Jim Ward
Description
Jim Ward was an American voice actor and radio personality with a career spanning over four decades, from the mid-1970s until his retirement in 2021. He was born James Kevin Ward on May 19, 1959, in San Francisco, California, and passed away on December 10, 2025, in Los Angeles at the age of 66. He was widely recognized for his extensive and versatile work in animation and video games.
Ward's career began after he graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, where his father was a professor. His first job out of college was as a tour guide at Universal Studios Hollywood, where he would entertain guests with his impressions and jokes. This talent for improvisation and mimicry became a cornerstone of his professional life, leading to work as a comedian and, eventually, a voice actor. His first notable voice acting role was as Spider-Man in the 1993 video game Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin.
Throughout his career, Ward built an extensive filmography in animation, providing voices for numerous beloved series. He was particularly well-known for his long-running roles on Nickelodeon's The Fairly OddParents, where he voiced characters such as the larger-than-life businessman Doug Dimmadome and news reporter Chet Ubetcha. On Cartoon Network's Ben 10, he was the voice of multiple alien forms, including Diamondhead, XLR8, and Wildvine. He also lent his voice to the Marvel animated universe, portraying Professor Charles Xavier in Wolverine and the X-Men and later in The Super Hero Squad Show.
Ward's contributions to the anime genre included English dubbing work for several prominent titles. He provided additional voices for the Studio Ghibli films Spirited Away and Porco Rosso. In the anime series Kaze no Yojimbo, he voiced the character Master of TONBO, as well as Tanida and a police officer in various episodes. His other anime dubbing credits include roles in the Mobile Suit Gundam movie trilogy.
In addition to animation, Ward was a prolific voice in the video game industry. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of the egotistical superhero Captain Qwark in the long-running Ratchet & Clank franchise, a role he played from 2002 to 2021. His other notable video game roles included Jack Krauser in Resident Evil 4, Director Granin in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and various characters in major franchises like Call of Duty, Fallout: New Vegas, and Diablo III.
In 2009, Ward received a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program for his multiple roles in the 2006 series Biker Mice from Mars, where he voiced characters including Stoker, Eyemore, and Crusher. Beyond voice acting, Ward was a longtime co-host of the syndicated radio program The Stephanie Miller Show from 2004 until 2017, where his impersonations of political figures and celebrities were a regular feature.
Ward's career began after he graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, where his father was a professor. His first job out of college was as a tour guide at Universal Studios Hollywood, where he would entertain guests with his impressions and jokes. This talent for improvisation and mimicry became a cornerstone of his professional life, leading to work as a comedian and, eventually, a voice actor. His first notable voice acting role was as Spider-Man in the 1993 video game Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin.
Throughout his career, Ward built an extensive filmography in animation, providing voices for numerous beloved series. He was particularly well-known for his long-running roles on Nickelodeon's The Fairly OddParents, where he voiced characters such as the larger-than-life businessman Doug Dimmadome and news reporter Chet Ubetcha. On Cartoon Network's Ben 10, he was the voice of multiple alien forms, including Diamondhead, XLR8, and Wildvine. He also lent his voice to the Marvel animated universe, portraying Professor Charles Xavier in Wolverine and the X-Men and later in The Super Hero Squad Show.
Ward's contributions to the anime genre included English dubbing work for several prominent titles. He provided additional voices for the Studio Ghibli films Spirited Away and Porco Rosso. In the anime series Kaze no Yojimbo, he voiced the character Master of TONBO, as well as Tanida and a police officer in various episodes. His other anime dubbing credits include roles in the Mobile Suit Gundam movie trilogy.
In addition to animation, Ward was a prolific voice in the video game industry. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of the egotistical superhero Captain Qwark in the long-running Ratchet & Clank franchise, a role he played from 2002 to 2021. His other notable video game roles included Jack Krauser in Resident Evil 4, Director Granin in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and various characters in major franchises like Call of Duty, Fallout: New Vegas, and Diablo III.
In 2009, Ward received a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program for his multiple roles in the 2006 series Biker Mice from Mars, where he voiced characters including Stoker, Eyemore, and Crusher. Beyond voice acting, Ward was a longtime co-host of the syndicated radio program The Stephanie Miller Show from 2004 until 2017, where his impersonations of political figures and celebrities were a regular feature.
All Characters
- EnglishAnime overview: Kaze no Yojimbo