“Scooby-Doo” Turns 55! See the Actors Who Have Played the Scooby Gang Members Through the Years

Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby have all been played by their fair share of actors over the years

There’s no mystery when it comes to the enduring popularity of the Scooby-Doo characters.

The children’s mystery franchise, which turns 55 on Sept. 13, 2024, introduced the world to the Scooby Gang — comprised of the charming Fred Jones, fashionable Daphne Blake, studious Velma Dinkley, quirky Shaggy Rogers and the eponymous mascot, Scooby-Doo. Also known as Mystery Inc. and the Mystery Gang, the five characters have stood the test of time across dozens of TV films, series and video games.

Fred, Daphne, Velma and Shaggy have been played by several actors each as the franchise has launched animated series and premiered live-action movies. Among the star-studded cast lists in Scooby-Doo history are names like Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Linda Cardellini, Mindy Kaling and more.

Find out which of your favorite actors have joined the Mystery Gang over the iconic franchise’s 55 years on screen.

Fred Jones

Fans recognize the de facto leader of the Scooby Gang by his signature orange ascot, which has been a part of his look since the original 1969 series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! From the beginning, Fred was voiced by Frank Welker, but stars like Zac Efron and Glenn Howerton have stepped in to voice him in the 2020 animated movie Scoob! and Mindy Kaling’s HBO series Velma.

Freddie Prinze Jr. portrayed Fred Jones in the 2002 live-action film, titled after the franchise, and in its 2004 sequel, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. Although Prinze has since expressed “regret” over the role, he had a newfound appreciation for the films after seeing their impact on fans.

"Then, all of a sudden, I was like, 'Hey man, we did good. There are legit millions of people who love this movie. It's not the movie I wanted to make, but I appreciate that,' " the actor explained.

The Flash star Robbie Amell portrayed Fred in the second iteration of live-action adaptations between 2009 and 2010, which depicted the Scooby Gang’s origin story.

Daphne Blake

Daphne’s character has evolved over the years but has maintained her colorful pink-and-purple style. Initially the group’s damsel in distress, Daphne grew into a more independent character that could fend for herself. Stefanianna Christopherson voiced Daphne in the original, from 1969 to 1970. Heather North took over the role for 27 years, becoming one of Daphne’s most familiar voices. The late Mary Kay Bergman, who died in 1999, played Daphne in four animated movies released between 1998 and 2000.

Since 2001, Grey DeLisle has voiced Daphne in new additions to the franchise, including 31 direct-to-video films, four animated series and three video games.

Amanda Seyfried voiced Daphne in Scoob!, with Mckenna Grace as a younger version of Daphne. In Mindy Kaling’s take on the Scooby-Doo characters in Velma, Daphne is depicted as Asian for the first time and is voiced by Constance Wu.

Live-action actresses included Sarah Michelle Gellar and Kate Melton.

Velma Dinkley

Velma might lose her glasses often, but she’s never lost popularity among fans. The “brains” of the group, Velma is known for her catchphrase “Jinkies!” and her orange-and-red academia attire. She has cycled through the most voice actresses over the years: Nicole Jaffe from 1969 to 1973, Pat Stevens from 1976 to 1979, Marla Frumkin from 1979 to 1984, B. J. Ward from 1997 to 2002 and Mindy Cohn from 2002 to 2015. Most recently, Raising Hope’s Kate Micucci has voiced her.

In Scoob!, Gina Rodriguez assumed the character, with Ariana Greenblatt as a younger Velma. Mindy Kaling gave her the starring role in an HBO series about Velma’s “journey of self-discovery,” depicting the character as South Asian.

"I think of the characters in this as so iconic, but in no way is the gang defined by their whiteness, except for Fred," Kaling explained in an interview with Business Insider. "So, I was a little bit surprised and I think most Indian-American girls when they see this skeptical, hardworking, kind of underappreciated character, can identify with her."

Emmy-nominated actress Linda Cardellini and singer Hayley Kiyoko portrayed Velma in the two live-action Scooby-Doo film series in the 2000s.

Norville 'Shaggy' Rogers

Shaggy and Scooby are inseparable. Even when Velma, Daphne and Fred went on hiatus in the ‘80s, Shaggy was always included in Scooby-centered shows as the Great Dane’s best friend. The late Casey Kasem voiced Shaggy for almost four decades, from 1969 to 1997 and 2002 to 2009. Scott Innes also took on the role between 1998 and 2009, and briefly from 2017 to 2020. In 2020’s Scoob!, SNL alum Will Forte voiced the lovable character, with Iain Armitage as a young Shaggy.

Matthew Lillard has done double duty for Shaggy, portraying him in the 2002 and 2004 live-action films and voicing him from 2010 onward. Confirming his involvement in a future Scooby-Doo project as Shaggy, Lillard told ComicBookMovie.com that the character is his “day job” and “bread and butter.”

Other iterations of Shaggy include Nick Palatas in the Mystery Gang's origin story films in 2009 and 2010. Sam Richardson voiced a new take on the character for Kaling’s Velma. In the HBO series, Shaggy is referred to exclusively by his real name Norville, has more ambition and is depicted as a Black man for the first time.

Scooby-Doo

Everyone knows the show and squad’s mascot, Scooby-Doo. The beloved dog detective shares human and canine traits. Most notably, he has the ability to speak, but begins most of his words with an “r” sound. The late Don Messick voiced Scooby from the 1969 original series until 1996, a year before the actor’s death. Scott Innes, who also voiced Shaggy, and Frank Welker, Fred’s longtime voice actor, have since taken over the job.

“Being a person who does impressions I was certain I could do a voice that was credible but I wanted to get as close to what Don created out of respect for him and the audience,” Welker revealed in a Q&A with the Unmasked Scooby-Doo Podcast.

Scrappy-Doo

The nephew of Scooby, Scrappy-Doo is a recurring member of the Scooby Gang — and a one-time antagonist of the franchise. Created in 1979 to save the show’s ratings, Lennie Weinrib voiced the character for one season before Scooby’s actor, Don Messick, took the reins for eight years. Scott Innes voiced Scrappy in his villainous turn during the 2002 live-action film, while Rowan Atkinson was the dog’s human disguise, Mondavarious.

Scrappy later came back to the franchise for Kaling’s Velma, where Jason Mantzoukas assumed the mantle.

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