Toy Story voice actors who have sadly died since the first film
With its fifth film now available to watch in cinemas, Toy Story has been a generational franchise which children around the world have grown up with.
With the first film coming out over three decades ago, Andy and his toys, such as Buzz Lightyear, Woody (and his bald spot) and Mr Potato Head, have seen many of us through our childhood years and into adulthood.
Despite appearing to go their separate ways at the end of Toy Story 4, the gang is back together once again and dealing with a threat most of us are more than familiar with: the growth in popularity of electronic toys.
Watch the trailer below:
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The existential threat to the toys comes at the hands of an interactive tablet named Lilypad (voiced by Greta Lee) while Conan O'Brien is voicing the toilet training toy Smarty Pants, and Alan Cumming will be voicing Evil Bullseye.
The film's co-director Kenna Harris said: “It’s been a hilarious and poignant journey exploring how our favourite team of legacy toys might respond to today’s world of technology, and we’re thrilled to share this first glimpse with audiences,
“Having the remarkably talented Greta Lee bring Lilypad to life - balancing a playfully antagonistic tone with humour and heart - has been incredible.”
However, not all of the toys you know and love will be back, as some of the voice actors who brought the beloved characters to life are no longer with us.
Here are the actors we've lost over the years:
Don Rickles - Mr Potato Head
The famous insult comedian lent his voice to Mr Potato Head for the first three Toy Story movies before he passed away in 2017 at the ripe old age of 90.
Rickles was still credited with an appearance in Toy Story 4, however, as unused audio recordings were used.
The Pixar team asked his family if they wanted Rickles to be included in the 2019 film, and they agreed, as the comedian had asked them to 'keep my name alive'.
Going through years of recordings, along with ones he'd done for theme park rides, toys and clips of outtakes, they were able to give him some lines.
Both Potato Heads appear in the Toy Story 5 trailer.
Estelle Harris - Mrs Potato Head
Playing Mr Potato Head's better half in the second, third and fourth Toy Story movies, Estelle Harris passed away at the age of 93 in 2022.
Her appearance in Toy Story 4 was her final film role, though the teaser for the upcoming movie shows her character on screen.
Jim Varney - Slinky Dog
The actor and comedian died at the age of 50 in 2000 after playing Slinky Dog in the first two Toy Story films, though the character carried on with plenty of lines afterwards.
His friend Blake Clark took on the role afterwards for Toy Story 3 and 4, as well as various other short films and projects.
R. Lee Ermey - Sarge
The iconic voice of the American sergeant, thanks to his work in Full Metal Jacket, there was really no better choice to play the leader of the Green Army Men than R. Lee Ermey.
He appeared in the first three Toy Story movies as Sarge before leaving, since Andy had grown up and no longer needed them.
Ermey passed away in 2018 at the age of 74.
Ned Beatty - Lotso
The huggable villain of Toy Story 3, Ned Beatty, gave Lotso a voice that could switch from friendly to fearsome in a moment, and he ended up becoming one of the most dangerous adversaries Woody and the gang ever faced, having put a daycare centre under his control.
Beatty played Lotso in the film, and in other related projects, he died in 2021 at the age of 83.
Joe Ranft - Lenny the Binoculars & Wheezy
Pixar employee Joe Ranft was the voice for Lenny the Binoculars and the squeaky penguin Wheezy before he died in a car crash in 2005 at the age of 45.
Ranft had worked as an artist on many Disney projects, supervised the story on The Nightmare Before Christmas, and was one of the writers of the original Toy Story.
He also worked on various other Pixar projects, including A Bug's Life, where he voiced Heimlich, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles.
His final work was as co-director of the film Cars.
Robert Goulet - Wheezy's singing voice
While Joe Ranft provided the speaking voice for Wheezy, his rendition of 'You've Got A Friend In Me' at the end of Toy Story 2 was provided by famous actor and singer Robert Goulet.
The Tony Award winner was not credited for his part in the movie, but the part where Wheezy sings to finish the movie is Goulet's work.
He died in 2007 at the age of 73.
Bud Luckey - Chuckles the Clown
Another Pixar stalwart, Bud Luckey, designed some of your childhood's favourite characters, including Toy Story's famous cowboy Woody.
He created Woody's appearance, wrote and directed the short Pixar film Boundin' and provided the voice of Rick Dicker in The Incredibles before appearing in Toy Story 3 as Chuckles the Clown.
Having retired in 2014, he died in 2018 at the age of 83.
Jack Angel - Mr Shark, Rocky Gibraltar & Chunk
The voice actor and radio star Jack Angel voiced a couple of Andy's toys in the first Toy Story, including Mr Shark, who memorably steals Woody's hat to say 'I'm Woody! Howdy! Howdy! Howdy!' in the film.
He also played another toy in Andy's room, Rocky Gibraltar, while in Toy Story 3, he played Chunk, one of Lotso's goons and a toy that could change his facial expression by spinning it.
Angel lived until the age of 90, passing away in 2021.
John Cygan - Twitch
Playing another of Lotso's inner circle, Cygan had voiced characters in Cars and WALL-E before he played insect-toy Twitch in Toy Story 3.
He'd work with Pixar again for Monsters University and Inside Out, but sadly, he passed away at the age of 63 in 2017.
Brenna Cooper