Scooby Tribute

January of each year takes our minds to the passing of Scooby-Doo creator Iwao Takamoto who passed on January 8, 2007. The Japanese-American animator, television producer, and film director first entered the world of animation when he was hired by Walt Disney Studios in 1945 where he worked on animations for such greats as Cinderella, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, and One Hundred and One Dalmatians. But it wasn’t until Takamoto left Disney and joined Hanna-Barbera Productions in 1961 where he was responsible for character design of such characters as Scooby-Doo, The Jetsons’ dog, Astro, and Penelope Pitstop. Notice the pup theme going on?Takamoto directed several feature length animated films, including Charlotte’s Web in 1973 and Jetsons: The Movie in 1990. The inspiration for Scooby-Doo’s creation as a Great Dane came from an employee of the Hanna-Barbera company, who bred this breed and pointed out the important conformational features of the breed such as a straight back, straight legs, and small chin; all of which were transformed into Takamoto’s creation in the opposite direction! Of interesting note is that Takamoto first received informal training in illustration from fellow Japanese-Americans that were interned in prison camp where he spent part of WWII.The takeaway from this is to never lose sight of hope and imagination regardless of your individual circumstances since you never know where inspiration will present itself. Takamoto was 81 at the time of his death and is buried in Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetary in Los Angeles in garden of Blessing, Section 3, Lot 1390, Space 3.