Departures of note

James J. Sloyan Jr. was an American character actor who worked steadily across stage, film, and television for more than four decades. He appeared in films including The Sting and Xanadu, and was a familiar presence on television series, notably appearing five times within the Star Trek universe across its various installments. He also had a recurring role on the sitcom Oh Madeline.

Beyond his on-camera work, Sloyan built a highly recognizable career as a voice actor. He was most widely known as the voice of Lexus in the automaker's commercials for nearly two decades, a role that made his voice familiar to audiences nationwide even when his face was not.

Trained on the stage, Sloyan combined a long theatre career with his screen work, earning respect as a versatile and dependable performer. His death was reported in September 2026 at the age of 85.