Tom Kane, voice of Yoda and Call of Duty actor

The voice acting world has suffered a major loss with the death of Tom Kane, who died on 18 May 2026 at the age of 64. Kane was best known as the voice of Yoda in 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' and, throughout his impressive career, worked on countless franchises including 'Call of Duty', 'Marvel', and 'The Powerpuff Girls'.

Contributions to Star Wars

Tom Kane's most prominent role was as Yoda, a part he first took on in 2000. He voiced the iconic character in more than twenty Star Wars projects, including beloved games such as 'Star Wars: Republic Commando' and 'Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith'. He was also the voice of Admiral Yularen in both 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' and 'Star Wars Rebels'. During his career, he also lent his voice to other well-known Star Wars characters such as C-3PO and Boba Fett. Kane's final appearance was in 'LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga' in 2022.

Voice role in Call of Duty

In the world of video games, Kane was perhaps best known as the voice of Takeo Masaki, whom he portrayed from 'Call of Duty: World at War' in 2009 through to 'Call of Duty: Black Ops 4' in 2018. This performance left a lasting mark on the franchise, especially within Zombies mode.

A versatile career in entertainment

Beyond his work in Star Wars and Call of Duty, Kane built up a long list of credits in animation. He voiced legendary characters such as Professor Utonium in 'The Powerpuff Girls', Jim Gordon in 'Batman: Arkham Asylum', and Magneto in various Marvel games. His versatility allowed him to take on a wide range of roles, highlighting a long and successful career. He began his voice acting career in 1977 at the age of 15, and during the '90s and '00s he became widely known through roles in popular series such as 'Spider-Man: The Animated Series' and 'The Wild Thornberrys'.

Timeline

1977: Tom Kane begins his voice acting career at age 15.
2000: He joins the Star Wars franchise as the voice of Yoda in 'Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles'.
2021: Kane retires after a 2020 stroke affected his speech.
2022: His final voice role is in 'LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga'.
2026-05-18: Tom Kane dies at 64 from complications of a stroke.

Personal life

Tom Kane was not only a gifted voice actor, but also a devoted husband and father. He leaves behind his wife and nine children, three biological and six adopted. His stories about his work and his life were central to his identity, according to his talent agency. Kane will be remembered as a legend in the world of voice acting, with a legacy that extends far beyond his many famous roles.

The loss of Tom Kane is a reminder of the impact a single voice can have across generations and media, one that many fans will continue to enjoy for years to come.