THE 13 GHOSTS OF SCOOBY-DOO
(ABC, September 7-December 7, 1985)
Hanna-Barbera Productions
MAIN CAST:
Casey Kasem – Norville “Shaggy” Rogers
Don Messick – Scooby-Doo, Scrappy-Doo
Heather North Kenney – Daphne Blake
Vincent Price – Vincent Van Ghoul
Susan Blu – Flim Flam
Arte Johnson – Weerd
Howard Morris – Bogel, Platypus Duck
Developed by Tom Ruegger, The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo is
the seventh incarnation of the Scooby-Doo franchise and became the first
incarnation of the series where the Mystery, Inc. gang encountered genuine
supernatural entities rather than people in disguise.
 |
| Scooby and Shaggy, unwitting pawns. |
The story goes, as
established in the show’s intro, that Scooby (Don Messick) and Shaggy (Casey
Kasem) accidentally freed 13 of the most powerful ghosts on Earth from the
Chest of Demons when they were tricked by ghosts Weerd (Artie Johnson) and
Bogel (Howard Morris). As only they could return the ghosts to the chest,
Scooby and Shaggy were sent by warlock Vincent Van Ghoul (Vincent Price) after
them with Scrappy (Messick), Daphne (Heather North Kenney) and a young con
artist named Flim Flam (Susan Blu). Van Ghoul was largely inspired by Marvel Comics’ sorcerer supreme, Dr. Strange, while also resembling Price himself. Van Ghoul rarely
left his castle sanctuary and guided the team via contact through crystal
balls. Flim Flam was the product of focus group testing, being forced into the
series in order to give children something they could relate to in the
show.
 |
| Weerd, Vincent Van Ghoul, Scooby, Shaggy, Scrappy, Flim Flam, Daphne and Bogel. |
Velma Dinkley and Fred Jones
were once again absent from the team in order to continue to put greater focus
on the antics of Shaggy and Scooby. Daphne was retained from The New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show,
however her clothing, while maintaining her classic purple and pink color
scheme, was updated to 80s-style fashions that would change between episodes;
unusual for cartoon characters who typically wore the same outfit forever.
Likewise, Shaggy’s look was updated by being given a red t-shirt and blue jeans
instead of his usual green shirt and brown bell bottoms. This color scheme
would continue on in Shaggy’s appearances in the made-for-TV movies Scooby-Doo Meets the Boo
Brothers (1987), Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant
Werewolf (1988) and Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul
School (1988). The Mystery Machine was also replaced by a larger
red RV as their main mode of transportation.
 |
| It's cheaper than using a phone. |
The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo debuted on ABC
on September 7, 1985. Along with Ruegger, the series was written by Gordon Bressack, Chuck Couch, Rich Fogel, Cynthia Friedlob, Evelyn Gabai, Jeff Holder, Charles M. Howell IV, Gelnn Leopold, John Ludin, Mark Seidenberg, John Semper, Jr. and Misty Stewart-Taggart. The
series failed to catch on and was cancelled after a single season of 13
episodes. ABC would pull it from its schedule and replaced it with reruns of
earlier Scooby series Laff-A-Lympics. Unfortunately, this
meant that the series was only allowed to succeed in capturing 11 of the 13
ghosts, with two still at large by its conclusion.
 |
| A warlock watches at the gang approaches in "Scoobra Kadoobra." |
13 Ghosts signaled two endings. It was the final series in the original 1969 Scooby franchise to air on Saturday
morning. After being de-aged for A
Pup Named Scooby-Doo, the
next time the original Scooby gang would be seen again as teenagers wouldn’t be
until 1997’s Johnny Bravo episode “Bravo Dooby Doo,” which teamed up the titular character with the Scooby
gang to solve a mystery. This was also Scrappy-Doo’s final series appearance, although
he was featured in the movies immediately following the show’s production. He
eventually resurfaced in CGI-form as the villain of the first live-action
Scooby movie in 2002, voiced by Scott
Innes.
 |
| The end of the line for Scrappy-Doo. |
Warner
Bros. Home Video released the complete
series to
DVD in 2010. It included a bonus episode from the series Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get a Clue! It was re-released in 2013, distinguishable by the new green border around
the cover image. In 2019, a direct-to-video movie, Scooby-Doo
and the Curse of the 13th Ghost, was released as a follow-up
to the series with the entire Mystery, Inc. gang summoned by Van Ghoul (Maurice LaMarche) to finally
capture the last ghost released from the chest (ignoring the missing 12th).
EPISODE GUIDE:
“To All the Ghouls I’ve Loved Before” (9/7/85) – Scooby and Shaggy are
tricked into releasing the 13 ghosts from the chest by Bogel and Weerd.
“Scoobra Kadoobra” (9/14/85) – The gang chases after a ghost warlock
in a haunted castle where a powerful artifact to stop him can be found.
“Me and My Shadow Demon” (9/21/85) – The gang encounter a convention
of ghosts and the Shadow Demon after being lured to Befuddled Manor.
“Reflections in a Ghoulish Eye” (9/28/85) – While attending a Ghost
Chaser convention in Morocco, the gang encounters the Reflector Spector, who
can trap mortals in a mirror dimension.
“That’s Monstertainment” (10/5/85) – Zomba traps the gang in an old
horror film in an attempt to steal the chest.
“Ship of Ghouls” (10/12/85) – Needing a vacation, the gang head out on
a cruise where Bogel and Weerd plot to further shatter Scooby’s nerves.
“A Spooky Little Ghoul Like You” (10/19/85) – Vincent is placed under
an enchantment by Nicara at a warlock convention.
“When You Witch Upon a Star” (10/26/85) – Powerful witch Marcella
tasks the bumbling Ernestine, Wanda and Hilda to perform a spell that will free
her.
“It’s A Wonderful Scoob” (11/2/85) – Scooby quits the gang and Vincent
takes him into the future to show him what will happen if he doesn’t help them
stop Time Slime.
“Scooby in Kwackyland” (11/9/85) – The gang and Demondo end up trapped
in the newspaper comics and have to rely on the strips’ characters to help them
escape.
“Coast-to-Ghost” (11/16/85) – Rankor tricks Vincent into turning
himself into stone, forcing the gang to team-up with Bogel and Weerd to find
the Mask of Moomma to save him.
“The Ghouliest Show on Earth” (11/23/85) – A demon circus comes to
town and enchants the residents, including Scooby’s parents and Flim-Flam.
“Horror-Scope Scoob” (12/7/85) – The gang appears on a TV show where
the demon Sibulu steals the chest.
Originally posted in 2014. Updated in 2017.
Originally posted in 2014. Updated in 2017.
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