Tom Kane, ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Powerpuff Girls’ Voice Actor, Dies at 64
Tom Kane, the voice actor whose work shaped some of the most beloved characters in animation and gaming over four decades, died Monday at a hospital in Kansas City surrounded by his family. He was 64.
His death was confirmed by his representative Zachery McGinnis and his talent agency Galactic Productions. The cause was complications from a stroke he suffered in November 2020 — a stroke that had effectively ended his career six years before it ended his life.
The Voice Behind Yoda
To Star Wars fans, Kane's voice was inseparable from the franchise. He served as the narrator of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, opening every episode with a spoken version of the opening crawl that set the tone for the entire series. He also voiced Yoda across the animated universe — in The Clone Wars, LEGO Star Wars specials, Robot Chicken specials, and Star Wars: The Bad Batch. He voiced Admiral Ackbar not just in animated projects but in the live-action film Star Wars: The Last Jedi and at Disney's Star Tours attraction.
His Star Wars connection stretched back to 1996 when he first voiced Leebo in the video game Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire. Over the decades that followed he added C-3PO, Boba Fett, Chancellor Valorum, Battle Droids, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Admiral Yularen to his portfolio. His final Star Wars work was voicing Yoda, Qui-Gon, and Ackbar in the 2022 video game LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga.
A Career That Touched Everything
Star Wars was the most prominent thread in Kane's career, but it was far from the only one. He was Professor Utonium and HIM in The Powerpuff Girls — a role so central to the show that when he suffered his stroke, the main voice cast reunited emotionally to mark what they feared might be a permanent goodbye. "In December 2020, our Powerpuff Girls father, Professor Utonium — Tom Kane — suffered a stroke that left him unable to speak," Powerpuff Girls voice actress E.G. Daily wrote at the time. "We're so grateful to see him again and to witness his recovery. We love you, Tom."
Beyond those flagship roles, Kane's voice appeared across an extraordinary range of projects. He voiced Takeo Masaki across multiple entries in the Call of Duty: Black Ops franchise. He played Gandalf and Professor X in video games. He voiced Indiana Jones in LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures and Ultron in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. He appeared in Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, The Wild Thornberrys, and the latter seasons of Archer. He provided voices in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Rogue One, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and The Rise of Skywalker.
For Disney Parks visitors, Kane's voice was the sound of magic. He was the narrator of the "Happily Ever After" nighttime spectacular at Magic Kingdom and the announcer of the Walt Disney World Monorail — a voice millions of guests heard without ever knowing his name. He also recorded health and safety announcements for Walt Disney World during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the prestige side of the industry, Kane served as the announcer for multiple Academy Awards ceremonies — the 78th, 80th, 83rd, 84th, and 90th — as well as the AFI Life Achievement Award show. He began his voiceover career at age 15 in his hometown of Kansas City.
The Stroke That Silenced Him
In November 2020, Kane suffered a severe stroke that left him with significant weakness on his right side and — most devastating for a man whose instrument was his voice — damage to his speaking, writing, and reading abilities. His daughter Sam gave regular updates on Facebook about his condition and confirmed in September 2021 that he had officially retired.
What followed was a slow, difficult, and by all accounts courageous recovery. As recently as March 2026, Kane posted an Instagram photo reuniting with the Powerpuff Girls cast. Tara Strong responded to the post: "We were SO happy…so emotional to be back with our professor. It's been way too long, beautiful friend. Our hearts are filled with joy to be back together with you and to hear your beautiful voice slowly coming back brought tears to our eyes. You are an angel on earth, always have been."
The Man Behind the Voice
Kane's agency noted in its statement that the career, extraordinary as it was, was only part of who he was.
"But beyond the incredible career was an extraordinary man," Galactic Productions said. "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. That compassion and generosity defined who he was just as much as his remarkable talent did."
Kane was married to Cindy Roberts from 1982 until his death. He is survived by her and their nine children.
"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," McGinnis said. "His voice became part of our lives, our memories, and the stories we carry with us."
He began voicing Yoda at age 15 in Kansas City. He died at 64, still carrying the Force with him.
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