Tom Kane, an iconic voice actor known for his work in “Star Wars” and “Powerpuff Girls,” has passed away at the age of 64, TMZ reports.
A representative for the actor told the outlet that Kane passed away on Monday, May 18. No other details were made available, including the cause of death.
“Though his voice may now be silent, the characters, stories, and love he gave to the world will live on forever,” his representative Zach McGinnis said. “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 was the voice of Yoda in “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” feature film and TV series, as well as being the voice behind Professor Utonium and HIM in “The Powerpuff Girls.” He also did voice work in some video games including the “Call of Duty” franchise.
Tom Kane Suffered A Stroke In 2020
According to PEOPLE, Kane’s daughter revealed in Dec. 2020 that the actor had suffered “a left-sided stroke that gave him right-sided weakness and damage to the speech center of his brain.”
“My dad still remains in good spirits and his extreme stubbornness has helped him already show improvements in speech. He is fully on board with me sharing this and he will see anything you guys post,” his daughter added.
Tributes Pour In For Tom Kane
“I just heard about Tom Kane passing away. He was one of the first voice actors to approach me after Red Dead II came out. He invited me into his home and showed me his setup. He had a big, welcoming family. It was a joy to be invited and be their guest. Sad day. May he rest in peace and may his beautiful family never forget his love,” voice actor Roger Clark shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“You were an absolute legend, thank you for the memories. You gave us one of the best characters in Call Of Duty ever. You made our childhoods an’ you’ll be very deeply missed. But forever immortalized,” one person posted.
“His narration of Star Wars the Clone Wars was legendary, his work as Yoda gave us some of the character’s best moments and his countless other credits in this and other franchises will be remembered fondly,” another person commented.
“Incredibly sad news today… the beloved Tom Kane has passed away. He shaped SO many of our childhoods/teenage years as Takeo Masaki in Call of Duty Zombies and as Yoda in Star Wars The Clone Wars. Can’t be understated how huge of a loss this is for us all. RIP Tom. Thank you for all the joy you brought in our lives,” a fan wrote.
“This is just devastating news. He was just at a convention reunited with the Powerpuff Girls. He looked so happy and genuinely pleased at the love. To hear he’s gone now… it’s just heartbreaking. He’s one of the greatest voice actors of my childhood, and he always will be. Godspeed Professor,” another fan said.
“RIP to a legendary voice actor. You definitely heard Tom Kane’s voice if you grew up with American animation in the 2000s and 2010s. Incredible vocal presence and unforgettable as Wullf Yularen. Excellent Yoda impression too. Certainly a sad day for the world of voice acting,” one fan stated.
