American producer Peter Keefe passed away due to throat cancer in Rochester, New York on Thursday. He was 57. Keefe is best known for producing Voltron, the 1984 redubbed and edited adaptation of two different Toei anime series — Hyakujuu Ou Golion and Kikou Kantai Dairugger XV. According to The Hollywood Reporter trade newspaper, Voltron was the top nationally ranked series in kids syndication during the 1984 and 1985 broadcast seasons in the United States.
After Voltron, Keefe adapted Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs from the Studio Pierrot robot anime series Seijuushi Bismarck (Star Musketeer Bismarck). He then worked on the American-French animated series Denver, the Last Dinosaur. Keefe, business partner Brian Lacey, and the British company Central Independent Television formed Zodiac Entertainment in 1989. The production company released Widget, The Mr. Bogus Show, and Twinkle.
Before he passed away, Keefe was working with Earthworks Entertainment on the creation of Z~Force, a kids entertainment property that centers on 12 young heroes based on the Chinese Zodiac. [Source: AnimeNewsNetwork]
