John Lee Erwin (December 5, 1936 – December 20, 2024) was an American voice actor best known for voicing He-Man in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Reggie Mantle in The Archie Show, and Morris the Cat.The New York Times Filmography
Career Erwin was the voice of He-Man in the Filmation productions He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and She-Ra: Princess of Power that ran from 1983 to 1986. Due to the extreme cost-cutting by Filmation, the cast of voice actors was small, and with producer Lou Scheimer actually performing the bulk of the character voices. Erwin was also the voice of the henchman character Beast Man, and would on occasion perform the voices of other supporting characters such as Webstor and Ram Man.
Although generally recognized for his work on He-Man, Erwin has many years of voice acting to his credit (including the voice of Reggie Mantle in Filmation's Archie cartoons), and has provided voices for many productions ranging from television advertisements to live-action movies since the 1960s. He was the voice of Morris the Cat from 9Lives cat food in several television commercials.
From 1959 to 1965, he starred as Teddy in the television Western Rawhide.
In 1989, his voice was heard as a radio newscaster in Back to the Future Part II and as a football announcer in the 2000 Disney movie Remember the Titans.
He also did small spot roles in various Hanna-Barbera episodes for different shows (such as Hanna-Barbera's animated series The Thing) and others, going uncredited.
Personal life and death Erwin had moved away from California by 2010, although in 2019 Alan Oppenheimer stated he had recently visited Erwin in his retirement community in Thousand Oaks, California."He-Man Voice Actor John Erwin Discussed w/Alan Oppenheimer AKA Skeletor" - YouTube, May 17, 2019
Erwin died at his home in Camarillo, California, on or around December 20, 2024, at the age of 88. His death was not announced publicly until January 31, 2025.
Filmography
Film YearTitleRoleNotes196013 Fighting MenCpl. McLean1981LookerCommercial AnnouncerVoice role; Uncredited1985He-Man and She-Ra: The Secret of the SwordHe-Man / Prince Adam, Beast ManVoice roleSkeletor's RevengeVoice role; direct to video1988Everybody's All-AmericanRedskins' AnnouncerVoice role1989Back to the Future Part IIRadio SportscasterVoice role1995BabeAdditional voicesVoice role2000Remember the TitansFootball AnnouncerVoice role
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1959–1965RawhideTeddy22 episodes1968–1970The Archie ShowReggie MantleVoice role; 30 episodes; including The Archie Comedy Hour and Archie's Funhouse1969Archie and His New PalsVoice role; Television movieHere's LucyNarratorUncredited; 2 episodes1969–1972Sabrina the Teenage WitchReggie Mantle, Ambrose Spellman, Humphrey, HexterVoice role; 47 episodes1970Groovie GooliesVarious voices16 episodes1971Aesop's FablesDonkeyVoice role; Television movieArchie's TV FunniesReggie MantleVoice role; 16 episodes1973The New Dick Van Dyke ShowJeff KingsleyEpisode: "The Young Surgeons"1974The U.S. of ArchieReggie MantleVoice role; 16 episodes1977The New Archie and Sabrina HourReggie Mantle, Q, SlickVoice role; 21 episodes1977–1978Archie's Bang-Shang Lalapalooza ShowReggie MantleVoice role1979ABC Weekend SpecialsCasey BallooVoice role; Episode "The Horse That Played Centerfield"Fred and Barney Meet the ThingRonald Radford III, ClumpleyVoice role; 13 episodes1983–1985He-Man and the Masters of the UniverseHe-Man / Prince Adam, Beast Man, Ram-Man, Faker, Webstor, Whiplash, Strongarm, Icer, Granamyr, Count Marzo, Evilseed, Plundor, Kothos, Additional voicesVoice role; 130 episodes1985He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas SpecialHe-Man / Prince Adam, WebstorVoice role; Television movie1985–1987She-Ra: Princess of PowerHe-Man / Prince Adam, Beast Man, Granamyr, Webstor, VariousVoice role; 93 episodes1991SpacecatsVariousVoice role; 13 episodes1999Malcolm & EddieAnnouncerEpisode: "The Wrongest Yard"2005Family GuyHe-ManEpisode: "Brian the Bachelor"; final role
Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultRef.2024CinEuphoria AwardsMerit - Honorary AwardHe-Man and the Masters of the UniverseShe-Ra: Princess of Power
References
External links