Kansas Citian Tom Kane, ‘Star Wars, ‘Powerpuff Girls’ voice actor, has died
Overland Park native Tom Kane, who built a legendary career as a Hollywood voice actor, died Monday in a Kansas City hospital surrounded by family members.
Kane famously gave voice to characters in the “Star Wars” and “The Powerpuff Girls” franchises, video games, TV cartoons, the Academy Awards, even Disney monorail announcements to “please stand clear of the doors.”
The 64-year-old Kane voiced Yoda in “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” along with other parts of the franchise, and Professor Utonium on Cartoon Network’s “The Powerpuff Girls.”
As The Kansas City Star’s Dan Kelly wrote in 2021: “You might not have heard of Tom Kane, but you almost certainly have heard Tom Kane.”
“He’s the voice of everything,” Roberta Solomon, also a voiceover star from the Kansas City area, told The Star at the time.
“He’s on every animated show that’s ever been out there, and he’s done thousands of movie trailers. And documentaries. And, oh, he’s the celebrity sound-alike for Morgan Freeman and Sean Connery and Patrick Stewart. And, oh, he’s voiced the Oscars like a gajillion times.”
Kane died from complications of a stroke he suffered in 2020. He was 64.
His representative, Zach McGinnis, called Kane a “legendary voice actor whose work shaped the childhoods and imaginations of millions around the world.”
“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. His voice became part of our lives, our memories, and the stories we carry with us,” McGinnis said in a statement.
In a statement, McGinnis’ company, Galactic Productions, remembered both his career and the man behind it.
“Though his voice may now be silent, the characters, stories, and love he gave to the world will live on forever.”
The company described Kane as not only a gifted performer, but a devoted husband and father.
Kane’s career officially ended in September 2021 when he retired after suffering a debilitating stroke a year earlier. His daughter Sam announced the retirement on Facebook, writing, “The damage to his speech center is just too severe.”
After Kane’s stroke, Mark Hamill, aka Luke Skywalker, tweeted: “Tom Kane is an enormously gifted actor & a genuinely nice person.”
“He’s absolutely a legend,” Kansas City-area voiceover artist Matt Wiewel told The Star when Kane received an honorary award at the Clio Entertainment 50th Anniversary Celebration in December 2021.
“I’d put him right up there with a guy named Don LaFontaine, who is best known as the movie announcer guy and also does the Geico commercials, and Mel Blanc, who did all the voices you’d recognize. Tom is in that category.”
Kane and his wife, Cindy Roberts, had three biological children together and added six more children to their family through adoption and fostering, McGinnis said.
“That compassion and generosity defined who he was just as much as his remarkable talent did,” McGinnis said in his statement. “Though his voice may now be silent, the characters, stories, and love he gave to the world will live on forever. Rest in peace, Tom Kane. Thank you for everything. May the Force be with you, always.”
Tributes are pouring in from fans and colleagues.
“Rest in peace, Professor. Thank you, Tom Kane, for lending your voice to the father of three perfect little girls and bringing The Force to millions of fans. You’ll live on in our childhood memories forever,” the Cartoon Network wrote in an Instagram post.
Kane was the announcer for the live Oscars telecast four times and was the voice of Disney World’s monorail system since 2012.
“Today, the Disney community says goodbye to a voice that helped shape so many of our most magical memories,” Disney influencer Sparkles Jones wrote on Instagram.
“Tom Kane wasn’t just a narrator. He was the voice of wonder, nostalgia, and Disney magic itself. From hearing him welcome us aboard the monorail to the emotional storytelling that closed out our Disney days, his voice became part of our family traditions.
“Thank you, Tom Kane, for the magic, the memories, and the moments that reminded us to keep dreaming. Your voice may be quiet now, but your legacy will continue on in every firework, every monorail ride, and every Disney dreamer who still believes in happily ever after.”
Kane is best known in the “Star Wars” world, voicing Yoda for projects since 2000 and having worked on “The Force Awakens,” “Rogue One,” “Solo,” “The Rise of Skywalker” and other movie, TV and video game projects.
His cartoon work included “Wolverine and the X-Men,” “Archer,” “Kim Possible” and “The Wild Thornberrys” in which he played pet chimpanzee Darwin.
The University of Kansas alumnus graduated from Shawnee Mission South High School in 1980.
He was only 15 when he got his start in the business. He heard a radio spot for the American Heart Association that had what he considered a subpar voiceover. He called, said he could do better and landed the gig.
After working much of his career in Los Angeles, he returned to Overland Park, where he continued to work from home in a studio built by Hollywood sound designers.
“I don’t know of anybody else in the voiceover world … whose voice is literally everywhere,” Solomon described him in 2021. “He’s worked in every area of voiceover, and he’s been doing it since he was 15 years old.
“You can definitely call him a legend. There’s nobody like him.”
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