Died at 64
male
Thomas Kane Roberts (April 15, 1962 – May 18, 2026) was an American voice actor. He was known for his work in animation and video games, most notably the Star Wars franchise, voicing established characters Yoda, Admiral Ackbar, Boba Fett, Qui-Gon Jinn, and C-3PO. Other notable roles include Professor Utonium in The Powerpuff Girls, Darwin Thornberry in The Wild Thornberrys, Mr. Herriman in Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, and Woodhouse in Archer, taking the role over from George Coe following his death in 2015. Kane provided his voice as an announcer for theme park attractions at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, and served as an announcer for several Academy Awards ceremonies, as well as for the Adult Swim series The Eric Andre Show in its second season. In November 2020, Kane suffered a stroke which left him with significant weakness on the right side of his body and damage to his speaking, writing, and reading abilities. In September 2021, his daughter Sam confirmed that he had to retire from voice acting. She gave regular updates on Facebook about his condition. Kane later died from complications of the stroke at a hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, on May 18, 2026, at the age of 64.
The show revolves around the adventures of three kindergarten aged girls with superpowers: Blossom (pink), Bubbles (blue), and Buttercup (green). The plot of an episode is usually some humorous variation of standard superhero and tokusatsu shows, with the girls using their powers to defend their town from villains and giant monsters. In addition, the girls have to deal with the normal issues that young children face, such as sibling rivalries, loose teeth, personal hygiene, going to school, bed wetting, or dependence on a security blanket. Episodes often contain hidden references to older pop culture (especially noticeable in the episode "Meet the Beat Alls," which is an homage to the Beatles). The cartoon always tries to keep different ideas within each episode with some small tributes and parodies thrown in. The show is set mainly in the city of Townsville, USA. Townsville is depicted as a major American city, with a cityscape consisting of several major skyscrapers. In his review of The Powerpuff Girls Movie, movie critic Bob Longino of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said, "the intricate drawings emanate 1950s futuristic pizzazz like a David Hockney scenescape," and that the show is "one of the few American creations that is both gleeful pop culture and exquisite high art."
