Despite the fact the original series aired before many of us were born, plenty still hold Scooby-Doo close to their hearts. For any
out there, it's easy to see your pet in the
eponymous character, with his desire for food and general foolish behaviour (though maybe not the ability of speech). Similarly, the rest of the cast that made up Mystery Inc. were also beloved, with each offering something to be one child's favourite character.
As the franchise has gone on, there have been a plethora of different TV series and movies, eventually resulting in two
that hit cinemas 15 years ago now. From this, it's fair to say that these characters have had an impact, with their character traits and designs burned into our cultural memory for decades now.
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In the first season of the show, Stefanianna Christopherson voiced the character of Daphne Blake, but when the second season came around, Heather North took on the role. In the following years she stayed with the role and became synonymous with the redheaded detective.
Now, The Hollywood Reporter has received word from a family friend of the actress, who has said that she has passed away after a long struggle with illness. She reportedly died in her home on November 30, with a memorial service being held this week in Studio City in Los Angeles.
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North first voiced Daphne in September 1970, but continued to appear in the role over the years. She joined Casey Kasem as Shaggy, Nicole Jaffe as Velma, Don Messick as Scooby-Doo, and Frank Welker as Fred, and returned for The New Scooby Doo Movies and other versions of the character. She last played the character in 2003, for the animated movie Scooby-Doo and the Monster of Mexico.
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The actress, who hails from Pasadena in California, also starred opposite Kurt Russell in The Barefoot Executive, TV shows such as The Fugitive, and on Broadway as part of the 1967 comedy The Girl in the Freudian Slip. Her best-known work outside of Scooby-Doo was in the soap opera Days of Our Lives, where she played Sandy Horton.
She met H. Wesley Kenney, the five-time
Award-winning producer and director, on the set of Days of Our Lives - on which he worked from 1968 to 1969. They fell in love during the production of the show and were married in 1971, and
remained together until Kenney's death in January 2015, at the age of 89.
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While Daphne was only one role for the actress, it has undoubtedly affected many people around the world who grew up watching her character on the show. An at the age of 71, she seems to have passed away at an early age.
North is survived by several family members, including her son Kevin and his wife Stephanie, stepdaughter Nina and her husband Brent, stepson Wes and his wife Leslie, and her granddaughter Jocelyn.
