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Fans of Courage the Cowardly Dog, the animated television series, by now would have learnt that the episode writer has passed away at the age of 58. David Steven Cohen, the American scriptwriter and producer, has also written episodes other cartoon-type series and children’s television shows including The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss (1996) and Phil of The Future (2006) as well as the 1995 feature film Balto.

While his cancer diagnosis led to his passing, Cohen had a number of other health issues including diabetes.

Courage the Cowardly Dog is about a kind but easily frightened dog, abandoned by his parents after a crazy veterinarian sent them to outer space. Not long after that, Courage was found in an alley by an elderly woman named Muriel, who made the decision to keep Courage as her own pet at home. Courage’s home base is Nowhere, Kansas – where the dog lives in an isolated farmhouse. However, Muriel’s husband is cranky, grumpy, greedy and labels Courage “stupid” and takes pleasure in frightening the animal.  

When monsters, aliens, zombies and other supernatural or paranormal creatures evade Nowhere, Courage finds its own way to protect the owners and itself from harm, danger, and distress. On occasion, Courage is aided by others to do so. However, for the most part, Courage is solo and would do it when the owners are unaware/out of sight.

Cartoon Network, the television station that allowed the broadcast of this four-season series, gave Cohen (as head writer) a lot of room for creativity. Most of the episodes got aired, with only a few pulled out, or softened to reduce the chances of getting into a controversy. The show was aired for the television audience on 12 November 1999 and came to an end on November 2002.

While the horror genre did influence many of the episodes on Courage the Cowardly Dog (Sweeney Todd, The Clockwork Orange, and Demon in the Mattress), there were other factors at play. Cohen’s childhood memories, own fears, and life experiences as a married adult all helped shape the episodes.

Cohen was born to a schoolteacher, which could have also helped his perspective in the writing for the screens.

The series, though has been over two decades old, has brought about the idea for a crossover film in 2021 and was dedicated to the actress who played Muriel, who died due to complications while in surgery for liver cancer.

Cohen’s work will surely live on and has transformed the world of horror comedy and surreal storytelling.