Joe Ruby dies at 87

Animator and 'Scooby-Doo' co-creator Joe Ruby died at the age of 87 due to natural causes. According to 'Variety', the animation veteran, who co-created the beloved kids show 'Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!' at 'Hanna-Barbera' productions, passed away on August 26 at his home in California's Westlake Village.

Ruby and Spears met when they were working as sound editors at the cartoon giant company 'Hanna-Barbera' and went on to create the popular series centering on the talking Great Dane and his friends Velma, Daphne, Shaggy and Fred. The animation show premiered on 'CBS' in 1969 and four of the first 25 episodes were written and story-edited by them. The duo also created other memorable cartoons such as 'Dynomutt', 'Dog Wonder' and 'Jabberjaw'.

They moved to 'CBS' in 1970s to supervise the network's lineup of Saturday morning cartoons and years later launched their eponymous 'Ruby-Spears Productions', under which they backed animation classics 'Thundarr the Barbarian', 'Mister T', 'Superman' and 'Alvin and the Chipmunks'. The banner was acquired by Hanna-Barbera parent company 'Taft Entertainment' in 1981.

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

Calling him one of the most prolific creators in the animation industry, 'Warner Bros. Animation' and 'Blue Ribbon Content' president Sam Register said that Ruby made mornings special for children across the globe. Sam added, "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.