James Carter Cathcart, Beloved 'Pokémon' Voice Actor, Has Died at Age 71
James Carter Cathcart was a unique talent.
Published July 11 2025, 10:57 a.m. ET
When it comes to acting, the voice actor is often taken for granted. This kind of work can involve anything from narrating audiobooks to dubbing foreign films. You'll hear their disembodied voices on commercials or perhaps announcing safety information at an amusement park. It's truly one of the most versatile acting professions.
The best gig a voice actor can get is in an animated movie or television series. Take a look at The Simpsons, which has been around since 1989. With few changes, most of those voice actors have been working for over 35 years. It's the most forgiving and accessible part of a business that puts too much emphasis on physical appearance. Sadly, the voice acting world lost one of its best when James Carter Cathcart died at the age of 71.
Here's what we know about James Carter Cathcart's cause of death.
In a moving post to Facebook, James's wife, Martha Jacobi, shared that he died on July 8, 2025. Martha mentioned a terminal diagnosis that her husband received earlier in the year, but didn't go into details. According to The New York Times, James's ex-wife said in a separate interview that he had throat cancer.
Beyond his work as a voice actor, James was first and foremost a musician. Martha described him as a child prodigy who "honed his talent at the internationally acclaimed Interlochen Arts Academy." She doesn't mention what instrument or instruments James played, but Martha's Facebook cover is a picture of her husband sitting at a piano. That would explain his love of jazz, rock, and pop.
His band, The Laughing Dogs, opened for groups like Blondie as well as Micky Dolenz and Davey Jones of the Monkees. James was also a session musician who wrote jingles such as the theme song for the animated show Hello Kitty!. It was that job that led James to voice acting and his pivotal work in that space.
James Carter Cathcart voiced several 'Pokémon' characters.
Few anime shows have broken out of the genre quite like Pokémon. James was responsible for bringing several characters to life. He was the voice behind Gary Oak, James, Meowth, and Professor Oak in the English version of the franchise. James appeared in more than 15 Pokémon films and lent his talents to over 700 episodes of the series. It was his throat cancer diagnosis that pushed James into retirement in 2023. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.