James Carter Cathcart, the voice actor renowned for bringing to life multiple characters in the English-language dubs of numerous Pokémon projects, passed away on Tuesday morning at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx, New York City. He was 71.
His wife, Martha Jacobi, shared the sad news on Facebook.
“Thanks to all of Jimmy’s fans over the years!” she wrote on his fan page. “Giving you joy was why he worked so hard on his craft. Please know how much he appreciated you!”
Jacobi also announced that a funeral service will be held next month in New York. She is currently coordinating with “one of the charities that was close to Jimmy’s heart” to set up a memorial fund.
The cause of death has not been disclosed.
According to Kotaku, Cathcart retired in 2023 after undergoing chemotherapy for throat cancer.
Fellow voice actress Erica Schroeder, known for voicing Eevee and other Pokémon characters, paid tribute to him on Instagram:
“Rest in peace dear sweet man,” she wrote. “I will miss you. The community will miss you. The world will miss you. One of the most joyful, exuberant, kind-hearted and talented souls no longer walks with us. James Carter Cathcart, you were one of a kind, a gentle, beautiful, playful genius and I was happy to call you my friend.”
Born in New Jersey in 1954, Cathcart first pursued music, performing with the rock band The Laughing Dogs, which was a fixture at New York’s iconic CBGB venue in the 1970s. The band released two albums on Columbia Records and toured with acts like Blondie, the Patti Smith Group, and Cheap Trick.
In the 1980s, he voiced Cap’n O.G. Readmore, a cartoon cat promoting childhood literacy, for ABC’s Weekend Special series, a role originally voiced by Frank Welker.
Also known by the alias Jimmy Zoppi, Cathcart was best known for his extensive work in the Pokémon franchise. He first voiced Fergus in Pokémon: The First Movie (1998), later taking over the iconic roles of Meowth, Team Rocket’s James, and Professor Oak. Over his career, he was credited in more than 30 Pokémon productions, and also worked as a script adaptor on several of them.
Cathcart also lent his voice to Vector the Crocodile in multiple Sonic the Hedgehog titles, portrayed Weevil Underwood in Yu-Gi-Oh, and worked on other notable projects such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, One Piece, Mission Odyssey, Funky Cops, and Ape Escape 2. He released a solo album titled I Was Missing You in 2009.
