Pokemon voice actor behind OG rival Gary, Professor Oak, Meowth, and James dies at 71

Veteran Pokemon voice actor James Carter Cathcart, informally known as Jimmy Zoppi, has died at age 71.

First reported by TMZ, Cathcart died following a battle with throat cancer, which he was diagnosed with in 2023.

Cathcart portrayed Ash Ketchum rival Gary Oak in the English dub of the Pokemon anime series from its debut in 1998, as well as Professor Oak, Meowth, and James from Team Rocket starting in season 9. Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, he would go on to voice a variety of more minor Pokemon characters in addition to his main roles. He retired in 2023 following his cancer diagnosis.

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While best known for Pokemon, Cathcart was prolific voice actor who's credited as Weevil Underwood and Lumis in Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, Sir Gallant and Chef Nagoya in Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, Butchie in One Piece, and Vector the Crocodile in Sonic X.

Cathcart was also a lifelong musician, taking on guitar and vocal duties in American rock band The Laughing Dog and frontrunning his own band, the Carter Cathcart Band, since 1981.

Erica Schroeder, who voiced alongside Cathcart in Pokemon, shared a tribute on Instagram, calling the late actor "Master of the pen, piano and microphone. Friend to many. Loving father and husband."