Who designed the character of Scooby-Doo?

Iwao Takamoto designed the character of Scooby-Doo.

Takamoto was Hanna-Barbera's production and character designer, and he developed Scooby's unusual appearance for the original animated series. Rather than drawing a textbook Great Dane, he deliberately exaggerated traits that ran against the standards of a show-dog champion: a sloping back, bowed legs, an undershot chin, spots, and an unusually long tail.

His inspiration came from a Hanna-Barbera colleague who bred Great Danes. Takamoto asked about the breed's ideal physical characteristics, then reversed many of them to make Scooby look distinctive, awkward, and funny. The design helped communicate that Scooby was not a formidable guard dog but a lovable, clumsy, cowardly companion.

Takamoto was not the sole creator of the franchise. Writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears created the original series concept, while William Hanna and Joseph Barbera oversaw its production. Takamoto's specific contribution was the visual design of Scooby-Doo and other Hanna-Barbera characters, including Astro from *The Jetsons*.

The series premiered in 1969, and Scooby's deliberately imperfect Great Dane design became one of animation's most recognizable character silhouettes.