Michael John Roberts, the Canadian director, producer, and animator whose adult animated comedies shaped series including Comedy Central’s TripTank and Netflix’s BoJack Horseman, died on November 11 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 48.
Roberts died peacefully surrounded by his family following a brief battle with glioblastoma, according to The Hollywood Reporter. His family and his wife, actress Bree Williamson, announced the death, noting that he passed away after the sudden illness.
“With heavy hearts, we share the passing of Michael John Roberts,” the family’s announcement read, as reported by Deadline.
Animation Career in Los Angeles
Born on December 20, 1977, in Toronto to a doctor mother and a mechanic father, Roberts studied animation at Sheridan College in Ontario. After working in Toronto, New York, and London, he settled in Los Angeles in the late 1990s. Early credits included children’s series such as Angela Anaconda and The Hoobs, produced by Decode Entertainment and The Jim Henson Company.
He later specialized in adult animated comedy, directing 2017 episodes of Netflix’s F Is for Family and serving as supervising director on the first season of TBS’s Final Space in 2018. In 2023, he directed all 10 episodes of the Apple TV series Strange Planet, co-created by Dan Harmon.
ShadowMachine served as the production hub for several of his major projects, including TripTank, BoJack Horseman, Dallas & Robo, and Final Space. In 2015, he directed title sequences and episodes of BoJack Horseman, starring Will Arnett and Aaron Paul.
Directing TripTank and Dallas & Robo
Roberts co-created and directed all 28 installments of Comedy Central’s sketch comedy TripTank, which ran for two seasons from 2014 to 2016. The show featured voice work from Bob Odenkirk, Larry David, Niecy Nash, and Zach Galifianakis.
In 2018, he created the eight-episode buddy comedy Dallas & Robo, starring John Cena and Kat Dennings on YouTube Red. He described the sci-fi project as “Smokey and the Bandit in space.”
His commercial work included campaigns for Honda, KFC, Burger King, ABC, and Pulse Electric Scooters. In 2012, he won the Juno Award for video of the year for directing the animated Western short Rumbleseat for The Sadies.
Recent Mattel Television Projects
In recent years, Roberts worked extensively with Mattel Television. He served as executive producer and creative producer on Hot Wheels Let’s Race: Attack of the T-Rex and executive producer on Masters of the Universe: Tales From Eternia for Mattel and Netflix.
He also directed the pilot for the animated special Backyard Sports, directed the first season of MrBeast Lab, and worked as a writer and consulting producer on its second season.
“Make the thing you want to make,” Roberts said in a 2021 interview regarding advice for newcomers.
“Because everyone in this business wants you to have already done it. So if you’re a writer, you have to have a script. If you’re a film director, you have to have a short film. If you’re an animator, you’ve got to have a cartoon… be a personality that can’t get ignored.”
Family Survivors and Tributes
Survivors include his wife, Bree Williamson, who played Jessica Buchanan on One Life to Live from 2002 to 2012, and their teenage son, McGreggor. Additional survivors include his sister, Jane; niece, Gwen; nephew, Vaughan; and cousin Hrothgar Cashmore.
“Michael wanted nothing but the best for him and saw in the young man he was becoming, possibilities greater than he could ever have imagined for himself,” Williamson said.
“We were supposed to have more time,” his family wrote in a statement shared by Deadline. “More conversations over a good cup of coffee. More spirited debates about matters both profound and wonderfully insignificant.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Michael John Roberts
What caused the death of animator Michael John Roberts?
Michael John Roberts died of glioblastoma following a brief battle with the illness, according to family statements reported by Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter.
Which animated series did Roberts co-create?
Roberts co-created and directed the Comedy Central sketch comedy series TripTank and the YouTube Red buddy comedy series Dallas & Robo.
Where was Michael John Roberts born and raised?
He was born on December 20, 1977, and raised in Toronto, Canada, before later settling in Los Angeles.
What Mattel television shows did he work on recently?
He served as an executive producer on Hot Wheels Let’s Race: Attack of the T-Rex and Masters of the Universe: Tales From Eternia, and directed season one of MrBeast Lab.