- 7 hours ago
When a beloved voice actor passes away, some animated characters are retired while others live on with a new performer. Join us as we count down the cartoon icons who kept going after a tragic loss, from classic Disney favorites to modern TV staples. Our list includes Bugs Bunny, Scooby-Doo, Mickey Mouse and more! Which recast hit the closest to the original?
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00:05Welcome to Miss Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the cartoon characters from TV
00:10whose actors changed after the original person to voice them passed away.
00:14Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, it's about time!
00:20Clifford, Clifford the Big Red Dog franchise.
00:23This children's series about an enormous canine originally starred John Ritter as the large red pooch.
00:28Ritter put just the right amount of kindness and warmth into the gentle giant dog.
00:32Swimming! Okay! Come on, Clifford!
00:38Okay, swimming's a lot more fun than playing tricks any day.
00:41However, following the actor's tragic death from heart-related issues, the show and character were effectively retired,
00:47despite a spin-off focusing on Clifford's life as a puppy airing alongside it.
00:50It wasn't until 2019 that a revival series finally happened, with actor Adam Sanders taking over the role.
00:56He had some big paws to fill, so to speak, but he did so wonderfully.
00:59I am dog-bot. My robo-mission is to make you twirl even faster.
01:04Dale Gribble, King of the Hill. Paranoid, political, and incredibly entertaining.
01:08Dale Gribble is a standout character even in King of the Hill's impressive cast.
01:12How is cutting down on pollution a government plot, Dale?
01:16Open up your eyes, man. They're trying to control global warming. Get it? Glo-bal.
01:22Dale was voiced by series producer and writer Johnny Hardwick for the entirety of the show's original run,
01:27and a few episodes of the revival.
01:29However, after Hardwick's sudden, unexplained death, Dale's new voice is performed by Toby Huss,
01:33who also voices Hank's father, Cotton.
01:35They sell us off to the Red Cross, who removes our kidneys, which go back on the pizzas to start
01:42the process all over again.
01:43While Dale's voice getting replaced as no grand plot, Huss's impression is uncanny,
01:48and Hardwick's death was mysterious enough that it would probably get Dale's conspiracy-obsessed mind working if he were made
01:53aware of it.
01:54It was decided by the United Nations, as has every election and Miss Universe since 1979.
02:02Uh, I'm sorry for my friend.
02:04Lee Ren, Ruby.
02:06Calm, patient, and soft-spoken, Lee Ren didn't say much at first,
02:10but when he did, it was with the voice of Ruby's creator, Monty Ohm.
02:13Firm best friends with the far more outgoing Nora,
02:16Ren is a valued member of Team JNPR.
02:18We're frequent allies of the eponymous teams.
02:21I don't think sloths make a lot of noise.
02:24That's why it's perfect!
02:26No one will suspect we're working together!
02:28Come on, Nora. Let's go.
02:30But, like many things about Ruby,
02:31Ren's voice changed following Ohm's heartbreaking death from an allergic reaction in 2015.
02:36Character remained in the Ohm family, however,
02:38as the mantle of Ren's voice was taken up by Monty's brother, Neith.
02:41That's more than one!
02:44But we're helping Ruby with her objective.
02:47Wouldn't that make her the leader?
02:49Cole, Ninjago.
02:50While there's plenty of humor to go around in this Lego-inspired animated series,
02:54Cole is arguably the most unserious character of the bunch.
02:57The ninja of Earth loves joking around almost as much as he loves cake, and he loves cake.
03:02What is this cake?
03:03Imagine all that is good, baked until it's warm and moist, then add a sweet, sugary frosting.
03:12That's cake!
03:13Kirby Morrow's performance helped make Cole a fan favorite for most of the show's run,
03:17but Morrow tragically passed on in 2020,
03:19leading to Andrew Francis becoming Cole's new performer for Ninjago's final season,
03:23as well as the subsequent parts of the franchise that have followed since its conclusion.
03:34Timmy Turner, The Fairly Oddparents
03:36Tara Strong is iconic in the role of Timmy Turner, the boy to whom the titular fairy godparents belong.
03:41However, given how long the franchise has been running,
03:43it's easy to forget or just not to know that Strong wasn't the first voice actor to play Timmy.
03:59The Fairly Oddparents originated as a series of shorts in the Oh Yeah! Cartoon's anthology.
04:03In these cartoons, Timmy was first played by Mary Kay Bergman.
04:06However, Bergman tragically took her own life in 1999.
04:10Strong later dubbed over Bergman's original performance to keep things consistent with the main show.
04:14Still, we can't help but wonder what might have been.
04:16Oh, Vicky! Remember, you promised to hand wash all my laundry?
04:21After all, Mom, she did such a great job on the dishes!
04:23Mal, Captain Planet and the Planeteers
04:27My ID scanner detects an unauthorized life form. Please identify.
04:32This classic cartoon had a high-profile cast behind heroes and villains.
04:36The malevolent Malware was played by David Rapoport.
04:39Before stealing scenes in the show, he had a burgeoning career on both the stage and on the screen.
04:43Rapoport only appeared on Captain Planet a handful of times
04:46before he passed away in 1990.
04:48Eventually, the show brought on an equally eclectic actor to continue his legacy.
04:52His name is Tim Curry.
04:54Boredom's not making you yawn. It's carbon dioxide.
04:58What? You mean we're running out of oxygen?
05:01Not we, human.
05:04Following Rapoport's time in the role with another legend made the transition feel natural.
05:09Curry managed to keep the essence of the character while bringing his own personality into the role.
05:13Darling, you're jealous just because you didn't invent a doorway to the past and future.
05:18If I did, it would reach further than a measly 50 years.
05:23Caillou. Caillou.
05:24After Caillou's first season, Jacqueline Linetsky took over as the title character.
05:28I don't like Rosie!
05:30Why not?
05:31Rosie doesn't play with me.
05:34She brought out both the charming and bratty sides of the character with honesty and realism.
05:38Tragically, Linetsky lost her life in a car accident.
05:41After this sad news broke, actress Annie Bovar steps into the role in 2003.
05:46I'm Pilot Caillou and we're taking off on a flight to the park.
05:50She was faced with the challenging task of making the character sound familiar to the young audiences
05:54who had grown accustomed to Caillou's voice.
05:57Fortunately, Bovar was the perfect choice.
05:59Her take on Caillou more than lived up to the legacy that had been established by other performers.
06:04Bovar starred as the title character all the way through the original series' end in 2010.
06:08You're all better.
06:10Thanks, Dr. Caillou.
06:12Is everyone ready for takeoff?
06:14Charles Duckman.
06:15Private Dick, Family Man.
06:17For most of the series, Dana Hill brought an unparalleled attitude to one half of the conjoined
06:22duck twins.
06:22Dad, if your life was a TV series, then this would have been one of those shows full of clips
06:28and highlights.
06:29Her raspy vocal performance and quick delivery made her work stand out.
06:32After Hill completed vocal work for nearly 50 episodes, she passed away due to complications
06:37from diabetes.
06:38To finish out the series, Pat Music took over as Charles for the series' final stories.
06:42Hey, hey, hey!
06:43Dad, where have you been?
06:45You've even beaten your previous Tardiness record, which you said at your grandmother's
06:48funeral!
06:49The gruff texture she added to her voice was perfect for the character.
06:52Additionally, Music knew how to bring the sass to Charles as well.
06:56The change between the two felt practically seamless by the end of the show's run.
07:00Charles and I will stick up convenience stores.
07:03And Ajax, you'll become a street hustler.
07:05Grandpa Lou, Rugrats.
07:06Why, when I was a spud, we didn't have puppet shows.
07:10If we wanted entertainment, we went out back and pulled up stumps.
07:13Adult characters in kids' shows don't always get a ton of time to shine.
07:17However, David Doyle made sure that every one of Grandpa Lou's lines was a classic.
07:22It's a testament to his inherent warmth that even the patriarch's most mundane stories
07:26could come off as charming.
07:27After Doyle died a few years into the show's run, it seemed like finding a worthy substitute
07:33was going to be impossible.
07:34Thankfully, Joe Alasky had the chops to do not just Lou, but Doyle justice.
07:39Well, that was the most uncomfortable ride I ever slept through.
07:44Huh.
07:45Well, I guess that explains it.
07:46They say lightning never strikes the same place twice, but that's precisely what happened
07:50with Grandpa Lou's first pair of voice actors.
07:55Look at this.
07:57My family came all the way to Canada to get me.
08:00Aku.
08:01Samurai Jack.
08:02Who dares to summon the master of masters?
08:07The deliverer of darkness, the shogun of sorrow.
08:11Aku!
08:13There's no easy way to replace an actor, especially one as iconic as the actor known as Mako.
08:18His intense vocals ensured that the villain was every bit as menacing as the show needed
08:22him to be.
08:23However, Mako's incredible comedic timing allowed for the character to leave us in stitches
08:27as well.
08:28He commanded the role of Aku throughout the original run of the show.
08:31Unfortunately, Mako passed away before the series returned in 2017.
08:35Actor Greg Baldwin was tasked with imitating an iconic villain role over a decade after fans
08:40first heard it.
08:41Well, it has been nice catching up, but I should go.
08:46I don't want to interrupt you and your lady friend.
08:50He met the challenge by matching all the ferocity and personality Mako brought to Aku.
08:54To say Baldwin's performance was a worthy follow-up would be a massive understatement.
08:59Sweetheart, you have to bring out your best to defeat him.
09:03And your best part is me!
09:07Martin, Sherry, Terry, and more.
09:09The Simpsons.
09:09Hey, Bard!
09:11Still freaking out because your mom aged 30 years in a day?
09:14Roosie Taylor voiced so many characters in this long-running animated series that her
09:19roles could fill an entire second Springfield.
09:22Not only did she carry a massive chunk of the ensemble on her shoulders, but she did
09:25it for 30 seasons straight.
09:27After Taylor's passing in 2019, the show had to find someone with both the range and
09:32the confidence to match that iconic legacy.
09:35Luckily, Grey Griffin moved to Springfield.
09:37Lisa, we have something to tell you.
09:40We had a party and didn't invite you.
09:42The extremely talented actress took over every single one of Taylor's roles.
09:46Griffin effortlessly plays any character the show needs her to.
09:49For three seasons and counting, she has definitely honored Taylor's legacy.
09:53But anyone who watches the TikTok dies after seven days.
09:58Aunt May, Spider-Man the Animated Series.
10:00You need some hot soup and a good long rest.
10:04A nice boy like you.
10:06Taking pictures in a sewer?
10:08And what if that horrible Spider-Man had caught you?
10:10Linda Gary's prolific career in the industry clearly helped her craft a lovable interpretation
10:14of Spider-Man's iconic guardian Aunt May.
10:17She had more than enough warmth, energy, and sharpness to accurately portray the character.
10:22Gary's excellent work in the first three seasons made the idea of recasting the role
10:26after her death extremely daunting.
10:28Instead of trying to match her predecessor's portrayal, Julie Bennett took the character
10:32in a different vocal direction.
10:34You've been pretty good insurance, lady.
10:36You'll need insurance if you don't give me back those rings.
10:39Hey, I like a lady with spunk.
10:42Her voice came off as a bit softer and a bit spunkier.
10:44While the change is noticeable, the differing performances made it easier to see how they
10:49each left their own unique marks on the show.
10:52Aunt May, thank goodness you're okay.
10:55I think these will be safer with you.
10:58John Redcorn III, King of the Hill.
11:00There is a very ancient ceremony I learned from my grandfather.
11:04We call upon the sacred Rimatania and we ask him to breathe life into our spirit bag.
11:09When fans think of this Native American masseur, Jonathan Joss' dry delivery probably comes
11:14to mind.
11:15But he wasn't the original voice for the character.
11:17For the show's first season, Victor Aaron Ramirez was fully behind Redcorn's hijinks.
11:22Unfortunately, that just makes it all the more tragic that he didn't live to see any of
11:26the episode's air.
11:27Aaron's loss left Joss with some major shoes to fill.
11:29I've healed you three to five nights a week for many years.
11:32I could really use a night off.
11:34Fortunately, he didn't miss a step.
11:36Joss took the foundation that was built in season one and absolutely ran with it.
11:40He ensured that Ramirez's character lived on as an iconic part of the beloved sitcom.
11:45I love treating you for migraines.
11:49Then what is it?
11:49It's nothing.
11:50It's not nothing.
11:51It's just, damn it, can I take a night off?
11:53Jim Lake Jr., Trollhunters, Tales of Arcadia.
11:56Oh yeah, this.
11:58Funny story about this.
12:00It's, uh, for Romeo and Juliet.
12:04At just 27 years old, there's no question that Anton Yelchin was taken away too soon.
12:08He starred in a number of incredible roles before his passing.
12:11On Trollhunters, Tales of Arcadia, he starred as the layered hero Jim Lake Jr.
12:16Although the show was able to use some of Yelchin's work for the in-progress final season,
12:20they needed a new voice for the leading man.
12:22That's when Emile Hirsch stepped up to continue the role.
12:24He even went on to voice Lake Jr. in the spinoffs Wizards and Three Below.
12:28I'm just, uh, looking for guidance.
12:34While Hirsch's work was praised, the series never forgot about Yelchin's contributions.
12:38They dedicated the series to him and brought back one of the actor's best monologues for an encore in the
12:44wrap-up film.
12:44That to strive and triumph in the face of fear is what it means to be a hero.
12:54Uncle Iroh, Avatar The Last Airbender
12:56While it is always best to believe in oneself, a little help from others can be a great blessing.
13:04Iroh's wisdom, humor, and quiet strength were always appreciated by fans.
13:09Mako made it so that the character could effortlessly crack a joke one minute and break your heart the next.
13:13His contributions to the character can't be understated.
13:16After Mako's passing, Greg Baldwin came in to complete Iroh's journey.
13:20Goodbye, General Iroh.
13:22Goodbye, everyone.
13:24Today, destiny is our friend.
13:27I know it.
13:29The actor voiced the character in both The Last Airbender and Legend of Korra.
13:33Baldwin nailed the nuances that made Iroh so lovable.
13:36Before he did an excellent job of taking over,
13:38the show used the Tales of Ba Sing Se episode to honor the original performer.
13:43Fans heard Mako's Iroh sing a sobering tribute to his fallen son
13:47before the show bade farewell to the actor.
13:51Brave soldier boy
13:54Comes marching home
14:00Donald Duck
14:01Various
14:02Okay, I saw yours.
14:04Show your back.
14:05For over 50 years, the voice of Donald Duck was provided by Clarence Nash.
14:09Nash originally developed the voice thinking it fit a goat character,
14:12but Walt Disney thought a duck fit better, and the rest is history.
14:15No, Donald was first a goat.
14:17Well, I imitated him, and he'd go,
14:20You know?
14:21Yeah.
14:22Well, one day I thought I could say words with it.
14:24However, Nash couldn't play the character forever.
14:26In the early 80s, Nash began personally training his successor,
14:29former Disney animator Tony Anselmo.
14:31While many have imitated Donald's voice, according to Anselmo,
14:34only he knows the correct way to do the raspy, iconic sound.
14:37No doubt he'll pass the secret on to whoever ends up replacing him one day.
14:40Oh, and one more thing.
14:43Give me a hug.
14:44Oh, we're really gonna miss you on the Donald.
14:48Oh, I'm gonna miss you too.
14:51Minnie Mouse, Various
14:52Too much.
14:54What am I gonna wear?
14:56What am I gonna wear?
14:57What am I gonna wear?
15:01Oh.
15:03A classic.
15:05There have been many people who have voiced Minnie Mouse,
15:07the famous sweetheart of Mickey Mouse.
15:08Disney's mascot.
15:09More on him soon.
15:10While plenty of them have passed on, we'll be focusing on one,
15:13and it's a familiar name too.
15:14Roosie Taylor.
15:15Let's see.
15:16Oh!
15:18Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face.
15:20Else would have made me blush, be paint my cheek for that which thou hast heard me speak tonight.
15:25Prolific voice actress was Minnie's high-pitched voice from 1986 until her death from cancer in 2019.
15:30Notably, she was also married to Wayne Allwine, the voice actor for Mickey, but we'll get to him soon.
15:35After Taylor's passing, Caitlin Robrock became the new voice of Minnie,
15:38which she continues to perform across several TV series.
15:41But I know I'd only smile, never frown as long as I'm with you.
15:47Mickey Mouse, Various
15:54Disney's mascot character, and a contender for the world's most famous cartoon character ever,
15:59Mickey Mouse has been voiced by many people over nearly the last 100 years.
16:02Mickey has outlived several of his voice actors, starting with his original voice, Walt Disney himself.
16:07If you listen to the early Mickeys,
16:08Come on! We gotta hurry!
16:10you hear a higher-voiced Mickey than you do, say,
16:13the last time he voiced Mickey was for the Mickey Mouse Club back in 1955.
16:17Although Disney had already stepped back from the role somewhat before his death in 1962,
16:21leaving things to actor Jimmy McDonald,
16:23he had certainly passed away by the time Wayne Allwine took over the role.
16:26Keep it alive until the next Mickey comes along, and it will one day,
16:29and that's also one of the heartbreaks of the character,
16:33doing the job because, you know, I'm three, there's gonna be a four.
16:37Allwine played Mickey for over 30 years until his own passing in 2009,
16:41whereupon he was replaced with the mouse's current voice, Brett Iwin.
16:44Hot dog! Daily reward! Bonus points for playing again!
16:49Scooby-Doo, Scooby-Doo franchise
16:51Given that it's been around for half a century,
16:53the Scooby-Doo franchise has featured a few cast members pass away and need to be replaced.
16:57While we consider talking about Daphne Blake,
16:59we've already covered Mary Kay Bergman's untimely death.
17:01You know, the real reason I changed jobs was because the monsters and ghosts
17:05always turned out to be bad guys in a mask.
17:08Got a little boring, eh?
17:11No kidding.
17:12Rather, we're going with Scooby himself.
17:14Don Messick was the first person to play Scooby-Doo,
17:16developing all the talking dog's signature speech patterns,
17:19like starting words with R's.
17:20Do I get a Scooby start?
17:22We'll look for one after we're off the camera here.
17:25Uh, okay. Scooby-Doo-Bee-Doo.
17:29He played Scooby until his death in 1997.
17:32While actors Hadley Kay and Scott Innes were tried out for the part in various media,
17:36and Innes does still play him occasionally,
17:38the main voice of Scooby-Doo eventually went to Frank Welker,
17:41who has also voiced Fred Jones since the franchise began.
17:43Why aren't you two supportively agreeing with me?
17:45What?
17:46Huh? Oh, sorry. You're awesome.
17:49Bugs Bunny, Looney Tunes franchise.
17:51The world lost one of its greatest voice actors after the death of Mel Blanc in 1989.
17:56Called the man of a thousand voices,
17:57Blanc played basically every major Looney Tunes character for over 50 years.
18:01Ooh, I thought I saw a pudding cat. I did see a pudding cat.
18:05But since listing them all would take way too long,
18:07let's focus on the franchise's leading man, uh, rabbit.
18:10Bugs Bunny.
18:11Bugs has been voiced by a whole cavalcade of performers since Blanc's death,
18:15including Billy West, Greg Burson, and Joe Alasky,
18:18the latter two of which have also passed away.
18:20Is there a doctor in the house? Is there a doctor in the house?
18:24I'm a doctor.
18:28What's up, doc?
18:29The most consistent new voice for Bugs, though,
18:31is voice actor and impressionist Jeff Bergman,
18:33who continues to play the witty, wascally wabbit today.
18:36But how's a guy supposed to get by without a radically buffed up bod?
18:42You're developing the wrong muscle, kiddo.
18:44Us rabbits got our strength in our heads.
18:47Is there a cartoon character whose voice came to an untimely end that we forgot?
18:50Tell us what's up with your picks, doc.
18:53Well, believe that I am.
18:55Bye-bye.
18:55Bye-bye.
18:55You
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