LOS ANGELES: Animator Iwao Takamoto, who created Scooby-Doo, Muttley and scores of other cartoon characters, died yesterday at age 81.
The Japanese-American artist was undergoing treatment for respiratory problems at the Cedar-Sinai Medical Center.
Born in 1925, Takamoto was one of many star animators that Disney Studios nurtured. Besides the cowardly Great Dane Scooby-Doo, Takamoto was also responsible for characters from the Flintstones, such as the alien Green Gazoo which he created for Hanna-Barbera studio.
Takamoto owes his talent for illustration to fellow Japanese-Americans who trained him while living in an internment camp just before the World War II ended.
His work included creating cartoon characters and design for several animation films. Starting as an apprentice at Walt Disney Studios in 1947, he later went on to create some of the most endearing animated characters that have entertained two generations of movie-goers. He matured as a film maker and started directing films and producing television shows.
His filmography as director includes Charlotte's Web in 1973 and Jetsons: The Movie in 1990.
At Disney he employed his drawing skills on animation classics like Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, 101 Dalmations and the Lady and the Tramp. In 1961, Takamoto moved to Hanna-Barbera Productions since when he has worked in various creative capacities – supervising producer, character designer and his more recent designation – Vice President of Special Projects for Warner Brothers.
His work at WB include “The Karateguard” an animation short featuring Tom and Jerry, and “Krypto the Superdog” one of Cartoon Network's most popular series.
He even received some lifetime achievement awards.
His former colleague Joseph Barbera, partner in Hanna-Barbera, also an animation legend, died less than a month ago at the age of 95.
