Big Scare in the Big Easy is the fourth episode of the first season of What's New, Scooby-Doo?
Premise
The gang stay at a housing estate next to a graveyard during their spring break in New Orleans. They soon realize that two Civil War ghosts re-enact a duel every night to scare away guests, and so it's up to Mystery Inc. to uncover the truth about the legend of the Leland Brothers.
Synopsis
Crawdad Mike and his bus driver lead a tour bus, when the ghosts of Union Jed and Rebel Caleb appear on their tombstones. The tour bus gets away from them.
The gang then takes the tour bus, and then decide to stay at the Leland Gables. There, they find Lorelei Leland arguing with Cyrus T. Buford about the hotel.
Suspecting Lorelei's brother, Taylor, to be one of the ghosts, the gang followed him to the cemetery and spotted him carrying a Confederate uniform. After noticing that Daphne's shoe is covered in some unknown substance, they approached Crawdad Mike, asking if he knew what the substance was, to which he claimed that it was ectoplasm.
While getting something to eat, the gang noticed Lorelei entering a voodoo store. After Scooby left to watch her, he returned and claimed that Lorelai bought chicken bones, frog eyes, and bat wings.
They visited Cyrus' waterpark to search for clues, but they encountered the ghosts, who chased them all over the waterpark until they lost them, during which they noticed that Daphne had gone missing.
Returning to the Leland family cemetery in search for Daphne, the gang split up. Fred and Velma find a light projector in a treetop set off by pressure on a rock. After Shaggy and Scooby heard a loud wail, the former decided it was a girl's voice, and tried to follow it. Instead, they followed Daphne's cell phone signal and found her tied up in a mausoleum. However, the door closed when they entered, trapping them in.
Meanwhile, Fred and Velma were building a trap for the ghosts. Shaggy and Scooby were still trapped in the mausoleum, but couldn't undo Daphne's knots. Shaggy used Five Skull Fire Sauce to burn the ropes, and they got out of the mausoleum using a dog tag and an eyelash curler.
After breaking out of the mausoleum, Shaggy ran into Fred's trap, which didn't work exactly. Then the ghosts appeared, but Scooby dressed up as a phantom to chase the ghosts into the pit trap. They couldn't get out and were then unmasked just as Lorelei shows up. The ghosts turned out to be Crawdad Mike and his driver. They did it to make his tour more famous. They used a hologram projector to frighten tourists and used dry ice to make the fog, which also leaves a residue that got on Daphne's shoes. When they got worried the gang got too close, they dressed up as the Leland brothers and tried to scare them away by kidnapping Daphne. Lorelei was in the store looking for a talisman and a mask for Scooby's costume. Taylor was selling the uniform to help pay the bills and didn't want Lorelei to find out cause it was a family heirloom.
The gang go back to celebrating Mardi Gras, where Lorelei, Taylor decided to partner with Cyrus T. Buford into combining their businesses. Daphne thanks Shaggy for freeing her. But he says she should be thanking herself for wailing so hard, but Daphne explains that she couldn't have because she was gagged. Suddenly, they are shocked by an eerie howl sweeping past them. Confused, but unphased, Scooby just howls his catchphrase along with it.
Characters
Main characters:
Supporting characters:
- Lorelei Leland (only appearance)
- Taylor Leland (only appearance)
- Cyrus T. Buford (only appearance)
Villains:
- Ghosts of the Leland Brothers (only appearance)(Crawdad Mike and driver's disguises)
- Crawdad Mike (only appearance)
- Crawdad Mike's bus driver (only appearance)
Other characters:
- Tourists on bus (only appearance)(no lines)
- Fruit stand vendor (only appearance)(no lines)
- Caleb Leland (only appearance)(no lines)(flashback only)(dies off-screen)
- Jed Leland (only appearance)(no lines)(flashback only)(dies off-screen)
- Shopkeeper (only appearance)(no lines)
- Possum (only appearance)(no lines)
- Police officers (only appearance)(no lines)
Locations
Objects
- Ectoplasm (really dry ice residue)
- Gumbo
- Five Skull Fire Sauce
- Shaggy's cell phone
- Dry ice
- Bucket
- Hologram projector
Vehicles
Suspects
| Suspect | Motive/reason |
|---|---|
| Cyrus T. Buford | He wanted to buy Leland Gables to expand his waterpark. |
| Taylor Leland | He sneaked out at night with a Confederate uniform. |
| Lorelei Leland | She went in the Supermarket of The Supernatural. |
Culprits
| Culprit | Motive/reason |
|---|---|
| Crawdad Mike and his bus driver as the Ghosts of the Leland Brothers | To get more viewers for their graveyard tours. |
Cast
Songs
| Song | Credits | Performed by |
|---|---|---|
| "Man With the Hex " | Written by John Bunkley | The Atomic Fireballs |
Full credits
The following credits are how they are displayed on-screen (or as close as possible).
Opening credits
- Producer: Chuck Sheetz
- Line Producer: Margaret M. Dean
- Associate Producer: Kathryn Page
- Supervising Director: Scott Jeralds
- Casey Kasem as Shaggy, Frank Welker as Fred & Scooby-Doo
- Written By: George Doty IV, Jim Krieg, Ed Scharlach
- Directed By: Tom Mazzocco
Closing credits
- Producer: George Doty IV, Jim Krieg, Ed Scharlach
- Series Story Editors: George Doty IV, Jim Krieg, Ed Scharlach
- Series Directors: Russell Calabrese, Tim Maltby, Tom Mazzocco, Swinton Scott, Joe Sichta
- Music By: Gigi Meroni & Rich Dickerson
- "What's New, Scooby-Doo?" Theme
- Written By: Rich Dickerson & Gigi Meroni
- Performed By: Simple Plan
- Courtesy Of: Lava Records
- www.lavarecords.com
- "Man With the Hex"
- Written By: John Bunkley
- Performed By: The Atomic Fireballs
- Courtesy Of: Lava Records
- By Arrangement With: Warner Special Products
- Casting & Voice Direction: Collette Sunderman
- Starring the Voices Of: Mindy Cohn as Velma, Grey DeLisle as Daphne, Jim Cummings as Cyrus T. Buford & Crawdad Mike, John DiMaggio as Taylor Leland & Policeman
- Based Upon Characters Created By: Hanna-Barbera Productions
- Main Title Design: Sandra Frame, James Fujii, Scott Jeralds, Chris Rutkowski, Chuck Sheetz
- Main Title Animation: Lotto Animation
- Creative Consultant: Iwao Takamoto
- Storyboard: Sandra Frame, Mary Hanley, Jim Shellhorn
- Animation Timing Directors: Cullen Blaine, Mark Bykov, Herb Moore, Pat Shinagawa
- Character Design: Scott Awley, Scott Jeralds
- BG Paint: Shahen Jordan, Tristin Roesch-Cole
- Prop Design: Mark Bachand, Scott Hill
- BG Design: Edgar Carlos, Robert Harand, Bill Proctor
- Assistant Production Managers: Vera Morales, AJ Vargas
- Production Coordinators: Jessica Dalton, Judge Plummer
- Ink and Paint Supervisor: Geno DuBois
- Color Key: Lisa Redondo
- Mark-Up/Painters: Kim Bowen, Eric Nordberg, Bill Ohanesian
- Animation Checking: Jan Browning, Susan Burke, Eleanor Dahlen, Chuck Gefre, Karl Jacobs, Chuck Martin, Kathleen O'Mara
- Director of Post Production: Tim Iverson
- Post Production Supervisor: Bonnie Buckner
- Post Production Coordinator: Michael Miscio
- Film Editor: Susan Edmunson
- Director of Technical Operations: Bradford H. Keatts
- Assistant Production Manager of Technical Operations: John Voralik
- Supervising Online Editor: Bradford H. Keatts
- Online Editor: Tony Tedford
- Supervising Dialogue/ADR Editor: Mark A. Keatts
- Supervising Recording Engineer: Edwin O. Collins
- Recording Machine Operator: Jeff O. Collins
- Recording Facility: Warner Bros. Animation
- Dialogue/ADR Editors: Kelly Ann Foley, Kerry Iverson, Mark Keefer
- Sound Reading: Carol Iverson, Fred Salinas, Denise Whitfield
- Post Production Sound Services: Glenwood Editorial, Inc.
- Re-Recording Studio: Glenwood Place Studios
- Sound Effects Supervisor: Glen Oyabe
- Re-Recording Mixers: Brad Brock, Timothy Garrity
- Engineer: Kennie Takahashi
- Animation Services: Lotto Animation
- Animation Directors: Young-Hoon Kim, Young-Oh Shin
- Model Checkers: Eun-Ha Kim, Yei-Jin Lee
- Key Animation: Hyun-Joo Ahn, Jun-Young Chio, Mee-Hui Kim, Kyung-Ae Min
- Layout: Jung-Won Kwon, Suk-Won Lee, Jong-Dae Lim
- Inbetween Checkers: Jung-Sook Kim, Chang-Sook Oh
- Ink & Paint Checker: Mi-Hyun Jie
- Final Checker: Ho-Soon Shin
- Editing: Hyoung-Jun Park
- Background: Yeon-Hee Kim, Eun-Hee Noh
- Camera: Kyun-Won Lee, Hye-Won Suh
- Production Staff: Mi-Ok Kweon, Hoon Yoe
- Production Administrators: Tammy Davis, Michael Diaz, Marci Gray, Laura Marquez, Jacqueline Olsommer, Mary Parkinson, Amy E. Wagner
- Casting Administrator: Liz Carroll
- Production Accounting: Athena Christianakis, Luisa Guzman, Rose Mesa, Maria Womack
- Business and Legal Affairs: Debi Dean, Michael Lalla, Bonnie Negrete, Peter Steckelman
- Production Supervision: Toshi Hiruma, Howard Schwartz
- Development and Creative Supervision: Christopher Keenan, Linda Steiner
- Production Management: Andy Lewis
- Executive Producers: Joseph Barbera, Sander Schwartz
- Special Thanks To: Joe Ruby & Ken Spears
- Warner Bros. Animation
- This motion picture is protected under the laws of the United States of America and other countries. Any unauthorized, duplication, copying, distribution, exhibition or use may result in civil and/or criminal prosecution.
- Dolby Surround
- ©2002 Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc.
- All Rights Reserved
- Country of first publication United States of America
- Warner Bros. is the author of this film/motion picture for the purposes of Article (15)2 of the Berne Convention and all national laws given effect thereto.
- Warner Bros. Animation
- www.warnerbros.com
Notes/trivia
- The Mystery Machine is absent in this episode.
- This is the only episode in the What's New incarnation that had Daphne bound and gagged.
- Scooby, Shaggy, Velma, and Fred had gumbo for dinner, while Daphne had salad.
- "Man With the Hex" was also used in the 2002 film.
Miscelanous
- "Zoinks!": 4
- "Jinkies!": 1
Animation mistakes and/or technical glitches
- When Crawdad Mike was unmasked, he had a full head of hair, but when the police came to take him and his bus driver away, he is half bald.
Inconsistencies/continuity errors and/or goofs/oddities
- Either Rattletrap Tours (the name on the bus) is an extension of Haunted New Orleans Tours (the name on the sign outside the building where the bus is parked), or there's a mix-up.
- Velma pointed out to Fred that Jed is much taller than Caleb, even though it was actually Caleb who was taller.
- After the chase scene, when the gang bump into Cyrus T. Buford, they all gasp. Daphne's voice can clearly be heard, although she is not with the gang, because she would have already been kidnapped.
- While explaining the solution of the mystery, Velma picks up dry ice with her bare hand. This would burn her hand. Gloves are required for handling dry ice.
- What made the ghostly howl?
- Daphne is never seen being grabbed.
- Seems out of character for Scooby to happily howl along with the eerie howl he hears at the end of the episode.
- For some reason, one ghost has an eyepatch, when in life he didn’t.
- The Ghosts are slim compared to Crawdad mike and his driver.
In other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| French | Panique au carnaval | Carnival Panic |
| Greek | Ο Μεγάλος Φόβος στο Μπιγκ Τζι Μεγάλη Τρομάρα στη Νέα Ορλεάνη |
Big Scare in the Big Ji Big Scare in New Orleans |
| Polish | Stare upiory w Nowym Orleanie | Old Ghouls in New Orleans |
Home media
What's New, Scooby-Doo?: Volume 1 - Space Ape at the Cape VHS released by Warner Home Video on August 19, 2003.- What's New, Scooby-Doo?: Volume 1 - Space Ape at the Cape DVD released by Warner Home Video on June 1, 2004.
- What's New, Scooby-Doo?: Complete 1st Season DVD set released by Warner Home Video on February 20, 2007.
- Scooby-Doo! and the Ghosts DVD released by Warner Home Video on August 30, 2011.
- Scooby-Doo! and Friends DVD released by Warner Home Video on May 28, 2012.
- Scooby-Doo! and Friends DVD released by Warner Home Video on April 1, 2014.
- Best of Warner Bros. 50 Cartoon Collection: Scooby-Doo! DVD set released by Warner Home Video on August 13, 2019.
Quotes
Shaggy: Well since either choice is like Creepsville, I'll choose the one that might have a kitchen. |
Fred: We need to see if Cyrus Beauford is connected to those uncivil Civil War ghosts. Now let's split up and look for clues. |
Crawdad Mike: Sacre bleu! I would've gotten away with it too, if it weren't for y'all meddling kids. |
External links
| Previous episode: | Series: | Next episode: |
| Space Ape at the Cape | What's New, Scooby-Doo? Season 1 |
It's Mean, It's Green, It's the Mystery Machine |
