Entertainment has lost yet another creator in the animation industry. Iwao Takamoto, creater of Scooby Doo, died of heart failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Monday.
Takamoto was responsible for the creation and character designs of some of the most popular animated creations including Astro from The Jetsons, Muttley, and, of course, Scooby Doo. He also did designs for Disney which included 101 Dalmations, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, and Cinderella.
The animator was born in Los Angeles, of Japanese immigrant parents. At the time of his high school graduation, World War II broke out and the government sent those of Japanese descent to Manzanar, an interment camp in the middle of the desert. This included Takamoto and his family. It was here he began his study of animation with other inmates at the camp. Although he had little formal training, his skill was enough to land him an interview with Disney, and later, a job.
In 1961, Takamoto went to work at Hanna-Barbera where he worked on many classic shows such as The Great Grape Ape Show and Harlem Globetrotters. He also worked on the original animated feature, Charlotte's Web.

                            


Probably his greatest-known creation, Scooby-Doo, was created after he spoke with a breeder who raised Great Danes. While the Dane breeder spoke of the important points that breeders look for in an animal (straight legs and back, and a small chin), Takamoto envisioned a dog hero at the other end of the spectrum, giving his creation bowled legs, the wrong color, and a hunched back. The name "Scooby-Doo", he said, came from the last song in Strangers In The Night, sung by Frank Sinatra.
Iwao Takamoto is survived by his wife, Barbara; his son, Michael; and his stepdaughter, Leslie. He was 81 at the time of his passing.