Attention Jerry Beck! You and I are quoted on the subject of Scooby-Doo in an article about the TV series in The Chicago Sun-Times. My mother will be so proud to learn that her son's an authority on something. Here's the link. And since I'm an authority, let me assure everyone that there is no truth to the oft-circulated rumor that the four kids in the show were configured to each represent the character of some college. The four kids were based — in the same way The Flintstones was inspired by The Honeymooners — on the old TV show, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.
Fred was based on Dobie, Velma on Zelda, Daphne on Thalia and Shaggy on Maynard. It is also probably not true that the name "Scooby-Doo" was inspired by the part of the record "Strangers in the Night" where Frank Sinatra sang, "Scooby-Dooby-Doo…" It was actually another hit record, "Denise," a doo-wop classic by Randy and the Rainbows that still turns up incessantly on oldies stations. Randy and his Rainbows sang, "Scooby-Doo" over and over, whereas ol' Blue Eyes kept putting that "Dooby" in there. Isn't it wonderful, the things you can learn on this website?