Francisco “Don Paco” Reséndez Novoa, the Mexican voice actor behind the iconic Scooby-Doo for millions of Spanish-speaking viewers throughout Latin America, has passed away at age 85. The news broke on social media on September 2, 2026, confirming the death of the beloved character. It was the next day on the internet, as the dubbing industry shared the sad news and it was soon picked up by the media, including Infobae, El Universal, and ComicBook.com.
For American audiences who grew up with the original English-language Scooby-Doo, the distinction is important. Reséndez was not the English voice. He was one of the primary Latin American Spanish voices of the character during the 1980s, appearing in episodes of El show de Scooby-Doo and El show de Scooby-Doo y Scrappy-Doo, plus the films Scooby-Doo y los Hermanos Boo (1987), Scooby-Doo y la escuela de fantasmas (1988), and Scooby-Doo y la carrera de los monstruos (1989). His performance became part of the childhood soundtrack for generations of kids from Mexico to Argentina.
July 10, 1941, is when the voice actor was born in Mexico City, where he spent over 60 years working in the Mexican dubbing industry. He was also known under the names Don Paco or Paquito. He was associated with major production companies such as SISSA-Oruga, Audiomaster 3000, and Central Entertainment. Among his cousins was the late voice actress and director Vicky Burgoa. Even in recent times, Reséndez worked in movies that would come out even in 2024 and 2025.
It is significant how Reséndez worked on the Scooby-Doo franchise because the process of dubbing had a long history of influencing Latin Americans’ view of American cartoons. It was the same character who showed the combination of fright and hunger in a unique way for the Spanish-speaking community. Many fans of all Latin America have posted tribute to Reséndez, remembering their weekend mornings, which included his voice.
Reséndez’s work on The Simpsons is another reason why it is worth mentioning his legacy since Reséndez directed the first Latin American Spanish dub of this show. The sources report that he directed the first seven or eight seasons of The Simpsons. Moreover, he voiced the show during that period. This makes Reséndez one of the main figures behind the adaptation of the iconic show in Latin America.
This actor also acted in anime and animated productions. His voice roles include Commander Dot Pixis in the anime Attack on Titan, Makarov Dreyar in Fairy Tail, Ord in Dragon Tales, and several others in various programs such as Donkey Kong and Disenchantment. This is indicative of the versatility of the dubbing artists in Mexico who could easily move across mediums.
Reséndez belonged to a generation of Latin American voice talent whose names rarely appear in U.S. headlines yet shape how entire regions experience global entertainment. Spanish-language dubbing has historically made American and Japanese stories accessible and culturally resonant for Spanish-speaking audiences. His six-decade run bridged the classic Hanna-Barbera era with the later anime boom and streaming age.
The tributes paid by his peers and fans have highlighted both the childhood nostalgia his voice for Scooby Doo gave them as well as the understated contribution of his directing skills. According to an industry watcher commenting on the tributes paid to Reséndez, there was much more to him than just “the Scooby guy.” He contributed a great deal in shaping the sound of Latin American animated productions across generations.
With his voice and directing, Reséndez has left behind a legacy that has connected the world of American cartoons to the living rooms of Latin America for more than fifty years.
