Kirby Morrow, Hallmark Channel and ‘Dragon Ball Z’ Actor, Dead at 47

Actor and voice actor Kirby Morrow has died. Morrow, best known for his role in Dragon Ball Z and Stargate Atlantis, as well as roles in numerous Hallmark Channel titles, passed away Wednesday, Nov. 18. A cause of death has not yet been revealed. He was 47.

Morrow’s death was first confirmed by his brother, Casey, in a Facebook post on Thursday, according to GateWorld.net. Announcing his passing, Casey said that Morrow “was a blessed and talented individual who brought joy to so many but also thrived off all your love and friendship.” He added that his brother “lived for it and it fueled him every day.” His death had later been confirmed by The Voice Artist’s Spotlight’s Twitter account.

Comicbook.com reports that Morrow was born in Jasper, Alberta in 1973 and studied acting at the Mount Royal University in Calgary. The actor landed his first major voice role in the late ’90s, voicing Michaelangelo in the live-action series of Ninja Turtles: Next Mutation. That role was followed by numerous other voice acting roles, including voicing Cyclops in the animated productions of X-Men: Evolution, Goku in the Canadian import of Dragon Ball Z, Cole in the LEGO Ninjago series, Miroku in the English dub of Inuyasha and its various spinoffs, and Trowa in the dubbed version of anime series Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, among numerous others.

Morrow had also made a name for himself with roles on television, his best-known TV role being that of Captain Dave Kleinman in Stargate: Atlantis. He appeared in eight episodes of the series and returned in Stargate Universe. His other credits include roles in The CW’s The Flash, Van Helsing, FX’s Legion, and The Good Doctor. On the Hallmark Channel, Morrow starred in films such as A Family Thanksgiving and A Wish for Christmas.

News of Morrow’s passing shocked his fans and the world of anime. In the hours after Morrow’s death was confirmed, numerous people took to social media to pay their respects, with one fan remembering Morrow as “a huge part of my childhood, as Miroku, and as the voice of the Nutcracker. His sudden passing hurts a lot.” Another remembered the actor as “an inspiration to a whole generation, a natural leader, a hero to many and a ninja forever.”

At this time, no survivors or memorial plans are immediately available, according to Deadline. ComicBook.com reports that it remains unclear how Morrow’s passing will affect Yashahime: Princess Half Demon moving forward. The actor had been set to return to voice Miroku in the sequel series.