Beloved Pokémon voice actor James Carter Cathcart dies at 71

Sad news has enveloped Pallet Town and the rest of the Pokémon community after hearing that James Carter Cathcart, who voiced Professor Oak, Gary Oak, Meowth, and Team Rocket member James for the uber-popular and ground-breaking Pokémon franchise, has passed away at the age of 71. According to reports, Cathcart died on Tuesday after a battle with throat cancer.

“Rest in peace dear sweet man. I will miss you,” his Pokémon co-star Erica Schroeder, who voiced Nurse Joy, Wobbuffet, Eevee, and more characters, wrote in tribute on Instagram. “The community will miss you. The world will miss you. One of the most joyful, exuberant, kind-hearted and talented souls no longer walks with us. James Carter Cathcart you were one of a kind, a gentle, beautiful, playful genius and I was happy to call you my friend. Master of the pen, piano and microphone. Friend to many. Loving father and husband. Thank you for your gifts.”

James Carter Cathcart is a Pokémon series legend. He was in the first episode and through Season 25 of the fan-favorite cartoon series. He starred in 15 Pokémon films across the franchise’s history and more than 700 episodes of the series adaptation. He retired in 2023 after complications from the throat cancer.

In addition to his Pokémon contributions, James Carter Cathcart voiced characters for such popular franchises as Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog, Yu-Gi-Oh!, One Piece, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Mew Mew Power, and more. Cathcart also commanded respect in the video game space, contributing to games like Shadow Hearts, Cubix: Robots for Everyone: Showdown, Rune II, Shadow the Hedgehog, and more.

We offer our condolences to Mr. Cathcart’s family, friends, and fans. Losing Cathcart is like losing a piece of our childhood (or early teens), with his zany antics as Meowth and James being among his most memorable performances. While he’s no longer with us in body, his spirit remains, and his contributions to so many cherished projects across the entertainment spectrum will keep him close for generations. Safe travels, Mr. Cathcart. We will miss you.

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