s allowed a falter every now and again.
He totally would’ve gotten away with it, if it hadn’t been for those pesky
reviewers.

What’s your favorite childhood memory of Scooby and the Gang?
We’d like to know.