Tom Kane, Star Wars and Powerpuff Girls Voice Actor, Dead at 64

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Hollywood has lost a legendary performer.

Voice actor Tom Kane, known for his work in Star Wars and The Powerpuff Girls, has passed away at the age of 64, according to his representative, Zach McGinnis.

On May 18th, McGinnis announced the passing of Tom Kane, a beloved voice actor who impacted the lives of many. Known for iconic roles like those in Star Wars, as well as numerous animated shows, documentaries, and video games, Tom brought a unique blend of wisdom, strength, humor, and emotion to everything he did. His voice became a cherished part of people’s lives and memories.

While Kane became famous for voicing iconic characters like Yoda in Star Wars and Professor Utonium in The Powerpuff Girls, and worked on many other popular animated shows, he considered his family to be his most important achievement. He married Cindy Roberts in 1982.

Beyond his impressive career, Tom was a truly remarkable person,” McGinnis shared. “He was a loving husband and father who, with his wife, created a large and caring family of nine children – three of their own and six others they welcomed through adoption and fostering. His kindness and generosity were just as central to who he was as his exceptional skills.

He concluded by saying that even though Tom Kane is gone, his characters, stories, and the joy he brought to others will never be forgotten. He offered a final farewell, thanking Kane for everything and wishing him peace, ending with the iconic phrase, ‘May the Force be with you, always.’

According to TMZ, Kane passed away on May 18th at a Kansas hospital, with his family by his side. He died from complications following a stroke he had in 2020.

When the voice actor experienced a medical emergency, his daughter, Sam Kane, posted on Facebook that he had a stroke on the left side of his brain. This caused weakness on the right side of his body and affected his ability to speak.

She added that her dad is still positive and his determination is actually helping him regain his ability to speak. He’s happy for her to share updates and is looking forward to seeing any posts about it.

Kane began his professional career at just 15 years old, providing voiceovers for projects in his community.

In a 2013 interview with the University of Kansas, Kane explained that he was living in Overland Park, Kansas, at the time he started working in television. He said he was a bored teenager who simply thought it would be enjoyable to hear his own voice on TV and didn’t realize people were actually paid for the work.

By the age of 24, he had already recorded hundreds of commercials and started appearing in prominent national television ads, as stated on his website.

Since then, his voice has been featured in Shrek, Scooby Doo and The Wild Thornberrys, to name a few. 

Kane also worked behind the scenes at the Academy Awards, providing live announcements for five ABC broadcasts, most recently in 2018.

He explained to KU that his job involves a lot of public speaking, but it’s his animated work that really gets people’s attention.

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2026-05-18 21:17