James Carter Cathcart, the voice behind several popular Pokémon characters, died of throat cancer at the age of 71 at Calvary Hospital in New York City on July 8, wife Martha Jacobi said in a statement.

Sharing the news of Carter’s demise with fans on Facebook, Martha wrote, “My beloved husband, James Carter Cathcart (aka Jimmy Zoppi, Billy Beach, and Carter Cathcart), passed away on July 8, 2025, surrounded by the people who loved him most.”

“Our family would like to thank you all for the outpouring of love and support that we have experienced during his various illness over the last several years, and especially since his terminal diagnosis in January of this year.,” she added.

Carter started out as a musician and jingle writer—creating songs like the original Hello Kitty! theme—before moving into voice acting. He became a key part of Pokémon for 25 years, voicing major characters and adapting the English script for 17 of them.

Carter built an impressive legacy in the Pokémon universe, lending his voice to more than 700 TV episodes, 15 films and multiple video games since his debut in Pokémon: The First Movie in 1998. His standout roles included iconic characters like Professor Oak, Gary Oak, Team Rocket’s James, and the ever-chatty Meowth.

Before embarking on his voice-acting journey, Carter was part of the 1970s New York punk scene as a guitarist and singer for the band The Laughing Dogs.

Commemorating his legacy, Pokémon co-star Erica Schroeder wrote on Instagram, “Rest in peace dear sweet man. Master of the pen, piano and microphone. James Carter Cathcart you were one of a kind, a gentle, beautiful, playful genius and I was happy to call you my friend.”

Prior to his retirement in 2023 following a throat cancer diagnosis, Carter, also credited as Jimmy Zoppi, voiced characters in numerous other productions, including Sonic X, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Duel Masters, Aria: The Animation, Impy’s Island, The Three Musketeers, Little Bird’s Big Adventure, and Mashed.

Carter is survived by his wife Martha Jacobi and children—-daughters—-Nicole Zoppi and Mackenzie—-and son—Carter.

The funeral is scheduled to take place at St. Luke's Lutheran Church, New York City in August.