History DiedDuringProduction / WesternAnimation

* Creator/KeithKnight, the voice of Moldy Van Oldy in ''WesternAnimation/ErkyPerky'', died of brain cancer in August 22, 2007, during production of its second season. The character was ultimately retired after.

* Rob Gibbs passed away while working on the Creator/DisneyPlus series ''WesternAnimation/MonstersAtWork''. He was the father of Mary Gibbs, who voiced Boo in the series' predecessor ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc'' as well as toddler Riley (albeit via archived recordings) in ''WesternAnimation/InsideOut''.

** ''Just barely'' avoided by major character Luanne Platter when the series ended in September 2009 (even though there were four episodes that Fox didn't air, these ended up getting aired on Creator/AdultSwim and in syndication) - her voice actress, Creator/BrittanyMurphy mysteriously died of pneumonia (with secondary factors of iron-deficiency anemia and multiple drug intoxication, which led to cardiac arrest) three months later, meaning Luanne will have to either be PutOnABus or be [[TheOtherDarrin recast with another voice actress]] for the upcoming revival.

* With the passing of Norm Spencer on August 31, 2020, Creator/RayChase was cast as Cyclops in ''WesternAnimation/XMen97'', Creator/MarvelStudios' upcoming revival of ''WesternAnimation/XMenTheAnimatedSeries''. The death of Creator/DavidHemblen on November 16, 2020, also necessitated Magneto to be recasted, with Matthew Waterson taking over. Likewise, after David Fox dying days later the revival was announced, Creator/EricBauza took over as the voice of the Sentinels.

* Creator/KevinConroy, the long-time voice actor of ComicBook/{{Batman}} since ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'', passed away on November 11, 2022, from intestinal cancer while the latest ''Batman'' cartoon to have him as the staring role, ''Batman: Caped Crusader'', was still in production. Even if the show does get SavedFromDevelopmentHell, it's unknown how much of his lines Kevin was able to record prior to his passing.

* With the passing of Norm Spencer on August 31, 2020, Creator/RayChase was cast as Cyclops in ''WesternAnimation/XMen97'', Creator/MarvelStudios’ upcoming revival of ''WesternAnimation/XMenTheAnimatedSeries''. The death of Creator/DavidHemblen on November 16, 2020, also necessitated Magneto to be recasted, with Matthew Waterson taking over. Likewise, after David Fox dying days later the revival was announced, Creator/EricBauza took over as the voice of the Sentinels.

* With the passing of Norm Spencer on August 31, 2020, it remains to be seen who will voice Cyclops in ''WesternAnimation/XMen97'', Creator/MarvelStudios’ upcoming revival of ''WesternAnimation/XMenTheAnimatedSeries''. The death of Creator/DavidHemblen on November 16, 2020, will also necessitate Magneto to be recast.

* Creator/KirbyMorrow passed away from complications from substance abuse in November 2020, while two shows he provided voices for, ''WesternAnimation/{{Ninjago}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheEpicTalesOfCaptainUnderpants'', were still in production. However, LEGO confirmed that he had lines recorded for upcoming episodes of the former before his death. Beginning in October 2021, Creator/AndrewFrancis replaced Morrow in ''Ninjago''.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Cyberchase}}'' experienced this twice, with both Creator/LenCarlson (original voice of Buzz) and Creator/GilbertGottfried (long-time voice of Digit since the series' premiere in 2002), who passed away from a heart attack and fatal ventricular tachycardia on January 26, 2006 and April 12, 2022 respectively. After Carlson's death, Buzz was recast with Philip Williams. As for Gottfried, Creator/RonPardo would replace him as the new voice of Digit afterwards.

** Robert Morse, who voiced Santa Claus, died in April of 2022. As he was a recurring character, it's unknown what will happen to Santa in future episodes.

* Creator/KirbyMorrow passed away from complications from substance abuse in November 2020, while two shows he provided voices for, ''WesternAnimation/{{Ninjago}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheEpicTalesOfCaptainUnderpants'', were still in production. However, LEGO confirmed that he had lines recorded for upcoming episodes of the former before his death. Beginning in October 2021, Creator/AndrewFrancis will replace Morrow in ''Ninjago''.

** With the 2023 announcement of ''Zootoopia 2'', it remains to be seen how it will handle Finnick.

* In 2017, Nickelodeon announced the TV movie ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZimEnterTheFlorpus'', a spin-off of the fan-favorite Nicktoon. However, Lucille Bliss, who played Miss Bitters in the original show, died in 2012. Creator/CandiMilo had previously voiced Miss Bitters in the 2008 video game ''[[VideoGame/NicktoonsUnite Nicktoons: Globs of Doom]]'', owing to Bliss's failing health, while the special itself would ultimately avert this trope by having her appear as a silent cameo in a fantasy sequence.
* ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLifeStaticCling'' premiered over twenty years after the [[WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife original series]]' conclusion, with Kevin Meaney (who provided the voice of Widow Hutchison) passing away in 2016 in the meantime. The actual special averts this by making Widow an unvoiced cameo in a crowd shot during the scene where the characters attend the premiere of the reboot of ''The Fatheads''.

** Carlson was also working on ''WesternAnimation/AtomicBetty'', in which he had voiced Minimus P.U, at the time of his death. He would be replaced with Creator/DwayneHill (also the voice of Atomic Roger) for the remainder of the series. The Season 2 finale, "Takes One to Know One" is dedicated to Carlson's memory.

** Carlson was also working on ''WesternAnimation/AtomicBetty'', in which he had voiced Minimus P.U, at the time of his death. He would be replaced with Dwayne Hill (also the voice of Atomic Roger) for the remainder of the series. The Season 2 finale, "Takes One to Know One" is dedicated to Carlson's memory.

** Carlson was also working on ''WesternAnimation/AtomicBetty'', in which he had voiced Minimus P.U, at the time of his death. He would be replaced with Dwayne Hill (also the voice of Atomic Roger) in the remainder of the series. The Season 2 finale, "Takes One to Know One" is dedicated to Carlson's memory.

** Gottfried also managed to record some lines for ''WesternAnimation/MortalKombatLegendsCageMatch'' just before his death. His posthumous involvement with the project wasn't disclosed until the ''Cage Match'' trailer, thus many fans were surprised when they heard Gilbert's unmistakable voice. The fourth installment of ''Mortal Kombat Legends'' animated anthology was released on October 2023, and tribute to Gottfried is featured in the credits of said installment.

** Gottfried also managed to record some lines for ''WesternAnimation/MortalKombatLegendsCageMatch'' just before his death. His posthumous involvement with the project wasn't disclosed until the ''Cage Match'' trailer, thus many fans were surprised when they heard Gilbert's unmistakable voice. The fourth installment of ''Mortal Kombat Legends'' animated anthology is slated for release on October 2023.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'':
** David Doyle, the original voice of Grandpa Lou, had a fatal heart attack during the production of the fourth season. He was replaced by Joe Alaskey in later episodes. Due to Alaskey's own passing in 2016, Grandpa Lou is now voiced by Michael [=McKean=] of ''Series/BetterCallSaul''.
** Jack Riley, who played Stu Pickles, succumbed to pneumonia in the summer of 2016. He was replaced in [[WesternAnimation/Rugrats2021 the 2021 reboot]] with Tommy Dewey of ''Series/TheMindyProject''.

* Samantha Weinstein, the voice of Clara in ''WesternAnimation/DinoRanch'', died of ovarian cancer in May of 2023, months before season 3's scheduled premiere.

* Bram Bart, the voice of Mojo Jojo in the Dutch dub of ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls1998'', passed away in 2012. He would be replaced by Joop van den Beucken. He also voiced several characters in ''WesternAnimation/BobTheBuilder'', but those had been recast by the time he died.

* In the German dub of ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'', the original voice actors for Squidward, Plankton and Mr. Krabs passed away in 2014, 2018 and 2023 respectively.

* Creator/GilbertGottfried managed to record some lines for ''WesternAnimation/MortalKombatLegendsCageMatch'', and that was before he passed away from ventricular tachycardia in April 2022. His posthumous involvement with the project wasn't disclosed until the ''Cage Match'' trailer, thus many fans were surprised when they heard Gilbert's unmistakable voice. The fourth installment of ''Mortal Kombat Legends'' animated anthology is slated for release on October 2023.

* Played straight, averted, and occasionally played straight again regarding Creator/MelBlanc and his replacements for voicing the ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' characters. Blanc's final work as the classic characters was a 1989 car commercial featuring his son Noel; he died shortly after its completion (though it did leave his work on ''WesternAnimation/JetsonsTheMovie'' unfinished, as seen above). He's had many replacements over the years, but now we have to deal with the absence of actors Greg Burson (who voiced characters like Bugs Bunny and Foghorn Leghorn in the '90s on shows like ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'') and Joe Alaskey (one of the longer-tenured Daffy Duck voices, who voiced him and Bugs in ''Film/LooneyTunesBackInAction''; also remembered as Plucky Duck on ''Tiny Toons'' and Blanc's replacement as Yosemite Sam and Foghorn in ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'' when Blanc couldn't voice them anymore). However, Creator/JeffBergman has been voicing Bugs and Daffy again since ''WesternAnimation/TheLooneyTunesShow'', and Creator/EricBauza has been alternating roles with him since ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunesCartoons''.