1 9 8 3 – 1 9 8 5 (USA)
65 x 25 minute episodes
In a distant and mystical land, wimpy and happy-go-lucky Prince Adam of Eternia (the son of King Randor and Queen Marlena) leads the life of royalty. Unknown to all but a few close friends and allies, Prince Adam is actually the mighty He-Man, protector of the Castle Greyskull.
Upon holding aloft his magic sword and speaking the words “by the power of Greyskull”, Prince Adam is transformed into the mightiest mortal in the universe.
This is fortuitous indeed, as his castle and his life are constantly being attacked by Skeletor, an evil being from another dimension.
Together with his friends, such as Teela (a headstrong and independent female member of the royal guard) and Orko (a tiny floating alien, pictured below right) and his mighty friend/horse substitute, Battle Cat, He-Man battles Skeletor (an evil sorcerer from another dimension) and his minions for control of the world, and, more importantly, for the “honour of Greyskull” – the mysterious castle from which He-Man derives his powers.
Other regular characters included Man-At-Arms (Prince Adam’s lifelong friend and mentor and leader of the royal guard), Ram Man (a slow-witted but devoted friend and ally of He-Man), Mer-Man (who was called upon whenever Skeletor’s plans involved oceans, rivers or lakes), Beastman (a lumbering hulk who acted as Skeletor’s personal enforcer), and Man-E-Faces (a former actor who had been transformed into three separate beings by a spell from Skeletor).
The series spawned a spin-off series featuring He-Man’s sister, She-Ra: Princess of Power. Both siblings were created by Filmation and Mattel at the same time the plastic was being poured for toy versions of the characters.
An updated version (The New Adventures of He-Man) was released in 1990, which took the super warrior away from his home planet of Eternia to battle the evil Skeletor on the planet Primus (where Skeletor has waged a war using the mutants of the planet Denebria, as his army). He-Man was assisted by the Galactic Guardians – Captain Hydron, Lieutenant Flipshot, Drissi, Caz and Darius. He-Man was voiced by Gary Chalk.
The series was revived again in 2002 by the Cartoon Network with Cam Clarke voicing He-Man.
He-Man/Prince Adam
John Erwin
Cringer
Alan Oppenheimer
Battle Cat
Alan Oppenheimer
Orko
Lou Scheimer
Teela
Linda Gary
Skeletor
Alan Oppenheimer
Queen Marlena
Linda Gary (1)
Erika Scheimer (2)
King Randor
Lou Scheimer
Beast Man
John Erwin
Buzz-Off
Alan Oppenheimer
Chad
Linda Gary
Clawful
Lou Scheimer
Duncan
Alan Oppenheimer
Evil-Lyn
Linda Gary
Faker
John Erwin
Jitsu
Lou Scheimer
Kobra Khan
Lou Scheimer
Melaktha
Alan Oppenheimer
Man-E-Faces
Lou Scheimer
Mekaneck
Lou Scheimer
Mer-Man
Alan Oppenheimer
Modulok
Lou Scheimer
Moss Man
Lou Scheimer
Ram-Man
John Erwin
Roboto
Alan Oppenheimer
Spikor
Lou Scheimer
Stratos
Lou Scheimer
Sy-Klone
Lou Scheimer
Teela-Na
Linda Gary
Trapjaw
Lou Scheimer
Tri-Klops
Lou Scheimer
Tullamore
John Erwin
Two-Bad
Lou Scheimer
Webstor
John Erwin
Whiplash
John Erwin
Zodac
Lou Scheimer