Roger Sweet, the toymaker behind ‘He-Man,’ dies at 91

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Roger Sweet, the toymaker who designed the brawny superhero He-Man, has died. He was 91.

Mattel, where Sweet had worked for many years and the creator of Masters of the Universe, confirmed his death to The Times on Tuesday. Further information wasn’t available right away.

Mattel stated that Roger was key to the beginning of Masters of the Universe, bringing popular characters like He-Man and Skeletor to life and encouraging fans to believe in themselves.

“His legacy endures in the characters he helped bring to life and the imaginations he ignited.”

Following a dementia diagnosis, Sweet’s wife, Marlene, started a GoFundMe in February to help cover the costs of moving him into a memory care facility. The campaign had raised over $90,000 by Thursday, thanks to generous donations, especially from devoted fans of “He-Man.”

Born in Ohio on April 4, 1935, Sweet studied at the Institute of Design in Chicago. In 1972, he relocated to California and began working as a toy designer for Mattel in Los Angeles.

Mattel had recently declined a chance to make toys based on George Lucas’s films. Instead, they decided to create their own space-themed toy line aimed at boys.

In a 2019 interview with the Daily Herald in Everett, Washington, Sweet explained that Mattel’s research showed the most popular toys at the time fell into three categories: barbarian adventures, futuristic military themes like ‘Star Wars,’ and realistic military toys like ‘GI Joe.’

Movies

I just saw the first trailer for the new ‘Masters of the Universe’ movie, and it looks amazing! Nicholas Galitzine is playing Prince Adam, and it’s clear he’s got the power – He-Man is coming to life on the big screen, and I can’t wait!

Originally from Ohio, this designer was part of a large team that created “He-Man.” He explained to the Daily Herald that he built the first three models of He-Man and the world of Masters of the Universe, and he also came up with the character’s name.

Sweet described taking the 9.5-inch figure and posing it dynamically with glue. He then significantly broadened the figure’s shoulders and added a large amount of clay to build up the form.

First launched in 1982, the toy quickly became a hit with American children. Its popularity led to the creation of the Masters of the Universe franchise, featuring characters like the villain Skeletor, He-Man’s companion Battle Cat, and He-Man’s sister, She-Ra – all designed by the same creator. Mattel sold over 125 million Masters of the Universe toys in just the first three years.

Mattel quickly followed up the toy line with a cartoon series called “He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.” The show, which aired from 1983 to 1985, popularized He-Man’s famous catchphrase, “I have the power!” and helped make the hero even more well-known.

A live-action He-Man movie with Dolph Lundgren was released in 1987, but it wasn’t a hit with moviegoers. This marked the beginning of the end for He-Man’s popularity, as toys like Transformers became more popular instead.

I’ve always been so impressed by Bob Sweet’s work! He spent over 15 years at Mattel, and I understand he even had a hand in designing some of Barbie’s amazing fashion accessories. That’s where he met his wife, Marlene – how cute is that? He eventually retired in 1991 and settled down near Lake Stevens, Washington. It’s wonderful to know he enjoyed such a fulfilling career and a happy life.

After leaving his job, he openly shared his disappointment with the money Mattel paid him for developing He-Man.

Entertainment & Arts

He-Man was in a pickle.

According to an interview with the Daily Herald, Mattel paid Mr. Sweet a bonus equal to half of his salary for three consecutive years while he was overseeing the original series.

I recently read a fascinating memoir from 2005 called “Mastering the Universe: He-Man and the Rise and Fall of a Billion-Dollar Idea,” and it was a real eye-opener. The author basically claims that Mattel tried to steal credit for the concepts he brought to the He-Man franchise – pretty dramatic stuff!

Even though Sweet and the toy company weren’t getting along, he still went to events like Comic-Con to connect with Masters of the Universe fans and share his passion for the franchise.

He admitted he’d always wished he could be like He-Man, saying he figured most men felt the same way.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe are becoming popular again. Netflix released a new animated series, “Masters of the Universe: Revelation,” in 2021, and the classic toys were honored with a place in the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2022. Now, He-Man is heading to the big screen this June with a new live-action movie from Amazon MGM and Mattel Film. Nicholas Galitzine will play He-Man, with Jared Leto as Skeletor and Idris Elba as Man-At-Arms.

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2026-04-30 23:02