Shane Rimmer death: Thunderbirds actor who voiced Scott Tracy dies, aged 89

Shane Rimmer, best known for voicing Scott Tracy in the original Thunderbirds series, has died, aged 89.

The voice actor’s wife, Sheila, announced the news on a website belonging to Gerry Anderson, the co-creator of Thunderbirds.

He reportedly died at his home on early Friday (29 March) morning. The cause of death has not been revealed.

Rimmer, born in Ontario, Canada, moved to the UK during his twenties, auditioning for the part of Scott Tracy, the pilot of Thunderbird 1, in 1964.

As well as voicing Scott in the original series, Rimmer reprised the role in two feature films Thunderbirds Are GO and Thunderbird 6.

Rimmer also appeared in numerous live-action films, portraying Captain “Ace” Owens in Stanley Kubrick’s Dr Strangelove, a commander in the Roger Moore Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, and a policeman in Superman III.

Other television roles included an appearance in Doctor Who episode “The Gunfighters”, a reoccurring role on Coronation Street as Joe Donnelli and an appearance in the BBBC mini-series Oppenheimer. His last credited role was in Tim Burton’s 2012 film Dark Shadows.