Donald Earle Messick is one of several contenders for the man of a thousand voices title. Initially interested in ventriloquism, he broke into voice acting when he scores the role of Raggedy Andy on The Raggedy Ann Show radio program. He then filled in as the voice of Droopy Dog for MGM when his main voice, Bill Thompson, was unavailable.
In 1957, Messick and fellow voice actor Daws Butler went to work for Hanna Barbera. This led to a lucrative career spanning nearly forty years until his retirement in 1996 and passing the following year.
10 Scrappy-Doo
By 1979, the popularity of Scooby-Doo! was beginning to sink. To ensure their franchise would be renewed, Bill Hannah and Joseph Barbera created a new character: a young, energetic nephew to Scooby-Doo. Originally voiced by Lennie Weinrib, Messick's took over the role for the character's run in the 80s.
Scrappy has gone down in history as one of animation's most hated characters due to his obnoxious catchphrases and desire to fight the monsters clashing with the show's formula. It didn't help that a number of behind-the-scenes decisions changed the show into less of a mystery and more Scooby, Shaggy (Casey Kasem), and Scrappy have wacky hijinks with real monsters. Over the years, some fans have re-evaluated the character and are more favorable to him.
9 Dr. Benton C. Quest
After the death of his wife, Dr. Benton C. Quest is assigned Roger "Race" Bannon (Mike Road) as a bodyguard by the Ameican government. With his sons Johnny (Tim Matheson) and Haji (Danny Bravo), Dr. Quest travels the world as a scientist and explorer. This frequently brings them into conflict with the evil Dr. Zin (Vic Perrin).
Dr. Quest is everything you would expect his character to be from a pulpy sci-fi adventure series. He's a brilliantly minded scientist who seeks to better humanity with his inventions and discoveries while also being a father to his boys. Messick does a good job of capturing his altruism and heroism through his voice work.
8 Ratchet
As the Autobot's medic, Ratchet spends a lot of his time patching up his teammates when they get damaged in battle. Sometimes he hangs with his friend, Wheeljack (Chris Latta), and helps him with his inventions. He's still capable warrior and can fight alongside his fellow Autobots if need be.
Though future iterations of The Transformers would develop Ratchet's character into fan favourites, the original isn't too bad. Messick gives him an appropriately kind and soothing voice that you would hope for from a medical practitioner. His friendship with Wheeljack is also very sincere and sweet, especially when they collaborate on inventions.
7 Astro
Originally owned by a millionaire named J.P. Gottrockets (Hal Smith), Tralfaz ran away from home and found Elroy Jetson (Daws Butler) playing in the park. After Elroy saved him from a dogcatcher, he adopted him and named him Astro. He has remained a beloved member of the Jetson family ever since, even if he sometimes gets on George's (George O'Hanlon) nerves.
Messick's voice for Astro is a precursor for the one he would use for Scooby-Doo. It fits well with Astro's character: he's a big lovable dog who just wants to show affection to his new family. Sometimes he messes up because he isn't the smartest dog around, but he always means well.
6 Muttley
Eleven cars and their drivers compete in a cross-country race for the title of wackiest racer. Crewing the Mean Machine is the villainous Dick Dastardly (Paul Winchell) and his dog Muttley. Using various gadgets and traps, the duo would attempt to cheat their way to first place but always fall victim to their own schemes.
Though Muttley is a dog of few words, Messick went all out in the voice performance. His signature wheezing laugh is one of the greatest in cartoon history, and who doesn't love his grumblings with Dastardly tasks him with solving a problem? The duo's popularity saw them become recurring antagonists across Hanna Barbera's universe and re-emerge in the 2020 movie, Scoob!.
5 Boo Boo Bear
Jellystone National Park is a wonderful place for tourists to come and enjoy the scenic beauty of nature. Yet there is one troublesome element: a smarter-than-the-average bear named Yogi (Daws Butler) who loves to make off with their pick-a-nic baskets. Accompanying his schemes is his best friend and trusted side-kick, Boo Boo.
Messick and Butler voiced a number of duos for Hanna Barbera, but Boo Boo stands out as one of the best. He is the straight man to Yogi, always cautioning him about how their actions will get them into trouble. Sometimes he even sneaks in a snarky comment.
4 Hamton J. Pig
In Acme Acres resides Acme Looniversity, where young animals go to be educated by the roster of the Loonie Tunes. One of these aspiring young talents is Hamton J. Pig, a polite and well-mannered big who idolizes Porky Pig. Unfortunately, his best friend is Plucky Duck (Joe Alaskey) who ropes the gullible Hampton into his various schemes.
Hamton is another chance for Messick to showcase his talent of playing the straight man. His innocence and polite demeanor plays against his classmate's more wacky and slapstick style of comedy. He's also pretty good at fixing their mistakes.
3 Ranger Smith
As chief ranger of Jellystone National Park, it falls on John Francis Smith to uphold order and security within its borders. Unfortunately, Yogi's love for pick-a-nic baskets leads to him breaking the main rule: don't feed the bears. His plans to stop Yogi never seem to work, but Smith is dedicated to his job and won't stop until Yogi is in line.
Though Smith is a foil to Yogi, he doesn't hate him. Several episodes show him rewarding Yogi for good behaviour, and if anyone threatens Yogi or the other residents of the park, Smith will bring the full force of his authority down on them. This gives them a relationship similar to a parent trying to discipline their child.
2 HamtoPapa Smurf
Within a magical forest lives a community of small blue creatures called Smurfs. Their leader, Papa Smurf, is the oldest and wisest member, and a skilled alchemist. Distinguished by his white beard and red garments, he's always ready to help out a Smurf in need.
Papa Smurf is a chance for Messick to show his talents in a leadership role and convey all the different sides of it. While he loves his Smurfs and is always willing to help them, there are times when Papa wishes he could say no. Yet when danger threatens the village, Papa won't hesitate to use his considerable magic to defend his loved ones.
1 Scooby-Doo
In a world of constant spook sightings, nobody seems to question why a talking Great Dane is hanging out with a group of teenagers. Though he is the group's most recognizable member, Scoobert "Scooby" Doo is far from the bravest. While Fred (Frank Welker), Daphne (Stefanianna Christopherson), and Velma (Nicole Jaffe) are off solving the mystery, Scooby would rather hang in the back and enjoy some food with Shaggy.
Plenty of talented actors have filled the role of Scooby since Messick's passing, but none of them can quite capture his iconic voice. It's the right blend of gravel and excitement that captures the lovable energy you'd expect from a talking dog. This helped endear Scooby to generations of young viewers and create a massive franchise.