James Carter Cathcart, the beloved voice actor for several characters in the English dubs of the Pokémon anime franchise, has died.
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Cathcart passed away on Tuesday morning at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx, New York City, at the age of 71.
His wife, Martha Jacobi, announced the sad news to his fans on Facebook. “Thanks to all of Jimmy’s fans over the years!” she wrote in part. “Giving you joy was why he worked so hard on his craft. Please know how much he appreciated you!”
Jacobi also announced that her husband’s funeral will take place next month in New York. She is arranging memorial donations with “one of the charities that was close to Jimmy’s heart.”
Meanwhile, TMZ reported that the voice actor passed away following a throat cancer diagnosis, citing a family member.
James Carter Cathcart’s Prolific Voice Acting Career
On Pokémon, Cathcart voiced several characters, including Professor Oak, Meowth, Gary Oak, and James from Team Rocket. He also voiced Vector the Crocodile in Sonic X and the Shadow the Hedgehog video game.
TMZ reports that Cathcart was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2023. After initial treatments were unsuccessful, he required more aggressive chemotherapy. He retired from voice acting after completing his work on the English dub of Pokémon: Ultimate Journeys.
Cathcart, born in New Jersey in 1954, started his career with the Laughing Dogs, a rock band that played at New York’s CBGB in the 1970s. The band released two albums with Columbia Records and toured with Blondie, the Patti Smith Group, and Cheap Trick.
Cathcart also voiced Cap’n O.G. Readmore, a cartoon cat promoting childhood literacy, for the ABC Weekend Special series in the 1980s.
According to IMDb, his other notable screen credits include Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, One Piece, Mission Odyssey, Funky Cops, and Ape Escape 2. He released a solo album titled I Was Missing You in 2009.
Voice actor Erica Schroeder, known for playing Eevee and other Pokémon characters, posted a tribute to Cathcart on Instagram.
“Rest in peace, dear sweet man,” Schroeder wrote alongside a candid snapshot of Cathcart. “I will miss you. 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.”