Robert Axelrod, Power Rangers' Lord Zedd, Dead at 70

[Smart Marx]

RIP Robert Axelrod, the Voice Behind Power Rangers' Legendary Archvillain Lord Zedd

Robert Axelrod, the man who lent his voice to Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers’ cackling dominus Lord Zedd and hundreds of other beloved characters across anime and Western cartoons, has passed away at the age of 70.

The actor’s passing was announced yesterday by his agent. Axelrod’s early career in acting included roles in The Blob, but his true strength lay in voice acting, lending his talents to everything from Robotech to one of his most notable animated roles, Digimon’s Wizardmon. But fans are likely to best remember Axelrod for his role as one of Power Rangers’ most sinister villains, Lord Zedd.

Introduced in the second season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers after the show became an overnight sensation, Zedd’s arrival—deposing its primary threat up till that point, Rita Repulsa, to take direct control of his force’s efforts against the Power Rangers—represented a seismic shift in the series’ sense of scale and threat. It was a shocking status quo change that still goes down as one of the most iconic moments in the franchise’s entire history, and one sold—and made powerfully fearsome to kids watching—by Axelrod’s grand, booming performance.




Axelrod actually already lent his voice to another villain on the series before taking on the role of Zedd—voicing Finster, Rita’s imp-like monster maker—but it was in Zedd that he would become forever a part of Power Rangers’ legacy, a role that is still influencing aspects of the series, and being explored by it, today.

Our thoughts go out to his family, friends, and colleagues in this sad time.

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I can't even begin to explain how much this hits me in my feels. He passed away a couple days ago, but I didn't catch the news.

Power Rangers was my childhood and Lord Zedd was one of my favorite villains.

I'll have to honor Lord Zedd shortly. Rest in peace, Robert.

 

[Petty]

RIP to a legend. Loved him as Lord Zed! The memories of the Power Rangers hold a place in my heart from a time I will always cherish!

 

[Apoho Creed]

For those who know me well, they know I'm still in love with Super Sentai, Kamen Rider, and Power Rangers. Lord Zedd voiced by Robert Axelrod really changed the PR Show for the better when the use of Rita was losing it's momentum. Quite scary and dark for sure, but he might of voiced a villain he was the nicest man you could meet.

 

[Smart Marx]

In a weird coincidence Austin St. John who played the OG Red Ranger recently did a video remembering Thuy Trang.

Man, she was such a prankster.

 

[Apoho Creed]

Yeah everything Austin said was on point. I remember a story of them saying in Season when Zedd showed up she was injured the majority of the Season and how she fought through the pain and worked her ass off. They said they had to carry her around in Scenes in Season 2. When Trini, Zack, and Jason Characters were written off I was heartbroken, even more heartbroken when she didn't find any work like that because she was a great Actress. When she entered any Scene she made you pay attention.

 

[Petty]

She was certainly beautiful too. Nice tribute.

 

[Kiffy Lube]

Fuck, RIP.

Still love the first couple seasons of Power Rangers.

 

[Apoho Creed]

Fuck, RIP.

Still love the first couple seasons of Power Rangers.

On another forum I did a Rewatch of PR from the beginning and I kinda dropped it because no one really commented on it. Sucks when you do projects and put your heart and soul into it, and you don't get any feedback. I think I stopped during Part 4 or Part 5 with Green with Evil.

 

[Kiffy Lube]

You could repost them here and I'd read them... also to stop right in the middle of probably the best part of the series probably was a bit discouragin'.

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

My podcast partner Protomet is probably distraught over the news, considering he is a HUGE Super Sentai fan.

 

[Smart Marx]

On another forum I did a Rewatch of PR from the beginning and I kinda dropped it because no one really commented on it. Sucks when you do projects and put your heart and soul into it, and you don't get any feedback. I think I stopped during Part 4 or Part 5 with Green with Evil.

You could repost them here and I'd read them... also to stop right in the middle of probably the best part of the series probably was a bit discouragin'.

Yeah, re-post the ones you already did here and then continue it. I'll definitely comment on them on here.

I was a fan of Rangers up to Lightspeed Rescue.

I didn't get into the solo seasons, but honestly wouldn't mind reading your reviews, though.

This news and your reviews might inspire me to do a re-watch myself and I might even watch Sentai for comparison.

 

[Hidden Blaze]

Yeah this one hit me also. I was a huge huge power rangers fan. So for this to happen I was like damn. A legend truly gone.