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We have some incredibly sad news to report. John Erwin, the legendary voice of He-Man from the classic 1980's Filmation cartoon series "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe", has died. Born in 1936, John had quite a wonderful career in the entertainment industry, starting impressively with a reoccurring role in the hit television series "Rawhide". John Erwin even voiced Morris the Cat, the star of the popular, long-running television commercials for 9-Lives cat food that began in 1968. Yet... there was no other role that John Erwin played where he touched more people's hearts than his role as He-Man…
We have the Power! 
News has broken that John Erwin died last month aged 88. RIP.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/john-erwin-he-man-archie-voice-actor-1236123692/
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/john-erwin-he-man-archie-voice-actor-1236123692/
No one has done a better job at calling on the power of Grayskull. His very specific cadence was absolutely perfect and no one has come close to matching it, and probably never will.
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I am so shocked and saddened by this loss. Love & Light to John and his family! ❤️
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Damn. Just damn. I wish I could have gotten to meet you. Shake your hand and thank you for everything. My childhood was so much better for having you in it. RIP Mr. Erwin.
R.i.P. The Filmation show is still my favorite cartoon. I wrote a letter once to him about the joy he brought my kids and I and he wrote back. I wasn't sure he'd write back because I heard he was reclusive, but he did and he even autographed some MOTU trading cards I had sent as well.
i was very moved by melendy's eulogy, such a loving "sister" she is.
john was the man, john is THE he-man. forever!
his was the voice that breathed life into the hero of our childhoods, he was as jovial and bashful as adam and as he was commanding and courageous as he-man. "strong enough to be gentle" as the iconic peter cullen would say.
john's presence will be felt forever in the classic filmation shows, each and every time we re-watch, or every time we read a MoTU comic book or even so much as look at he-man's action figures or pictures.
While I'm not a life long fan, John was one of the greats. I hope he is enjoying Preternia.
He died last December? This took a long time to let the public know. Whatever, John Irwin was a true icon in animation history. Rest in peace He-Man.
@caliban He was a VERY private person and rarely had any photos released of himself. He never went to conventions either, as far as I'm aware. I'm sure his family also wanted privacy to grieve after his passing. So, it's no surprise that the announcement was delayed.
Beside Peter Cullen and Lorenzo Music, I think Erwin was probably the definitive voice of 80s animation.
As a kid, whenever Erwin bellowed "I have the power", the performance was so raw and full of command and might that it actually frightened me. Weird I know, because he's such a good hearted character, but that demonstrated a 'mastery' of the role, He-Man with anyone else never felt as real as he was, and that he could affect a viewer in that way with a couple of lines. Watching the show, you beleived in him, and when he spoke to you about there being no "magic drugs" in the PSAs at the end, you believed he was speaking to, and looking out for, you (I wish the Netflix shows had done some of those for a laugh btw, even the 2002 show did them)
The world I feel is full of magic, and his voice was just that, a touch of magic, and a good one.
We have the power, so can you.
Sad news. Thank you John for being He-Man, and providing so many happy memories for so many people.
RIP.
Such sad news - John was the definitive He-Man. His voice embodied the character perfectly. RIP.
I am completely devastated. Thank you John and goodbye.
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