Frank Welker is the voice synonymous with the beloved character Fred Jones.
In 1969, when “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” first aired, it was Casey Kasem who lent his voice to Fred. Welker joined the cast the same year, but not as Fred.
It wasn’t until 1974, when Kasem resigned, that Welker took up the mantle of portraying Fred in the “Scooby-Doo! Mystery Movies” and continued to do so in almost every Scooby-Doo iteration since.
Of course there were exceptions. In “A Pup Named Scooby-Doo” from 1988 to 1991, a younger Fred was voiced by Carl Steven.
Then came “Scoob!” in 2020, where none of the original voice actors returned to their roles. In the recent 2023 “Velma” series, Welker voiced Fred’s father, not Fred himself.
But Welker’s connection to Scooby-Doo goes beyond Fred. He also took over the voice of Scooby-Doo himself in 2002 after Kasem retired. This dual role cemented Welker’s place in fans’ hearts as the voice of both halves of the iconic duo.
So while Welker wasn’t the first to voice Fred, his enduring portrayal has made him the definitive voice of Fred Jones, forever etching his name in Scooby-Doo history.