Dan Hennessey has died at the age of 82 (Image: Facebook)
Dan Hennessey, the voice behind a series of beloved cartoon characters, has died at the age of 82 as pour in.
The Canadian actor sadly passed away in his sleep at his home on Wednesday (November 13), according to .
The veteran voice actor had been battling Parkinson’s disease for several years before he lost his battle due to complications relating to his illness, his loved ones explained.
His family released a heartfelt statement following his death, which read: “We are so touched by all those letting us know how he impacted them through his craft, from stage to voice acting and direction.
“We are warmed by the fact that he provided comfort to a generation of kids around the world by giving voice to beloved animated characters like Braveheart Lion and Fatherbear, who were the personification of his kind and exuberant personality.”
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He voiced the kindly Father Bear on the animated series Little Bear (pictured), which ran from 1995 to 2001, and he also reprised the role on multiple video releasesDan Hennessey dead at 82: Inspector Gadget and Care Bears voice actor dies in sleep amid Parkinson’s battle (Image: No credit)
“That his contributions to voice acting and contagious spirit live on in perpetuity is a unique gift to those who greatly mourn his loss,” they added. “He truly was the bravest heart we knew.”
It didn’t take long before fans flooded to X – formerly known as Twitter – to share their tributes to the late star online. One user penned: “Dan Hennessey, the voice actor of Bully Koopa, plus other characters, has died at the age of 82… Thank you for our childhood memories. He will be missed, gone but not forgotten…”
Another agreed: “RIP to long time voice actor Dan Hennessey, who you may recognise from several classic animated series, which he helped provide to. He will be dearly missed, and we will treasure his contributions forever!”
A third chimed in with: “Dan Hennessey made our childhoods great, and he will always be Braveheart Lion from Care Bears just as Peter Cullen and Frank Welker will always be Optimus Prime and Megatron from Transformers.”
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He also lent the voice of Chief Quimy on Inspector Gadget (Image: No credit)
A fourth echoed: “I’d like to send my love and condolences to the friends, fans & family of Dan Hennessey. I think him for his contributions to the animation industry. May the Lord bless his sould & welcome him into His Kingdom.”
Hennessey’s most notable role was as Braveheart Lion in the popular children’s animated series Care Bears, which spawned multiple films, including the 1985 theatrical release The Care Bears Movie.
The film was a commercial success, grossing $34 million against a $2 million budget, and paved the way for future films inspired by toys, reports .
Hennessey was renowned for his versatility, lending his voice to a multitude of supporting roles across various animated shows rather than sticking to one long-running character.
His talent was on full display in numerous shows where he played diverse roles, including the animated version of Beetlejuice, the 1990s animated version of X-Men, the cartoon Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Babar, among many others.
Notably, he did provide his voice to the title role of RoboCop/Alex J. Murphy on the animated series inspired by the dark sci-fi crime film.
Hennessey is survived by his wife Patricia and his daughters Skye and Eden.