BoJack Horseman animator Michael John Roberts dies at 48
Roberts died at his Los Angeles home with his family by his side
The animation world has lost one of the creative minds behind some of TV’s most distinctive adult cartoons. Michael John Roberts, who co-created Comedy Central’s TripTank and helped shape the look of Netflix’s BoJack Horseman, died Wednesday, November 11. He was 48.
Roberts died at his Los Angeles home with his family by his side, The Hollywood Reporter said. The outlet reported that he had been diagnosed with glioblastoma. The Mayo Clinic describes it as an aggressive brain cancer that develops in astrocytes, the cells that support the brain’s nerve cells.
His family, including his wife, One Life to Live actress Bree Williamson, announced the news in an obituary. “Michael saw the world a little differently,” they wrote. They described him as a gifted artist who noticed beauty and meaning in things other people passed by. They said his creativity went beyond the drawing board and shaped how he thought about and questioned the world.
The family said his illness came on suddenly and the time afterward was painfully brief. They asked that he be remembered for his work, the conversations he sparked, the friendships he built and his generosity toward the people he loved, not for how his life ended.
Born in Toronto on December 20, 1977, Roberts began his career working on children’s programming. His early credits included the animated series Angela Anaconda and The Hoobs, which mixed puppetry and live action.
He later moved into animation for adults. Between 2014 and 2016, he co-created and directed TripTank, Comedy Central’s animated sketch show. For BoJack Horseman, the series starring Will Arnett and Aaron Paul, he animated the opening title sequence and went on to direct two episodes before the show ended in 2020.
His last animation credit was the Clone High revival, which ran for 20 episodes from 2023 to 2024.
