Tom Kane, the prolific voice actor whose work shaped some of the biggest franchises in animation and gaming, has died at the age of 64.
Kane was best known for his long run in the Star Wars universe. He voiced Yoda across countless animated projects and video games, stepping into the role whenever Frank Oz was unavailable. His calm, wise take became the version of the Jedi Master that an entire generation grew up with.
He was also the booming narrator of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. That dramatic newsreel-style voice opening every episode with lines like “A galaxy divided!” became one of the show’s signature elements. On top of that, he voiced Admiral Wullf Yularen and Admiral Ackbar in various Star Wars titles.
A voice across every genre
Outside of Star Wars, Kane’s résumé was massive. He played Takeo Masaki in the Call of Duty Zombies storyline, giving the samurai his stoic intensity and theatrical flair across multiple Treyarch titles. Zombies fans still consider his performance one of the most iconic in the mode’s history.
He also voiced Magneto in several Marvel games and animated projects. Powerpuff Girls viewers know him as both Professor Utonium, the warm father figure, and Him, the flamboyant demonic antagonist. That kind of range was rare.
His video game work stretched across Batman titles, Fortnite: Save the World (where he played Lok), and dozens of other major releases. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, released in 2022, stands as one of his final credited gaming roles, featuring him as Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Admiral Ackbar.
Kane retired from voice acting after suffering a serious stroke in 2020. His family shared at the time that the stroke had damaged the language center of his brain, leaving him unable to speak, read, or write at the level his profession demanded. No cause of death has been confirmed.
