Don Messick

Don Messick
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 Mumbly Mr. Twiddle

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

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Roles

The Adventures of Gulliver

• Egger and Tagg in the The Adventures of Gulliver TV series (1968-1969).

Alice in Wonderland

• Dormouse and Fluff in the Alice in Wonderland or What's a Nice Kid like You Doing in a Place like This? TV special (1965).

The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan

• Chu Chu in The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan TV series (1972).

Amigo and Friends

• Amigo in the Amigo and Friends TV series (1982).

Around the World in 79 Days

• Hoppy and Smirky in the Around the World in 79 Days segments of the Cattanooga Cats TV series (1969).

Atom Ant

• Atom Ant in the Atom Ant segments of The Atom Ant Show TV series (1965–1966).

Birdman

Main article: Birdman (franchise)

• Falcon 7 in the Birdman segments of the Birdman and the Galaxy Trio TV series (1967-1968).
• Vulturo in the Birdman segments, "Vulturo, Prince of Darkness" and "The Return of Vulturo," of the Birdman and the Galaxy Trio TV series (1967).

Casper

• Boo Boo Bear in the Casper's First Christmas TV special (1978).

A Christmas Story

• Timmy's father and squirrel in the A Christmas Story TV movie (1972).

Crazy Claws

• Rawhide Clyde in the Crazy Claws segments of The Kwicky Koala Show TV series (1981).

Dino Boy

• Bronty in the Dino Boy in the Lost Valley segments of the Space Ghost & Dino Boy TV series (1966-1967).

Don Coyote and Sancho Panda

• Sancho Panda and Dapple in The Adventures of Don Coyote and Sancho Panda TV series (1990-1991).

Drak Pack

• Toad in the Drak Pack TV series (1980).

Dynomutt

• Scooby-Doo in the Dynomutt, Dog Wonder episode "Everyone Hyde!" (1976).
• Scooby-Doo in the Dynomutt, Dog Wonder episode "What Now, Lowbrow?" (1976).
• Scooby-Doo in the Dynomutt, Dog Wonder episode "The Wizard of Ooze" (1976).

Fantastic Four

• Kurrgo in the Fantastic Four episode "Prisoners of Planet X" (1967).

Flintstones

Main article: Flintstones (franchise)

• Bamm-Bamm Rubble in The Flintstones TV series (1964-1966).
• Hoppy in The Flintstones TV series.
• Schleprock and Weirdly Gruesome in The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show TV series (1971).
• Schleprock in The Flintstone Comedy Hour TV series (1972).
• Fred Flintstone and Friends TV series (1977-1978).
• Quarry worker in The Flintstones: Little Big League TV special (1978).
• Bamm-Bamm Rubble in The New Fred and Barney Show TV series (1979).
• Igor in The Flintstones Meet Rockula and Frankenstone TV special (1979).
• Schleprock in The Flintstone Comedy Show TV series (1980-1982).
• Bamm-Bamm Rubble and vulture The Flintstones' New Neighbors TV special (1980).
• Doctor, fish #1, fish #2, parrot, and pigasaurus in The Flintstones: Fred's Final Fling TV special (1980).
• Announcer in The Flintstones: Wind-Up Wilma TV special (1981).
• Schleprock in The Flintstone Funnies TV series (1982-1984).

Galaxy Trio

• Vapor Man in the Galaxy Trio segments of the Birdman and the Galaxy Trio TV series (1967-1968).

Godzilla

• Godzooky in the Godzilla TV series (1978-1979).

Hanna-Barbera's All-Star Comedy Ice Revue

• Scooby-Doo, Snorky, and Jabberjaw in the Hanna-Barbera's All-Star Comedy Ice Revue (1978).

Harlem Globetrotters

Main article: Harlem Globetrotters (franchise)

• Hoppy, anchorman, basketball announcer in the Harlem Globetrotters episode "The Great Geese Goof-Up" (1970).
• Time Lord in The Super Globetrotters episode "Super Globetrotters Versus the Time Lord" (1979).

Help!... It's the Hair Bear Bunch!

• Hercules in the Help!... It's the Hair Bear Bunch! TV series (1971).

Herculoids

• Gloop and Gleep in The Herculoids TV series (1967).
• Gloop and Gleep in the The Herculoids segments of the Space Stars TV series (1981).

Hillbilly Bears

• Shag Rugg in The Hillbilly Bears segments of The Secret Squirrel Show (1965-1966).

Impossibles

• Multi-Man in The Impossibles segments of the Frankenstein Jr. and the Impossibles TV series (1966-1967).

Jack and the Beanstalk

• Mice and cat in the Jack and the Beanstalk TV film (1967).

Jetsons

Main article: Jetsons (franchise)

• Astro in The Jetsons TV series (1962-1987)
• Astro in the Astro and the Space Mutts segments of the Space Stars TV series (1981).

Jonny Quest

Main article: Jonny Quest (franchise)

• Doctor Benton Quest and Bandit in Jonny Quest (1964–1987).
• Doctor Benton Quest and Bandit in the Jonny's Golden Quest TV film (1993).
• Doctor Benton Quest and Bandit in the Jonny Quest Versus the Cyber Insects (1995).

Josie and the Pussycats

Main article: Josie and the Pussycats (franchise)

• Sebastian in the Josie and the Pussycats TV series (1970-1971).
• Sebastian and Bleep in the Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space TV series (1972).

Laff-a-Lympics

• Scooby-Doo, Boo Boo Bear, Mumbly, Pixie, Dirty Dalton, Mr. Creepley, Junior Creepley, and the announcer in the Laff-a-Lympics TV series (1977-1978).

Laurel & Hardy

• Additional voices in the Laurel & Hardy TV series (1966).

Loopy De Loopy

• Loopy De Loop theatrical shorts.

Micro Ventures

• Professor Carter in the Micro Ventures segments of The Banana Splits Adventure Hour TV series (1968).

Moby Dick

• Scooby the Seal in the Moby Dick segments of the Moby Dick and Mighty Mightor TV series (1967-1968).

Mumbly

• Mumbly in The Mumbly Cartoon Show TV series (1976).

The New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

• Priest and Tug in The New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn episode "The Little People" (1968).

Pac-Man

• Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo in the Pac Preview Party TV special (1982).

Precious Pupp

• Precious Pupp in the Precious Pupp segments of The Secret Squirrel Show (1965-1966).

Pixie and Dixie

• Pixie in Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks segments of The Huckleberry Show TV series (1958-1962).

Peter Potamus

• So-So in the Peter Potamus and So-So segments of The Peter Potamus Show TV series (1964–1966).

Popeye

• Eugene the Jeep in The All New Popeye Hour TV series (1978-1980).
• Eugene the Jeep in the Popeye and Son TV series (1987).

Ricochet Rabbit

• Ricochet Rabbit in the Ricochet Rabbit and Droop-a-long segments of The Magilla Gorilla Show TV series (1964-1966).

Ruff and Reddy

• Ruff in The Ruff and Reddy Show TV series (1957-1960).
• Professor Gizmo in The Ruff and Reddy Show TV series (1957-1959).
• Ubble Ubble in The Ruff and Reddy Show TV series.

Scooby-Doo

Main article: Scooby-Doo (franchise)

• Scooby-Doo in the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! TV series (1969-1970).
• Scooby-Doo in The New Scooby-Doo Movies (1972-1973).
• Scooby-Doo in The Scooby-Doo Show (1976-1978).
• Scooby-Doo in the Scooby Goes Hollywood TV special (1979).
• Scooby-Doo in the Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo TV series (1979-1982).
• Scrappy-Doo in the Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo TV series (1989-1982).
• Scrappy-Doo and Yabba-Doo in the Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo segments Scrappy & Yabba-Doo (1982).
• Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo in The New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show TV series (1983).
• Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo in The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries (1984).
• Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo in The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo (1985).
• Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo in the Scooby-Doo Meets the Boo Brothers TV movie (1987).
• Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo in the Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School TV movie (1988).
• Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo in the Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf TV movie (1988).
• Scooby-Doo in the A Pup Named Scooby-Doo TV series (1988-1991).

Shazzan

• Kaboobie in the Shazzan TV series (1967-1968).

Skatebirds

• Scooter in the Skatebirds TV series (1977-1978).

Smurfs

• Papa Smurf and Azrael in The Smurfs TV series (1981–1989).
• Dreamy Smurf in The Smurfs TV series.
• Sweepy Smurf in The Smurfs TV series.
• Papa Smurf and Azreal in the My Smurfy Valentine TV special (1982).
• Papa Smurf and Azrael in the The Smurfs Springtime Special TV special (1982).

Snagglepuss

• Major Minor in the Snagglepuss segments of The Yogi Bear Show TV series (1961-1962).

Space Ghost

• Blip in the Space Ghost segments of the Space Ghost & Dino Boy TV series (1966-1967).
• Zorak in the Space Ghost segments of the Space Ghost & Dino Boy TV series (1966-1967).
• Sisto in the Space Ghost segment "The Lure," of the Space Ghost & Dino Boy TV series (1966).

Space Kidettes

• Countdown, Pupstar, and Static in The Space Kidettes TV series (1966-1967).

Superfriends

• Scarecrow in Challenge of the Superfriends TV series {1978).

Wacky Races

Main article: Wacky Races (franchise)

• Muttley, Professor Pat Pending, Gravel Slag, Little Gruesome, and Ring-a-Ding in the Wacky Races TV series (1968-1969).
• Dum Dum, Pockets, Zippy, Snoozy in The Perils of Penelope Pitstop TV series (1969-1970).
• Muttley, Klunk, Zilly, and Yankee Doodle Pigeon in the Dastardly & Muttley in Their Flying Machines TV series (1969-1970).

Wally Gator

• Mr. Twiddle in the Wally Gator segments of The Hanna-Barbera New Cartoon Series TV series (1962-1963).

Where's Huddles?

• Fumbles and Beverly in the Where's Huddles? TV series (1970).

Yogi Bear

Main article: Yogi Bear (franchise)

• Boo Boo Bear and Ranger Smith in Yogi Bear segmnts from The Huckleberry Hound Show 1958-1961), The Yogi Bear Show (1961-1962), and The New Yogi Bear Show (1988).
• Boo Boo Bear in the Yogi's Gang TV series (1973).
• Atom Ant in the Yogi's Gang episode "Yogi's Ark Lark" (1973).
• Squiddly Diddly in the Yogi's Gang TV series (1973).
• Touché Turtle in the Yogi's Gang TV series (1973).
• Ranger Smith in the Yogi's Gang episodes "Mr. Prankster," "The Gossipy Witch," and "Lotta Litter" (1973).
• Additional voices in Yogi's Space Race TV series (1978).
• Boo Boo Bear and Ranger Smith in the Yogi's First Christmas TV movie (1980).

Young Samson

• Goliath in the Young Samson TV series (1967-1968).

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

• Due to the unsuccessful changes and production issues in The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest TV series, a new team had been hired who wanted to be more faithful to the original series, which included replacing the new voice actors with some of the original voice actors, which included Messick. Unfortunately, Messick had gotten too old and after several episodes of not being able to provide what the crew were looking for, he was replaced with John De Lancie, who recorded all of Messick's lines. Notably, however, not all of the audio had been replaced, so in the episode "Rock of Rages," we are able to hear the final time Messick voiced Doctor Quest when he said during Race Bannon's rescue of the team, "And not a moment too soon!"
• 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

• Messick is given a dedication in the 1998 direct-to-video film Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island, and the Scooby-Doo! Team-Up #20 in 2016.
• Messick is the namesake of Captain Messick in DC Comics' Scooby-Doo #74 in 2003, and Messick Mountain in the 2020 theatrical film Scoob!