Peter Spellos, actor known for his work in both live-action and animated series, passed away at 69, Deadline reported Sunday.
Spellos died due to complications from pancreatic cancer at the Francisca Hospice House in Indiana. He had a memorable stint as Gus on NBC’s “American Dreams” and lent his voice to the animated character Sky-Byte in “Transformers: Robots in Disguise.” Jennifer Smith, a student of Spellos and close friend, confirmed the news of his passing, per Deadline.
Neil Kaplan and Peter Spellos reprised their roles as RID 2001 Optimus and Sky-Byte in this installment of Youtuber ngsmoov’s series of “Energon-O’s” TF skits. (2015) pic.twitter.com/ClDkrLVT6X
— Crazy ass moments in Transformers History🏳️🌈 (@TF_Moments) September 2, 2023
Spellos’ portrayal of Sky-Byte in the “Transformers” series spanned 39 episodes, showcasing his voice acting skills. His talent extended to live-action roles as well, with notable appearances in “Men in Black II” as Motorman and his recurring role in “American Dreams,” Deadline reported. (RELATED: Transformers Is Trans-Forming The Kids)
Survived by his brother, James Spellos, the family is in the process of organizing an online memorial to celebrate his life and legacy, details of which will be announced later, per Deadline.
In an emotional tribute on social media, Fred Olen, a friend and collaborator of Spellos, expressed his sorrow. “It is with tremendous sadness that I must report the passing of my dear friend, Peter Spellos at 2:30am this morning. Many of you knew Peter personally,” Olen said in the tribute. “I cannot even recall how many movies we made together, but they would probably fill a book… maybe some day they will. Goodbye, pal.”