John Erwin, Voice Actor of He-Man in ‘Masters of the Universe’ Dies at 88

John Erwin, the actor best known as the voice of He-Man in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and the boastful Reggie Mantle in various Archie cartoons, has passed away at the age of 88.

Erwin died of natural causes “around Dec. 20” at his home in Camarillo, California, according to a statement from his representatives at the PR firm Celebworx.

A versatile voice actor, Erwin became widely recognized for his work in animation and advertising. For nearly a decade starting in 1969, he provided the voice of the sardonic Morris the Cat in a long-running series of commercials for 9Lives cat food, a campaign crafted by the Leo Burnett advertising agency.

Before his voiceover career took off, Erwin appeared on-screen as Teddy, a recurring cattle driver on the CBS Western Rawhide, which starred Clint Eastwood.

For Filmmation, he famously voiced He-Man and his alter ego, Prince Adam, in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (1983-85) and She-Ra: Princess of Power (1985-87). He also lent his voice to Beast Man and other secondary characters in the popular syndicated series based on Mattel’s toy line.

Reflecting on their time working together, Alan Oppenheimer, the voice of Skeletor, described Erwin as a blend of irreverence, professionalism, and surprise. “He was a series actor, writer, commercial performer, musician, painter, and a genuinely wonderful gentleman,” Oppenheimer said. “An indelible addition to my life.”

Melendy Britt, who voiced She-Ra, shared a heartfelt tribute as well: “For 40 years, John Erwin was not only my brother onscreen—he was my friend.”

Born on Dec. 5, 1936, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, John Lee Erwin got his start playing various roles—including a paratrooper and a chaplain—on the 1956-57 syndicated series Citizen Soldier.

In 1959, he joined Rawhide in its second season and remained on the show for 22 episodes until 1965. He also played a soldier in 13 Fighting Men, a Civil War drama starring Grant Williams.

Erwin’s voice acting career began in earnest in 1968 when he first portrayed Reggie Mantle in The Archie Show, a Saturday morning CBS/Filmation series. He continued voicing the character in various Archie spin-offs, including Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, until 1978. His other animation credits include Groovie Goolies, Foofur, and Spacecats, as well as a small role in the 1995 film Babe.

After retiring, he made a rare return to voice He-Man one final time in a 2005 episode of Family Guy.

Beyond animation, Erwin also worked as an announcer and narrator on television series such as Here’s Lucy and Malcolm & Eddie, and in films like Looker (1981), Everybody’s All-American (1988), and Back to the Future Part II (1989).

According to his PR representatives, Erwin is survived by “his loving family of children and grandchildren.” Respecting his family’s wishes, no photograph was released.

Despite his iconic role as He-Man, Erwin never made public appearances at fan conventions. Oppenheimer, speaking in 2014, attributed this to his deep-seated shyness. “I once asked him to come with me to London, telling him, ‘If Skeletor and He-Man teamed up, the line would stretch from London to Edinburgh,’” Oppenheimer recalled. “But he just wouldn’t do it—he valued his solitude. He told me, ‘I don’t even look like He-Man.’ I said, ‘I don’t look like Skeletor, and nobody cares.’ But I could never get him to go.”