The past year has seen the deaths of a number of big names on the big screen, the small screen, and even the stage. Unfortunately, we now know that yet another veteran of showbiz has passed away before the end of 2017. Heather North, who voiced none other than Daphne Blake for many years in various Scooby-Doo projects, recently died. She was 71-years-old at the time of her passing.
Heather North died at her home in Studio City, California back on November 30 after a battle with a long illness. The sad news was confirmed by a family friend to THR. Her husband was an Emmy-winning producer and director known for his work on soap operas, and he died back in the beginning of 2015. North is survived by her son Kevin and his wife Stephanie, stepdaughter Nina and her husband Brent, stepson Wes and his wife Leslie, and a granddaughter by the name of Jocelyn. Tragically, her stepdaughter Kara died only last week. A memorial service is being held in Heather North's honor at 11:30 on Wednesday in Studio City.
Fans of television will undoubtedly know Heather North best for her contributions to Scooby-Doo as Daphne Blake, who had the unfortunate tendency to be kidnapped and/or endangered when in the midst of investigating mysteries with the rest of her sleuth pals in their Mystery Machine. North made her debut as Daphne in the second season of Scooby Doo, Where Are You! back in 1970, taking over the role from Stefanianna Christopherson. North reprised the role of Daphne for The New Scooby-Doo Movies, which aired from 1972-1974.
The New Scooby-Doo Movies didn't mark the end of Heather North's time as Daphne, however. She was back in The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour, Scooby-Doo Goes Hollywood, and Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo, all between 1976 and 1980. North made a big comeback as Daphne in the mid 1980s in The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries, The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, and Scooby's Mystery Funhouse. That was it for the 80s, but she was back again in the early 2000s, with Scooby-Doo and the Legend of the Vampire and Scooby-Doo and the Monster of Mexico in 2003. In case you've forgotten the super catchy tune that was the intro to The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries, take a look!
Heather North also appeared in live-action on a number of TV shows, including All in the Family, The Fugitive, and The Monkees. On the big screen, she appeared in Git! in 1965 and I Love My Wife in 1970. North even scored a gig on Broadway in 1967, with a role in the short-lived The Girl in the Freudian Slip. Our thoughts here at CinemaBlend are with the friends, family, and loved ones of Heather North in what must be a difficult time.
Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in TV and movie news. Our 2018 midseason TV premiere guide can help you plan what to watch and when to watch it in the new year, and our 2018 Netflix premiere schedule can point you toward all the big streaming dates you'll need. For the shows that aren't lucky enough to be returning in 2018, swing by our breakdown of 2017 TV cancellations.
