The Only Main Voice Actor Still Alive From He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe

Though "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" was produced by animation studio Filmation, the primary driving creative force was toy company Mattel. In 1976, Mattel's then CEO Ray Wagner turned down George Lucas' offer to produce a line of "Star Wars" toys." It's safe to say that decision was, to put it mildly, a mistake. That left Mattel scrambling to catch up to the newly discovered space opera fantasy epic market, and so the "Masters of the Universe" toy line was born.

Thanks to loosened regulations on advertising in children's TV, "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" — a cartoon series all about advertising Mattel's action figures in a narrative framework — aired. "Transformers," "G.I. Joe," and more followed in its wake. 

Forty-plus years on, the cultural power of "He-Man" has never surpassed the heights it reached in the 1980s. The 2026 "Masters of the Universe" live-action movie flopping at the box office suggests that won't be changing, and the "Masters of the Universe" franchise might be re-entering hibernation. 

Most of the original creatives behind "He-Man" are no longer with us. Larry DiTillio, the series' most prolific writer and co-creator of the spin-off "She-Ra," passed away in 2019. The original voice of He-Man/Prince Adam, John Erwin, died in 2024. Linda Gary, voice of Teela, passed away from brain cancer in 1995. Louis Scheimer, a Filmation founder who pulled double duty as a voice actor, died in 2013. (Though his daughter Erika Scheimer, who provided background voices on "He-Man," is still with us.)

But Alan Oppenheimer, the voice of big bad Skeletor, is still with us. Born in 1930, he's currently approaching his 100th birthday. In this one way, Skeletor came out ahead of He-Man.

Some noted actors have played Skeletor over the years. Frank Langella gave a performance of superlative camp in the 1987 "Masters of the Universe" film. In the 2021 Kevin Smith-produced "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" cartoon, Mark Hamill added Skeletor to his illustrious villain acting resume. Most recently, an unrecognizable Jared Leto played Skeletor in 2026 "Masters of the Universe," and it was his best performance in years!

But all of those actors flow downhill from Alan Oppenheimer's original Skeletor. It's worth noting that the '83 "He-Man" cartoon had a tight budget. Not only did the show employ many animation shortcuts, it also maintained a small cast of voice actors doubling up on different parts. Oppenheimer also voiced the noble Man-at-Arms, He-Man's talking tiger pet Cringer, the dim Evil Warrior Mer-Man, and many more. But he's rightfully most remembered as the voice of Skeletor.

Like most other cartoon villains of this era, Skeletor was plenty evil but not exactly menacing. Comical and buffoonish, Skeletor was a one-eyed man leading a kingdom of the blind. Oppenheimer gave him a fittingly high-pitched and screechy voice, perfect for when Skeletor lamented his failures or barked insults at his Evil Warriors' low intelligence.

While Alan Oppenheimer currently enjoys retirement, he's returned to Eternia as late as the 2020s. The 2022 "Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers," set in a "Roger Rabbit"-esque world where cartoon characters are actors, gave He-Man and Skeletor a small cameo. Oppenheimer voiced Skeletor again while also voicing He-Man. In "Masters of the Universe: Revelation," Oppenheimer had a brief vocal role as the heroic Moss Man — who gets incinerated by Hamill's Skeletor ("Smells like pine..."). The new Skeletor killing the old one carries some sharp subtext, but "He-Man" fans haven't forgotten Alan Oppenheimer yet.