Peter Renaday — best known as the original voice of Master Splinter on the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” animated TV show — has died, TMZ has learned.
Law enforcement tells TMZ cops did a welfare check at Peter’s Burbank home Sunday after receiving a call, and they found him dead inside. The death appears to be natural and isn’t being handled as a medical examiner case.
Peter’s niece, Mindy Zachary tells TMZ his cause of death is unclear, but she notes Peter’s air conditioning had been out, and with Los Angeles’ recent heatwave, temperatures inside his home in the Valley had reached the 90s.
Although Mindy isn’t sure if it was a heat stroke, natural causes, or something else … she added to us the family feels Peter’s death doesn’t need further investigation.
Peter had a hugely successful career spanning several films, TV shows, and video games over nearly 6 decades.
Peter’s most famous work was voicing Master Splinter in the 1987 animated adaptation of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” … which ran until the show’s finale in 1996.
He later reprised his role as Splinter for the non-musical spoken parts of the live-action “TMNT: Coming Out of Their Shells” concert event, which was recorded at Radio City Music Hall in 1990.
Other major voice roles included Abraham Lincoln in “The Hall of Presidents” — along with Henry and Max in the “Country Bear Jamboree” attractions in the Disney Parks.
On the personal front, Renaday was married to Florence “Flo” Daniel — who worked as Walt Disney Studio’s music department secretary for 35 years — from 1979 until her death in 2011.
He was 89.
RIP
