Don Messick

From Hanna-Barbera Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
Don Messick
Don Messick.png
Years active at Hanna-Barbera 1957-1996
Characters played Scooby-Doo
Boo Boo Bear
Ranger Smith
Papa Smurf
Astro
Muttley
Spot
Benton Quest
Ruff
Bandit
Sancho Panda
Dapple
Pixie

Donald Earle Messick was an American voice actor. He worked mostly for the Hanna-Barbera animation production company where he originated the voices of many familiar characters, including Scooby-Doo, Boo Boo Bear, Ranger Smith, Papa Smurf, Astro, Muttley, Spot, Benton Quest, Ruff, and Bandit.

Messick died from a second stroke on October 24, 1997, at the age of 71.

History with Hanna-Barbera

Roles

20th century

Other roles

Messick was the voice of the Autobots Gears and Ratchet, and Deception Scavenger in the animated TV series The Transformers, and when Tom Ruegger was due to their previous collaborations on Scooby-Doo, Tom Ruegger cast Messick as Hampton J. Pig in Tiny Toons Adventures. He also spoofed Doctor Quest in an episode of Freakazoid!, playing the role of Doctor Vernon Danger.

In 1984, art imitates life in the short-lived sitcom The Duck Factory, when Messick played a voice actor called Wally Wooster, known for voicing the cartoon duck, Dippy Duck. This was his only live-action starring role.

Behind the scenes

  • Messick's Hanna-Barbera roles are used as questions in two episodes of Jeopardy!:
    • April 16, 2014: In the "Pup Culture" category for $1000, the question was, "In TV cartoons, Don Messick was the voice of Scooby-Doo as well as this dog of The Jetsons," with the answer being, "Who is Astro?"
  • December 1, 2020: In the "TV" category for $800, the question was, "Don Messick voiced Bamm-Bamm, Papa Smurf & this mystery-solving dog" with the answer being, "Who is Scooby-Doo?"

Tributes

References