Tom Kane, the voice actor best known for lending his voice to the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars series and The Powerpuff Girls, has died at the age of 64.
Kane died Monday, his talent agency, Galactic Productions, announced on Facebook. No other details about where and how he died were provided.
“From his unforgettable performances in Star Wars to countless animated series, documentaries, and games, Tom brought wisdom, strength, humor, and heart to every role he touched. His voice became part of our lives, our memories, and the stories we carry with us,” the post read.
“Though his voice may now be silent, the characters, stories, and love he gave to the world will live on forever,” it continued. “But beyond the incredible career was an extraordinary man. Tom was a devoted husband and father who, alongside his wife, built a loving family of nine children — three biological and six welcomed through adoption and fostering.”
Kane voiced Yoda, the narrator and Admiral Yularen in the seven-season animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which premiered in 2008 and aired its final season in 2020.
Beyond Clone Wars, his Star Wars work expanded into video games and movies, including the 2017 movie Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, in which he voiced Admiral Ackbar.
He also voiced Professor Utonium in the original Powerpuff Girls series from 1998 to 2004. He later reprised the role in numerous spin-off movies, video games and the reboot of the classic Cartoon Network series, which aired from 2016 to 2018.
Kane’s other notable roles included Woodhouse and Hans Hessler in the animated adult sitcom Archer, Judge Hotah in a 2013 episode of The Legend of Korra, and Ultron, Jasper Sitwell and The Professor in the two-season series The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. In 2013, he replaced Gary Anthony Williams as the announcer for The Eric Andre Show.
Kane retired from voice acting in September 2021 after a debilitating stroke in 2020 left him largely unable to speak.
“About two months ago he had a left side stroke that gave him right sided weakness and damage to the speech center of his brain. This means right now he cannot efficiently communicate verbally, nor read or spell,” his daughter, Sam, wrote on Facebook at the time. “My dad still remains in good spirits and his extreme stubbornness has helped him already show improvements in speech.”
While she assured that her father was still “very much himself,” she shared that a neurologist warned he might be unable to do voice-overs again.
Kane is survived by his wife of 45 years, Cindy Roberts, and their nine children.
