Anecdotes

Quit smoking in 1995, about a year before his career-ending stroke. On the same occasion he retired from voicing Scooby-Doo, since it was his smoking habit that gave his voice the required raspy quality.

Generally avoided using celebrity impressions as the basis for his cartoon voices, and strongly disliked imitating the work of other voice actors. On the rare occasions where he was cast as a character previously voiced by someone else, such as when he took over the role of Scrappy-Doo, he chose not to impersonate his predecessor.

Was the original voice of Scooby-Doo from the popular animated Scooby-Doo series, a role he carried on throughout many incarnations.

Prominent voice actor from the early 1960s until his death.

Was the voice of one of the Fresh Guys (Wonderbread loafs) on the Wonderbread commercial back in the 60's.

He was the son of Lena Birch (Hughes) and Binford Earl Messick, a house painter.