James Carter Cathcart—yeah, *the* voice behind some of the most legendary cartoon characters out there—has died at 71. Throat cancer, brutal stuff. TMZ says he passed in hospice, Forest Hills, New York, this Tuesday, July 8.
If you grew up glued to the TV in the ‘90s, you heard this guy. He was the English voice of Meowth, James from Team Rocket, Professor Oak, Gary Oak… basically half the cast of the Pokémon anime. The range on this guy? Unreal. He could be hilarious one minute, then dead serious the next, and somehow it all worked.
Who was James Carter Cathcart?
And hey, Pokémon wasn’t his only gig. He voiced Vector the Crocodile in Sonic X (yeah, the green guy with the headphones) and popped up in the Shadow the Hedgehog game, too. Before all that, he was hustling his voice in commercials—think Kit Kat breaks and Coors Light. Dude was everywhere.
But here’s a twist: the guy could rock out, too. Back in high school, he was already jamming in bands. The Laughing Dogs, remember them? Probably not, but they dropped two albums with Columbia Records in the late ‘70s. He even fronted his own group, the Carter Cathcart Band. Multitalented doesn’t even cover it.
Sad part? He got hit with a throat cancer diagnosis in 2023, which forced him to hang up the mic for good. His last hurrah was finishing Pokémon: Ultimate Journeys—pretty fitting, honestly. He tried everything—chemo and all—but in the end, it wasn’t enough.
After he passed, fellow voice actor Erica Schroeder had nothing but love for him. She called him “one of the most joyful, exuberant, kind-hearted and talented souls.” You could feel the loss in her words. “Master of the pen, piano and microphone. Friend to many. Loving father and husband. Thank you for your gifts.” That about sums it up.
Tributes pour in for James Carter Cathcart
James Carter Cathcart, the voice of Gary Oak, James, Meowth, Professor Oak, and many more, has passed away.
He is not just a great voice actor; he is also an amazing and kind person who will be remembered for generations to come.
May he rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/t6KBDFHFim
— Out of Context Pokémon (@OoCPokemon) July 10, 2025
Devastated to hear James Carter Cathcart (James, Meowth, Professor Oak and Gary Oak in the Pokémon anime and also former script adaptor) has passed away.
He played such a big part of my childhood, even having been part of the anime since the very beginning and he will be missed. pic.twitter.com/xCo9mRgifr
— Alex Casswell (@AlexCasswell) July 10, 2025
Carter Cathcart recently passed away, and I’m beyond gutted. Not only did his work bring me immense joy, it inspired my own work in ways I can’t even imagine. I would’ve loved to have told him how much his work enriched my life, but he knew he was loved and appreciated. pic.twitter.com/LTsQRYfuUD
— TheCartoonGamer (@GamingXperience) July 10, 2025
OH NO!!!🥺
First we lost Rachael Lillis (The old VA of Misty and Jessie) last year, now we lost James Carter Cathcart?!…
This is very sad… We lost another great legend in the Pokemon and animation community… 😭
May James Cathcart rest in peace… 🌹 🕊️ https://t.co/dImtHXsfm8
— ScorbunnyDream (@scorbunnydream) July 10, 2025
