Daphne Ann Blake is a fictional character in the long-running American animated series Scooby-Doo. Daphne, depicted as coming from a wealthy family, is noted for her red hair, her fashion sense, and her knack for getting into danger.

Overview

Voices

• Indira Stefanianna Christopherson (1969-1970)
• Heather North (1970-1985, 1997, 2002-2003)
• Kellie Martin (1988-1991)
• Mary Kay Bergman (1998-1999, until her death)
• Grey DeLisle (2001-present)

Character biography

Together with her other teenage cohorts, Fred Jones, Shaggy Rogers, Velma Dinkley, and Shaggy's pet Great Dane Scooby-Doo, Daphne would engage in solving various mysteries the gang would run across. She was often portrayed as the stereotypical "damsel in distress", being the one female in the group who is most likely to get kidnapped, tied up, gagged and left helpless, earning her the occasional nickname "Danger-prone Daphne." In Scooby-Doo and the Loch Ness Monster her cousin Shannon told the gang how the Blakes had designed the castle, leading to the fact that most people called the Blakes danger prone.

Although she was not as smart as Velma, Daphne would attempt to solve her problems in a fashionable way. She later became more confident and started playing a more active role as time wore on. In What's New, Scooby Doo?, Daphne has also been known to open locks or do other tasks with strange items from her purse. It has been theorized by many viewers that Daphne and Fred are attracted to one another, something the later direct-to-video features and the Warner Bros. feature films toyed with while never officially putting them together (although Daphne did kiss Fred in the gladiator scene in Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase). This was also heavily hinted at in Johnny Bravo crossover episode, most notably when he and Daphne go off to 'investigate' the basement together, and his various winks to the viewer whenever Daphne lands in his hands - but this episode may have been a parody. In later renditions, Daphne has also been shown as a bit athletic and is a black belt in martial arts, and she also appears to be a little less intelligent than in the early days and sometimes flirtatious. She would also often be concerned about her hair and her fashion as well in the recent renditions.

Daphne's character gained more prominence in the early-1980s Scooby-Doo spinoffs, when the focus of the series briefly shifted to her, Scooby-Doo, Scrappy-Doo, and Shaggy. This was particularly noteworthy in the spinoff The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, where Daphne replaced Fred as the group's leader.

The youthful Daphne portrayed in A Pup Named Scooby Doo would commonly call upon her butler, Jenkins, to do various tasks, such as ridding her of people, beating a monster up, freaking out, etc. This version was also portrayed as much more fashion-sensitive, easily scared, and smaller than her future self.

In other cartoons

Daphne has been referenced in other cartoons. In the Johnny Bravo cartoon "Bravo Dooby-Doo", while Velma liked Johnny, Daphne was completely harsh towards him. He offered Daphne a huge dinner plate in one scene and she responded by heavily stomping on (and thus literally flattening) his foot. The second-season episode of The Venture Bros. entitled ¡Viva los Muertos! features the entire Scooby-Doo cast re-imagined as famous serial killers and radicals. Daphne's analogue, "Patty", is frightened and submissive, somewhat reminiscent of Patty Hearst.

Relatives

Relatives of Daphne shown during the series' run include:

• George R. Blake: Daphne's father, the creator of the product "Blake's Bubbles".
• Elizabeth Blake: Daphne's mother.
• Uncle Matt: Daphne's uncle, a cattle rancher.
• John Maxwell: Daphne's uncle, a movie director.
• Olivia Derby: Daphne's aunt.
• Jennifer: Daphne's cousin.
• Danica: Daphne's cousin, a famous French model.
• Shannon Blake: Daphne's Scottish cousin.

Daphne's tendency to get into trouble is apparently something of a family trait. As her cousin Shannon explained in Scooby-Doo and the Loch Ness Monster: "For centuries we Blakes have been falling through trap doors, finding secret passageways, and getting caught in overly complicated booby traps of our own design. If there's one thing we Blakes are famous for it's being — ; danger prone." This caused a chain reaction of Mystery Inc. looking at Daphne.

Fred Jones

Since the series began, Fred and Daphne have always had strong romantic feelings for each other. It is hinted in Scooby Doo on Zombie Island, that they did indeed have a relationship, but broke up. There is also jealousy when Daphne witnesses Fred flirting with the Island/Cat girl Lena.

In other media

Daphne, as portrayed by Sarah Michelle Gellar in Scooby-Doo

Daphne was portrayed by Sarah Michelle Gellar in the film Scooby Doo and its sequel, Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. Her husband Freddie Prinze Jr. played Fred in the other Scooby-Doo movies also. In the movies Daphne and Fred began a relationship in the first, that followed on through the second. Unlike the previous incarnation of the character, Gellar's version of Daphne is trained in martial arts during The Scooby Gang's year long departure on the first film, as she is tired of being a damsel in distress on every case she's involve with the gang.

Sarah Michelle Gellar reprises Daphne in the Robot Chicken episode "Operation: Rich in Spirit." She is one of the victims killed by Jason Voorhees.

External links

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