Who created the original Scooby-Doo character design for the 1969 series?

Iwao Takamoto created the original Scooby-Doo character design for the 1969 series.

Takamoto was a character designer and animator at Hanna-Barbera. He developed Scooby-Doo as a deliberately imperfect Great Dane rather than a polished show-dog type. The character was given unusual physical traits, including an exaggerated frame and a distinctive posture, which helped make him visually funny and memorable.

The original series itself was produced by Hanna-Barbera, and William Hanna and Joseph Barbera were the studio’s prominent leaders. That sometimes leads people to credit them personally for every element of the character, but Takamoto is specifically associated with Scooby-Doo’s design.

Takamoto worked on many influential animated characters and productions. His Scooby-Doo design remained recognizable across later television series, theatrical films, and direct-to-video releases.