Call of Duty fans with an attachment to the series’ Zombies mode have recently been given some heartbreaking news about one of its most prominent voice actors. As revealed in a post from his family, Call of Duty Zombies voice actor Tom Kane has suffered a major stroke.
The actor has a lengthy career in voice acting, playing many roles in video games, television, and movies. Kane played Yoda in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, with the actor also playing Admiral Ackbar in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Voicing Woodhouse in Season 5 of Archer as well as Professor Utonium in Powerpuff Girls, Kane’s voice has been heard by many over the past decades. However, gamers may know Kane best as Takeo Masaki.
Playing both the Ultimis version of Takeo as well as the heroic samurai seen in the Primis lineup, fans grew attached to the character over the years. From Takeo’s debut in Call of Duty: World at War to his final appearance in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s Tag Der Toten map, Kane spent 10 years voicing the character. Through all the ups and down of the Aether story, Takeo was there, making the news of this stroke particularly devastating for fans of the character and Kane’s work.
While Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War may see more old Zombies characters returning via DLC, Kane will likely not be one of them. The stroke has apparently left him unable to speak more than a few words, with Kane no longer being able to read and spell. The news was detailed in a Facebook post from Kane’s daughter Sam, who shared he is “largely still himself” despite the “damage to the speech center of his brain." She added he is “in good spirits” and showing small improvements.
However, if players want to hear Kane as Takeo again, they will need to load up older versions of Zombies or Treyarch’s Blackout battle royale mode. Kane’s neurologist has warned his family that “he may not do voiceovers again,” with the stroke possibly bringing an end to the voice actor’s career. If it is the end, Kane can rest easy knowing he brought plenty of his fans happiness through his work. With it still “possible for him to gain functions back,” hopefully things go well and Kane recovers as much as possible.
Sam ensured readers that Kane would see every reply made to the post, giving the Call of Duty Zombies community an outlet to pay their respects to the man and his work. With many already wishing him the best, Kane should be glad to know that so many people, Call of Duty fans and beyond, are hoping for him to recover.
Source: Facebook/Tom Kane