Don Messick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Don Messick
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Messick in 1972
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| Born |
Donald Earle Messick
September 7, 1926 Buffalo, New York, U.S.
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| Died | October 24, 1997 (aged 71) Salinas, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Voice actor |
| Years active | 1941–1996 |
| Spouse(s) |
Helen M. McHugh
(m. 1949) |
Donald Earle Messick (born September 7, 1926 – died October 24, 1997) was an American voice actor. He was famous for his many voices in Hanna-Barbera cartoons.
You might know his voice as Scooby-Doo, Bamm-Bamm Rubble in The Flintstones, or Astro in The Jetsons. He also voiced Muttley in Wacky Races and Boo-Boo Bear in The Yogi Bear Show.
Don Messick also brought to life Papa Smurf in The Smurfs. He was Hamton J. Pig in Tiny Toon Adventures and Dr. Benton Quest in Jonny Quest.
Contents
Don Messick: The Voice Behind Your Favorite Cartoons
Early Life and Dreams
Don Messick was born in Buffalo, New York, on September 7, 1926. He grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. There, he started learning to perform at a young age.
When he was 15, Don wanted to be a ventriloquist. This is someone who can make their voice seem to come from a puppet. He even worked as one for a while.
He got his own weekly radio show in Salisbury, Maryland. On this show, Don did all the character voices and sound effects himself.
Starting His Voice Acting Career
Don joined the US Army in 1944. He performed for soldiers for about 20 months. His first big chance came when he worked for a radio station in Los Angeles.
He played Raggedy Andy on a radio series called The Raggedy Ann Show. Later, he started working at MGM studios.
He voiced Droopy in cartoons when the usual actor was not available. Another voice actor, Daws Butler, suggested Don for the role.
Joining Hanna-Barbera Studios
In 1957, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera started their own cartoon studio, Hanna-Barbera. Don Messick and Daws Butler became a voice-acting team there.
Their first cartoon together was Ruff and Reddy. Don voiced Ruff the cat and Professor Gizmo. He also narrated the show.
Famous Voices of the Early Years
From 1957 to 1965, Don and Daws voiced many characters. Don often played the sidekick roles. His famous characters from this time include Boo Boo Bear and Ranger Smith.
He also voiced Pixie Mouse and Astro. Don was also known for his narration skills. You could hear his voice telling the stories in many cartoons.
Don Messick also voiced Ricochet Rabbit in Ricochet Rabbit. He was the voice of Precious Pupp and Shag Rugg. He also took over the roles of Atom Ant and Mr. Peebles.
Becoming Scooby-Doo and More!
In 1969, Don got the role of the famous dog, Scooby-Doo. He voiced Scooby-Doo in all the different TV shows and movies until he retired.
In 1970, he voiced Sebastian the cat in Josie and the Pussycats. He also voiced Scooby's nephew, Scrappy-Doo, starting in 1980.
Don was Spot the Cat in Hong Kong Phooey. Spot was the smart sidekick who often solved the problems. He let Hong Kong Phooey take all the credit.
He also voiced Balin in the animated movie The Hobbit.
Later Roles and Retirement
Don Messick continued to voice Boo-Boo and Ranger Smith in many Yogi Bear cartoons. He played Papa Smurf in The Smurfs from 1981 to 1989.
He also voiced robots like Ratchet and Scavenger in The Transformers. In the 1980s, he returned as Astro in new Jetsons episodes.
From 1990 to 1995, he voiced Hamton J. Pig in Tiny Toon Adventures. He also returned as Droopy in Tom & Jerry Kids.
Don Messick retired from acting in late 1996. This was after he had a stroke. He passed away on October 24, 1997, at 71 years old.
His Lasting Legacy
After Don Messick passed away, other actors took over the voice of Scooby-Doo. These actors include Hadley Kay, Scott Innes, Neil Fanning, and Frank Welker.
The movie Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998) was made in his memory. Don Messick's voice work brought joy to many children and families for decades. His characters are still loved today.
Images for kids
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Messick in 1972
See also
In Spanish: Don Messick para niños
