Tom Kane, voice of Star Wars and Powerpuff Girls, dies at 64

Tom Kane, whose voice helped define Star Wars animation and gave Professor Utonium his calm authority in The Powerpuff Girls, died Monday at 64 after complications from a stroke he suffered in 2020. He died at a hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, surrounded by family, and his representative, Zachary McGinnis, confirmed the death.

Kane began voice acting at 15 and built a career that moved easily between children’s television and blockbuster fandom. He worked with Lucasfilm starting in 1996, voiced Yoda in multiple Star Wars projects and narrated Star Wars: The Clone Wars, a performance Dave Filoni called “the spirit of the Clone Wars.” Filoni also said Kane’s opening narration “introduced a generation to the Star Wars galaxy,” underscoring how a single voice can become part of a franchise’s identity long before a viewer ever sees a face.

That breadth made Kane a familiar presence across some of television’s most durable animated worlds. Cartoon Network thanked him for lending his voice to Professor Utonium, while other credits included Woodhouse on Archer, Darwin on The Wild Thornberrys and Mr. Herriman on Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends. Galactic Productions announced his death and said his performances brought “wisdom, strength, humor, and heart” to his roles. For decades, Kane worked in a profession built on precision, timing and tonal control, often shaping beloved characters without becoming publicly visible in the way on-screen actors do.

His career ended abruptly after the 2020 stroke left him largely unable to speak or write. Kane retired from voice acting in September 2021, after his daughter said he had suffered a left-side stroke that caused right-sided weakness and damage to the speech center of his brain. At the time, a neurologist warned that he might not be able to do voice-overs again, a stark reminder of how neurological injury can erase the very instrument on which a career depends.

Kane was married to Cindy Roberts for 45 years and had nine children. His death closes a long run that began in his teens and reached across generations, from Saturday morning animation to one of the most enduring franchises in popular culture.