Actor John Erwin, best known for his voicework for Filmation, has passed away at the age of 88. He died of natural causes.
Erwin worked the business. A lot. He provided the voice for He-Man and his alter ego, Prince Adam, in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and its spin-off, She-Ra, Princess of Power. Erwin also provided the voice of Morris the finicky cat in the Nine Lives cat food commercials. Erwin voiced Reggie Mantle, Archie Andrews’ classmate and rival in The Archie Show, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, and The U.S, of Archie.
Like most voice actors, Erwin often provided voices for supporting characters. These additional roles were usually uncredited, or sometimes listed as “additional voices.” He performed various voices in the Sabrina spin-off, Groovie Goolies. Erwin also provided voices for the motion picture Babe (1995). In He-Man cartoons, Erwin also voiced Webstor, Beast Man, and Ram Man, and in Fred and Barney Meet the Thing, Erwin voiced Ronald Radford, a character similar to Reggie Mantle.
Erwin also had a career in front of the camera, in both movies and television. Erwin played cattle driver Teddy in 22 episodes of Rawhide‘s 217 episodes. in 13 Fighting Men, (1960)., Erwin played Corporal McLean. He played a radio announcer in Back to the Future, Part II (1989).
Alan Oppenheimer, who voiced He-Man’s archenemy Skeletor saId, “Working with John Erwin was a ballad of irreverence, professionalism and surprise, He was a serious actor, writer, performer of commercials, musician, painter and an all-around lovely gentleman, an indelible addition to my life.”
John Lee Erwin was born December 5, 1936, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He died December 20, 2024, in Camarillo, California. His death was not publicly announced until January 31, 2025, out of a desire for privacy by his grieving family. He was a husband, father, and grandfather. Our comfort and condolences to the Erwin family.
John Erwin lived a long and full life, and we hope a happy one. With his passing, a modern treasure of the entertainment industry becomes legend. Again, our condolences to his family.
Susan Macdonald is the author of the children's book "R is for Renaissance Faire", as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in "Alternative Truths", "Swords and Sorceress #30", Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, "Cat Tails" "Under Western Stars", and "Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid". Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio's web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions, Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows.
Again, a voice actor dies that did characters I had no idea were done by the same actor. And I remember seeing Erwin, and didn’t know that was the voice actor.
Condolences to the survivors.