Scooby-Doo

5 Degrees

Fifth: Scooby Doo's voice was that of Don Messick.  Don also did the voices of Astro, Bamm Bamm Rubble, Muttley, Papa Smurf, Dr. Benton Quest, and scores of others.  Hiring Don was hiring a cast!  It was so much fun to research the animated films of Hanna-Barbara for this post.  The cast lists never had more than two names, usually one!  To read more about Don Messick click here for the wiki-page and here for his imdb page.

Don Messick

Don Messick was personally recruited from warner Brothers by Joe Barbara and Will Hanna.  This post is loaded with video.  Let's take a walk down memory lane with the theme song from Scooby Doo. 

A link to a great full-length episode of Scooby, later in the post!

Norman Shelley, most famous for
being Dr. Watson, but he was also
the voice of Churchill

Fourth Degree: Bill Hanna and Joe Barbara won the oscar for Best Animated Short Film in 1946.  That year, Sir Laurence Olivier was nominated for his role of Henry V.  

Third Degree: Sir Laurence Olivier worked with Norman Shelley in the 1969 film, "Oh What a Lovely War."  Here is a clip from the movie.  Do you recognize the future "Professor McGonnagall playing a recruiting showgirl?  Catch a glimpse of Shelley at the end of this clip.

  

Elizabeth, Mary, Churchill, George, Margaret
Second Degree: Norman Shelley was the voice of Winston Churchill for his wartime radio speeches.  To read one story about this click here.  To read another account, click here.  Evidently, Sir Churchill was a might busy during the war and needed an actor to help him keep up with radio.

Elizabeth Windsor was just a child when Hitler first became powerful.  Though her Uncle gave up the throne to be with his fascist, divorcee bride, Elizabeth was not enamored of the fascists.  As she grew to womanhood, she became a soldier in her own right. She was pro-Churchill, later knighting him.  She is on the far left, in uniform, in this picture with Churchill.  

First Degree: Queen Elizabeth met John Paul II on several occasions.  Here is a film of them from the early 80s.  The pope crooks his arm as though wishing that she'd take it as they strolled.  

Messick to Hanna and Barbara to Olivier to Shelley to Churchill to Queen Elizabeth II

On Zombie Island, Part 1 of 7, could not embed, but it's so fun! Click and enjoy.