“Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” the goofy animated mystery series featuring a ragtag quartet of teenage sleuths and a cowardly Great Dane with a gruff bark, who leads the gang in and out of trouble, was a hit from its first episode in 1969.

It would become a Saturday morning staple. And it would grow into one of the most lucrative franchises in the history of animation, making the reputations of its creators, Ken Spears and Joe Ruby.

Mr. Ruby, a long-time writer and producer of animated television shows, died on August 26 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 87.

A half century after that first episode, “Scooby-Doo” is still being broadcast, and it is considered the most spun-off series in the history of television, having spawned other series as well as feature films, video games, comic books and other merchandise, Newish News Service reported. In 2004, the show beat “The Simpsons” to set a Guinness record for “most prolific cartoon” at 350 episodes.

Carole Ruby, Joe Ruby’s wife, recalled that when she and Mr. Ruby had been married for a year, Mr. Ruby’s father gave them $50 as an anniversary present. He gave them cash, he said, because he was certain his son was never going to make it as an artist.