^{Credit: Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime, Tom Kane as Professor Utonium, Daveigh Chase as Lilo (Hasbro, Cartoon Network, Disney)}

The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards brought us some touching tributes to legends we lost in the past year, including Dolly Parton, Catherine O’Hara, and Rob Reiner. As is often the case, though, several prominent names were left out of the In Memoriam. Among this year’s most notable omissions were three voice acting giants: Peter Cullen, Tom Kane, and Daveigh Chase. Others outside of the voice acting community were missing, such as Chuck Norris. The In Memoriam also found room for a few stars who left their mark in voice acting, like Tim Curry, who won a Daytime Emmy for his performance as Captain Hook in Fox’s Peter Pan & the Pirates. Hayden Panettiere, who lent her voice to a few movies, shows, and video games, was recognized as well. Yet forgetting not just one, not just two, but three voice-acting powerhouses feels like a disservice to the profession. 

Peter Cullen will forever be linked to Optimus Prime, not only voicing the iconic character in the original Transformers animated series, but also in the live-action films. Among Cullen’s inspirations for Optimus’ voice was his late brother, Larry, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Cullen paid tribute to his brother when he accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2nd Children's and Family Emmy Awards. Less than a month ago, Cullen passed away from cardiac arrest at age 85. Cullen left behind a lengthy résumé, which, in addition to Optimus, included voicing Eeyore, the original Predator, and Thaedus from Invincible. 

Tom Kane was among the most versatile voice actors never to be nominated for an Emmy. He’s best remembered for his work on Craig McCracken shows, voicing Professor Utonium in The Powerpuff Girls and Mr. Herriman in Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. Kane’s talents extended to Darwin in The Wild Thornberrys and Yoda in various animated Star Wars projects. He even had ties to the Academy Awards, serving as an announcer on multiple occasions. Kane retired following a stroke in 2020. This past May, the 64-year-old Kane succumbed to the complications brought on by his stroke. 

Daveigh Chase was an especially devastating loss, only being 35 when AIDS cut her life short. Aside from voicing the titular heroine in 2002’s Lilo & Stitch, Chase went on to reprise the role in all 65 episodes of Lilo & Stitch: The Series. In August 2002, Daveigh Chase said that she'd like to win an Annie Award for her work as Lilo in Lilo & Stitch. A few months later, Chase got her wish, winning the Annie for Outstanding Achievement for Voice Acting in a Feature Production. Accepting her Annie, Chase said that she liked Lilo because "she wasn't perfect. She fought with her sister, and she punched the little girls at her hula class." 

Beyond other animated projects like the English dub of Spirited Away, Chase appeared in various live-action productions, including Emmy-nominated shows like Big Love. This made her omission all the more curious. Loss was a theme that loomed over the 78th Emmys, from Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz remembering their Buffy co-stars to the stars of Charlie’s Angels honoring Farrah Fawcett. Voice actors were a huge blind spot this year, however. To be a professional voice actor entails being a hidden figure, rarely, if ever, making on-screen appearances. We all know their voices, but Cullen, Kane, and Chase should’ve had their faces featured here. Hopefully the Children's and Family Emmys pay tribute to them down the line. Even if they do, there still seems to be a stigma that voice actors are for Saturday morning - not ready for primetime. 

Note: I know that Cullen, Kane, and Chase are listed among the TV Academy's In Memoriam on their website. That's better than nothing, but it's not the same as being on the telecast either. 

Nick Spake is the Author of Bright & Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows Volumes 1, 2, and 3. Available Now!