Peter Renaday, who was best known for his work as the original voice of Master Splinter on the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” animated TV show, has died at 89, per TMZ.
Law enforcement told the outlet that officers conducted a welfare check at Renaday’s home in Burbank on Sunday after receiving a call. When the police responded, they found him deceased.
Per TMZ, it appears Renaday died of natural causes, and his death is not being handled as a medical examiner case.
The late actor’s career spanned over six decades and he gained notoriety for his voice on the animated adaptation of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” which aired for 10 seasons from 1987 to 1996.
Renaday then reprised his role as Master Splinter for the non-musical spoken parts of the live-action “TMNT: Coming Out of Their Shells” concert event at Radio City Music Hall in 1990.
He also voiced Abraham Lincoln in “The Hall of Presidents” and in many video games, including Assassin’s Creed, Revenant and Shadow of Rome.
Renaday was born in Louisiana and began his acting career in 1965, when he appeared in the drama “Combat!.” He went on to book various roles in a string of Disney films: “Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N.,” “The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band,” “The Love Bug” and “The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes.”
By 1970, Renaday had landed a role in Disney’s animated feature, “The Aristocats.”
Through the ’70s and early ’80s, Renaday continued to appear in a slew of Disney projects.
Some of his most noteworthy films include “The Barefoot Executive,” “Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color,” “The Shaggy D.A.,” “The Cat from Outer Space” and “The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again.”
By the mid-’80s, Renaday fully moved into voice work, including Disney attractions such as Rocket to the Moon, Mission to Mars and Country Bear Jamboree.
Renaday’s last role was in 2019 when he voiced Forever Tree in the animated Christmas film “Piney: The Lonesome Pine.”
Renaday reflected on his work for Disney’s Country Bear Jamboree in a 2015 interview.
“I think a lot of folks are country music fans to begin with,” he said on The Tiara Talk Show at the time. “That’s why probably Country Bear has been such a popular attraction.”
Since Renaday was such a staple in the Disney community, he was asked to name what Disney song came to mind at that moment. He replied with the 1940 classic “When You Wish Upon a Star.”
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” Fred Wolf Films
Renaday was married to Florence “Flo” Daniel for 35 years, from 1979 until she died in 2011.
Daniel worked as Walt Disney Studios’ music department secretary for 35 years.
