Original voice of Shadow Warrior’s Lo Wang, John William Galt, has died

John William Galt, a voice actor known for his roles in classic FPSes such as Grandfather Enisi in Prey and Lo Wang in the original 1997 Shadow Warrior, has died. His death was announced by E1M1 Magazine and by 3D Realms, developer of the original Shadow Warrior and Prey.

According to sources cited by E1M1 Magazine, Galt died on the night of January 29, 2022. Born on April 4, 1940, Galt was 81. Neither E1M1 nor 3D Realms have shared a cause of death.

Along with his role as Lo Wang, Galt’s videogame credits include voice work in Shadow Warrior 2, Prey, Deus Ex, Nocturn, and John Romero’s Daikatana. As 3D Realms says in its post recognizing his death, Galt had a lengthy career prior to videogames. He’s credited with roles in TV and film, including the Walker, Texas Ranger television series and films Forrest Gump and JFK, portraying multiple US presidents. More recently he voiced characters in Cyanide and Happiness Shorts.

Galt appeared in an interview in 2019 with voice actor and YouTuber Jake The Voice. When asked about the beginning of his career, Galt said, “I’ve always wanted to be an actor, all my life.” 

He recalled winning an Air Force talent contest in 1958, then touring as entertainment in The American Forces Network broadcast service. “I toured with Johnny Grant’s Operation Starlift with Angie Dickinson and June Blair and Roscoe Ates and all kinds of actors that I had heard about as a youth and was delighted to meet and work with. And that’s how it started really. When I got out of the Air Force I went professional.”

Galt also shared memories of many other roles he’d played, some of which were ethnic caricatures similar to Shadow Warrior’s Lo Wang, whose one-liners and voice were a blend of Chinese and Japanese stereotypes. Galt’s perspective on Lo Wang hadn’t apparently changed with time: He said he was criticized for the role at the time but still wondered why it mattered.

On initially getting the role as Lo Wang, Galt recalls he had already done voice work in games with 3D Realms for monsters and enemies. “So they knew I had that versatility and they thought ‘we’ll try him for Lo Wang’ and it worked.”

Although many players remember him for that role, others reacting to the news of his death fondly recall his voice as several characters in Deus Ex including UNATCO director Joseph Manderley and helicopter pilot Jock, and Grandpa Enisi in Prey.