This came as very sad news today. I got word that voice actor Morgan Lofting mostly known for her role as the Baroness, from the G.I. Joe A Real American Hero series has passed at the age of 84. Shoutout to G.I.Joburg for posting the news and THR for confirming it.
Aside from her other appearances in the Star Blazers, Transformers, Gobots, and Spider-Man, it was Lofting who career was the most prominent by portraying Cobra's intelligence officer and fellow right hand man or rather woman to terrorist leader Cobra Commander (Voiced by Chris Latta)
It was Lofting's idea to give her fictional antagonist an East European accent, who despite being cunning and diabolical who at times, tried to overtake Cobra Commander, and yet can be vulnerable especially when expressing her feelings for Destro. As far as I can remember, Baroness and Destro had the first intimate kiss from an animated show.
Her stint in G.I. Joe ran from 1983-1987 with the latter courtesy of the animated feature G.I. Joe the Movie. I loved how Lofting, Latta and Arthur Burghart (Destro) played against one another like a very likeable supervillain trio.
Lofting's iconic role played a big part of me growing up during the 80s as the sexy black haired leather clad villainess.
Her other roles were in the primetime soap opera Knots Landing, The Night Before, an 1988 film starring Keanu Reeves and Total Recall featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Rest in Power, Ms. Lofting and thanks for all your brilliant work.
Hail to the Queen Cobra!
