Ted Nichols, the prolific composer behind the music of many classic Hanna-Barbera cartoons including The Flintstones and Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, has died at the age of 97. He passed away on January 9 in hospice care in Auburn, Washington, after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s, according to his daughter, Karen Tolleshaug.
Nichols spent nearly a decade at Hanna-Barbera Productions from 1963 to 1972, eventually serving as musical director for most of that period. He initially collaborated with composer Hoyt Curtin before later taking over the role himself. During his tenure, Nichols created the score for the sixth and final primetime season of The Flintstones and also worked on the 1966 feature The Man Called Flintstone. He is perhaps best remembered for composing the atmospheric music of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, which debuted in 1969 and whose cues continued to be reused in the franchise for years afterward.
Beyond those iconic shows, Nichols contributed music to numerous animated series produced during Hanna-Barbera’s golden era, including Jonny Quest, Space Ghost, Birdman and the Galaxy Trio, Wacky Races, Josie and the Pussycats, and several others. His work helped shape the sound and tone of Saturday morning animation throughout the 1960s and early 1970s.
Born Theodore Nicholas Sflotsos in Missoula, Montana, in 1928, Nichols developed an early love for music and began playing violin as a child. He later served in the U.S. Navy and during the Korean War helped lead a U.S. Air Force bandsmen training school. After earning music degrees and working as a teacher and band director, he moved to California, where he eventually met Hanna-Barbera co-founder William Hanna — a connection that launched his influential career in animation.
Nichols eventually stepped away from Hanna-Barbera to focus on composing operas and gospel music, and later served as musical director for Campus Crusade for Christ, where he helped organize musical groups for young performers.
Kevin Sandler, co-editor of the 2024 book Hanna and Barbera Conversations, noted that Nichols’ work played a key role in shaping the tone of Saturday morning cartoons during a period of cultural change following the 1968 assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy. According to Sandler, Nichols shifted toward lighter instrumentation—favoring high woodwinds and violins over heavy brass—particularly in Scooby-Doo and other comedy series, creating a softer, more playful sound.
Nichols is survived by his daughter, Karen, and his son, David, along with grandchildren Tawny, Kevin, Brian, Alex, Carson and Cammie, and six great-granddaughters. He was married twice — first to Doris from 1950 until her death in 2009, and later to her younger sister, Catherine, whom he married in 2011. She died in 2020.
