Longtime “Pokémon” voice actor James Carter Cathcart has died. He was 71 years old.
Cathcart, who was also known as “Jimmy Zoppi,” died of throat cancer, according to Deadline.
Martha Jacobi, his wife, wrote on Facebook Thursday morning that he died peacefully at Calvary Hospital, in the Bronx on Tuesday.
“Thanks to all of Jimmy’s fans over the years,” she wrote! “Giving you joy was why he worked so hard on his craft. Please know how much he appreciated you!”
Cathcart provided the voices of several characters on the show, including James, Meowth, Professor Oak and Gary Oak, for over 25 years.
Cathcart worked on several hundred “Pokémon” projects, including more than 700 TV episodes, 15 movies and video games. He debuted with the franchise in 1998’s “Pokémon: The First Movie.”
He was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2023 and retired from acting.
Born in New Jersey on March 8, 1954, Cathcart started out as a musician, playing keyboards for The Laughing Dog, Dave Brubek and Rupert Holmes.