Scooby’s All-Star Laugh-a-Lympics (ABC 1977-1980, Don Messick, Daws Butler)

Scooby-Doo dug up new Saturday morning ground once again with this series, the cartoon extravaganza Scooby’s All-Star Laff-A-Lympics. This was the very first two-hour Saturday morning animated show, and it ran successfully through 1980, airing under the shortened title of Scooby’s All-Stars in the 1978-79 season.

Taking a page from celebrity-laden chase films such as The Great Race and It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, as well as Hanna Barbera’s earlier success The Wacky Races, this show incorporated nearly every major Hanna–Barbera character from the 1950’s through the 1970’s. Laff-A-Lympics separated these characters into three teams that competed against each other in races and obstacles.

First there were the Scooby Doobies, led by the dog-king of Saturday morning television and his faithful pal Shaggy. Scoob and Shag’s team featured then-current HB Saturday morning characters like Captain Caveman, Babu, Hong Kong Phooey, Blue Falcon and Dynomutt, and Speed Buggy.

Led by Yogi Bear and Huckleberry Hound, the Yogi Yahooeys featured mostly 1950’s and 1960’s characters such as Boo Boo, Wally Gator, Quick Draw McGraw and Yogi’s girlfriend, Cindy Bear.

Rounding out the three-team line-up were the Really Rottens, led by snickering dog Mumbly. A gaggle of sinister no-gooders were at his side, including Daisy Mayhem and Sooey Pig, the Daltons (Dirty, Dastardly, Dinky) and Mr. and Mrs. Creepley.

Everyone’s favorite mountain lion turned thespian, Snagglepuss, covered the play by play as co-commentator alongside Mildew Wolf, formerly of Motor Mouse and Auto Cat and The Cattanooga Cats.

Voiceman extraordinaire Daws Butler provided over one-third of the voices for this show, including two-thirds of the Yogi Yahooeys. Don Messick filled in a good number of vocal roles himself, with additional voices from Mel Blanc, former Stooge Joe Besser and several others.

Racing from Egypt to Sherwood Forest, the North Pole to Tahiti, South America to Transylvania and several other trans-global routes, Scooby’s All-Star Laff-A-Lympics proved that bigger sometimes does mean better.

production details
USA / ABC – Hanna Barbera / Broadcast 10 September 1977 – 1 November 1980

voice cast
Don Messick as Announcer, Boo Boo, Dastardly Dalton, Mumbly, Mr Creepley, Scooby-Doo,
Daws Butler as Augie Doggie, Blabber, Hokey Wolf, Huckleberry Hound, Jinks, Snagglepuss, Wally Gator, Yogi Bear,
Joe Besser as Babu
Marilyn Schreffler as Brenda Chance, Daisy Mayhem,
Mel Blanc as Captain Caveman, Speed Buggy,
Julie Bennett as Cindy Bear
Gary Owens as Blue Falcon,
Alan Reed as Fred Flintstone, Sooey Pig, Tinker,
Frank Welker as Dynomutt, Magic Rabbit,
Scatman Crothers as Hong Kong Phooey
Bob Holt as Grape Ape
Casey Kasem as Shaggy