Who Was James Carter Cathcart? Iconic Pokémon Anime Actor Who Voiced Gary Oak Dies At 71 Due To Throat Cancer

James Carter Cathcart, iconic voice of Meowth, James, and Professor Oak in Pokémon, has died at 71 from throat cancer. Known for his legendary range in anime, video games, and music, he leaves behind a legacy celebrated by fans and peers alike.

Published by Ashish Kumar Singh
Published: July 11, 2025 00:02:40 IST

Pokemon voice actor James Carter Cathcart dies at 71

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.