Joe Ruby(1933-2020)
- Producer
- Writer
- Editor
Joe Ruby was an American animator, television writer, television producer, and music editor from Los Angeles. Ruby and his partner Ken Spears were the co-creators of the "Scooby-Doo" franchise, and all five its original co-protagonists. They later co-founded the animation studio Ruby-Spears (1977-1996), which produced a large number of animated television series.
In 1933, Ruby was born in Los Angeles. His parents were Dr. Carl Ruby and his wife Mildred Fineberg. Both parents were Canadian emigrants to the United States, and both originated from Jewish families. Ruby received his secondary education at Fairfax High School (1924-), located in Los Angeles. The high school had a large Jewish student body until the late 1960s.
Following his high school graduation, Ruby joined the United States Navy. During the Korean War, he served as a sonar operator on a destroyer. Afterwards, he received art lessons. He was hired as an inbetweener by the Walt Disney Animation Studios. He left the studio to pursue careers as a music editor and as a freelance comic book artist and writer.
By 1959, Ruby started working as a television writer. He formed a partnership with aspiring writer Ken Spears, who was also a veteran of the United States Navy. During the 1960s, the duo variously worked for the animation studios Hanna-Barbera and DePatie-Freleng Enterprises. They also lend their services to the production company of Sid and Marty Krofft.
Ruby and Spears served as the co-creators of the animated series "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! (1969-1970), the original incarnation of Scooby-Doo. They also created its main characters: Daphne Blake, Velma Dinkley, Fred Jones, and Shaggy Rogers, along with their pet dog Scooby-Doo. All of the human characters were modeled after characters from the popular sitcom "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" (1959-1963). Ruby and Spears collaborated closely with Fred Silverman, then head of daytime programming at CBS. Silverman was the one who had commissioned the series in the first place.
Due to their working relationship with Fred Silverman, Ruby and Spears were hired to supervise the production of CBS's Saturday morning cartoon lineup during the early 1970s. When Silverman started working for ABC in 1975, he soon hired Ruby and Spears. ABC would eventually help Ruby and Spears to secure the funds to create their own animation studio, Ruby-Spears (1977-1996). The studio was initially a subsidiary of Filmways (1952-1982), a television production company that had produced a number of hit sitcoms during the 1960s.
In 1981, Filmways sold the Ruby-Spears studio to Taft Entertainment. Taft was the parent company of Hanna-Barbera, and the two animation studios often co-produced series during the 1980s. Ruby served as the executive producer of a number of notable series, such as the post-apocalyptic series "Thundarr the Barbarian" (1980-1981), the action-adventure series "Mister T" (1983-1985), and the first five seasons of the musical comedy "Alvin and the Chipmunks" (1983-1988).
In 1991, Taft Entertainment sold the library of Ruby-Spears to Turner Broadcasting System, along with the entirety of Hanna-Barbera. That same year, Ruby-Spears became a subsidiary of the RS Holdings. Ruby continued leading the studio for its remaining years. Ruby co-produced the "Weird West" series "Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa" (1992-1993), the superhero series "Megaman" (1994-1996), and the superhero series "Skysurfer Strike Force" (1995-1996). But these were the studio's last productions. Ruby-Spears ceased operations in 1996.
In 1995, Ruby served as the producer of the live-action horror comedy "Rumpelstiltskin" (1995). He mostly retired in the late 1990s, staying away from the limelight. In 2020, Ruby had an accidental fall. His heath never recovered. He died due to complications from the fall on August 26, 2020, at the age of 87. He was survived by his wife Carole. Days after Ruby's death, veteran animator Dan Haskett created a new poster in tribute to Ruby. Several of Ruby's animated productions have continued to have cult followings.
In 1933, Ruby was born in Los Angeles. His parents were Dr. Carl Ruby and his wife Mildred Fineberg. Both parents were Canadian emigrants to the United States, and both originated from Jewish families. Ruby received his secondary education at Fairfax High School (1924-), located in Los Angeles. The high school had a large Jewish student body until the late 1960s.
Following his high school graduation, Ruby joined the United States Navy. During the Korean War, he served as a sonar operator on a destroyer. Afterwards, he received art lessons. He was hired as an inbetweener by the Walt Disney Animation Studios. He left the studio to pursue careers as a music editor and as a freelance comic book artist and writer.
By 1959, Ruby started working as a television writer. He formed a partnership with aspiring writer Ken Spears, who was also a veteran of the United States Navy. During the 1960s, the duo variously worked for the animation studios Hanna-Barbera and DePatie-Freleng Enterprises. They also lend their services to the production company of Sid and Marty Krofft.
Ruby and Spears served as the co-creators of the animated series "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! (1969-1970), the original incarnation of Scooby-Doo. They also created its main characters: Daphne Blake, Velma Dinkley, Fred Jones, and Shaggy Rogers, along with their pet dog Scooby-Doo. All of the human characters were modeled after characters from the popular sitcom "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" (1959-1963). Ruby and Spears collaborated closely with Fred Silverman, then head of daytime programming at CBS. Silverman was the one who had commissioned the series in the first place.
Due to their working relationship with Fred Silverman, Ruby and Spears were hired to supervise the production of CBS's Saturday morning cartoon lineup during the early 1970s. When Silverman started working for ABC in 1975, he soon hired Ruby and Spears. ABC would eventually help Ruby and Spears to secure the funds to create their own animation studio, Ruby-Spears (1977-1996). The studio was initially a subsidiary of Filmways (1952-1982), a television production company that had produced a number of hit sitcoms during the 1960s.
In 1981, Filmways sold the Ruby-Spears studio to Taft Entertainment. Taft was the parent company of Hanna-Barbera, and the two animation studios often co-produced series during the 1980s. Ruby served as the executive producer of a number of notable series, such as the post-apocalyptic series "Thundarr the Barbarian" (1980-1981), the action-adventure series "Mister T" (1983-1985), and the first five seasons of the musical comedy "Alvin and the Chipmunks" (1983-1988).
In 1991, Taft Entertainment sold the library of Ruby-Spears to Turner Broadcasting System, along with the entirety of Hanna-Barbera. That same year, Ruby-Spears became a subsidiary of the RS Holdings. Ruby continued leading the studio for its remaining years. Ruby co-produced the "Weird West" series "Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa" (1992-1993), the superhero series "Megaman" (1994-1996), and the superhero series "Skysurfer Strike Force" (1995-1996). But these were the studio's last productions. Ruby-Spears ceased operations in 1996.
In 1995, Ruby served as the producer of the live-action horror comedy "Rumpelstiltskin" (1995). He mostly retired in the late 1990s, staying away from the limelight. In 2020, Ruby had an accidental fall. His heath never recovered. He died due to complications from the fall on August 26, 2020, at the age of 87. He was survived by his wife Carole. Days after Ruby's death, veteran animator Dan Haskett created a new poster in tribute to Ruby. Several of Ruby's animated productions have continued to have cult followings.
