Scrappy-Doo is a fictional Great Dane puppy created by Hanna-Barbera Productions in 1979 with the catchphrases "Scrappy Dappy Doo", "Lemme at 'em!" and "Puppy Power!" He is the nephew of cartoon star Scooby-Doo. Scrappy has appeared in a number of the various incarnations of the Scooby-Doo cartoon series. Lennie Weinrib provided his voice for one season in 1979, and from 1980 on it was performed by Don Messick (who also voiced Scooby). In the first live-action theatrical film, video games, and commercials, he was voiced by Scott Innes, and portrayed by Rowan Atkinson. He was created to save the show's ratings which by 1979 had begun to sink to the point of cancellation threats from ABC, who were considering choosing between Scooby-Doo and an unnamed pilot from Ruby-Spears Enterprises which Mark Evanier had also written. History Hanna-Barbera Precursors Though Scrappy officially debuted in the fall of 1979, there may have been hints of his existence in 1969, as he "...bore a resemblance to Spears's and Ruby's initial idea for a feisty little dog", which was one of the early ideas for the Scooby-Doo character himself, along with the "big cowardly dog" ultimately chosen. Scrappy also bears a significant resemblance to his creator, Joe Barbera, in certain respects: New York City is the hometown of both Scrappy's father never appears in any series, even for his son's birth, and Joe Barbera's father abandoned the family when Barbera was fifteen. Scrappy's relationship with his Uncle Scooby took far more precedence than the absent father, as did Joe Barbera's maternal uncle Jim fill in as a father. After hearing Joe Barbera's description of the character, writer Mark Evanier, was significantly reminded of the Looney Tunes character Henery Hawk, and incorporated what he knew of said character into the script. Development Scrappy's creation officially began in 1978, when Scooby-Doo's ratings were sinking to the point of cancellation threats from ABC. Duane Poole, a story editor for the first series Scrappy appeared in, recalled it as a lively time, with many new ideas and some new blood being hired with the desperation to revive Scooby-Doo, which had been a cash-cow in its glory days. Mel Blanc was the first choice to voice Scrappy, given his connection to Henery Hawk, but wanted too much money to voice the part. Frank Welker, the voice of Fred Jones, auditioned to voice Scrappy as a dual role during the