Tom Kane, 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' and 'Powerpuff Girls' voice actor, dies at 64

Tom Kane, a prolific dependable histrion whose signature roles included Master Yoda successful a fig of animated “Star Wars” shows arsenic good arsenic Professor Utonium connected “The Powerpuff Girls,” has died. He was 64.

Kane died Monday from complications of a changeable helium suffered successful 2020, his typical Zachery McGinnis confirmed to The Times. The dependable actor’s decease was announced connected societal media by his endowment agency, Galactic Productions.

“From his unforgettable performances successful Star Wars to countless animated series, documentaries, and games, Tom brought wisdom, strength, humor, and bosom to each relation helium touched,” reads a connection posted Monday connected Galactic Productions’ Facebook page. “His dependable became portion of our lives, our memories, and the stories we transportation with us. ... Though his dependable whitethorn present beryllium silent, the characters, stories, and emotion helium gave to the satellite volition unrecorded connected forever.”

Kane’s archetypal joined the “Star Wars” franchise done video games successful the 1990s, voicing droids, imperial officers and rebel pilots successful installments specified arsenic “Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire” and “Star Wars: X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter.” He would spell connected to dependable galore different characters, including the iconic protocol droid C-3PO, Jedi Master Yoda and the bounty huntsman Boba Fett, successful assorted games implicit the years.

He continued to dependable Yoda successful animated “Star Wars” shows, archetypal successful “Star Wars: Clone Wars,” Genndy Tartakovsky’s bid acceptable aft the events of the 2002 movie “Episode II — Attack of the Clones,” successful which Kane besides voiced C-3PO.

But Kane’s astir notable “Star Wars” relation was arsenic the narrator of the 2008 movie “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and the consequent bid of the aforesaid name, wherever helium kicked disconnected each escapade arsenic the spoken mentation of the classical “Star Wars” opening scrawl to acceptable the signifier for the communicative that followed.

“Tom loved ‘Star Wars,’” Dave Filoni, Lucasfilm’s president and main originative officer, said successful the studio’s tribute to Kane. “Fans whitethorn champion retrieve him arsenic the dependable of the animated Yoda, but genuinely his dependable was the tone of the Clone Wars. His opening narration introduced an full procreation to the ‘Star Wars’ postulation getting viewers acceptable for different escapade far, far, away.”

“When I was archetypal starting retired arsenic a manager I was fortunate to person idiosyncratic arsenic legendary arsenic Tom determination to assistance maine larn and usher maine towards what the actors needed. Very Yoda similar indeed,” Filoni added.

Besides his “Star Wars” roles, Kane’s credits besides see the devoted valet Woodhouse successful “Archer,” the mutant Magneto successful Marvel video games, the prim and due caput of location Mr. Herriman successful “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends” and the flamboyant villain Him successful “The Powerpuff Girls.”

But Kane said successful a 2014 Reddit AMA that “The Powerpuff Girls’” Professor Utonium, who combined sugar, spice and everything bully — on with chemic X — to make the super-powered kindergartners, was the quality helium astir identified with.

“He’s a dorky dada who loves his kids,” Kane wrote successful a comment. “That’s beauteous overmuch me.”

Tara Strong, who voiced Powerpuff Girl Blossom, described Kane arsenic “Brilliant. Giving. Funny. Supportive. [And] Kind.” successful her tribute.

“They accidental there’s nary specified happening arsenic a cleanable man… those radical ne'er met [Tom Kane]. I’ve ne'er successful my beingness met a sweeter psyche oregon a amended quality being,” Strong wrote successful a Monday station connected X. “I’m beyond grateful for each the hours we spent unneurotic successful the booth, and truthful grateful we got to spot him again recently… hug him choky and archer him however overmuch we emotion and miss him.”

“I emotion you, Professor. You were the champion dad, the champion human, and I consciousness truthful honored to person known you and called you my friend,” she added.

Born April 15, 1962, successful Overland Park, Kan., Kane began his dependable acting vocation astatine property 15 doing commercials successful his hometown of Kansas City, according to IMDb. In summation to his enactment successful games, movie and television, Kane has lent his dependable to denote awards shows, including the 78th, 80th, 83rd, 84th and 90th Academy Awards broadcasts, arsenic good arsenic connected attractions astatine Disney Theme parks.

“I’m besides gladsome that his characters and dependable volition unrecorded connected successful galore ways,” Filoni said successful his tribute. “Wherever you spell there’s ever a accidental that Tom is the dependable you perceive guiding you done Disneyland oregon a postulation far, acold away.”

Kane is survived by his wife, Cindy, and their 9 children, six of whom joined the household done adoption and fostering.