‘He-Man’ creator Roger Sweet dead at 91 after dementia battle as fans rallied to help in final months
Roger Sweet, the toy designer who created He-Man, has died at 91 after a battle with dementia. His final months were marked by serious health issues, including brain bleeds following a fall, leading to costly care that prompted his wife to launch a GoFundMe. Fans responded generously, raising nearly $94,000, and the Mattel Foundation contributed $5,000. Sweet's creation, launched in 1982, became a cultural phenomenon and remains influential ahead of a new Hollywood film adaptation.
- ▪Roger Sweet created He-Man after modifying a Big Jim doll, leading to the launch of the character in 1982.
- ▪He-Man's success helped Mattel recover after losing the Star Wars toy license.
- ▪The animated 'He-Man and the Masters of the Universe' series premiered in 1983 and ran for 130 episodes.
- ▪Fans raised nearly $94,000 through a GoFundMe to help cover Sweet's medical expenses.
- ▪A new live-action 'Masters of the Universe' movie is set for release this summer, starring Nicholas Galitzine and Idris Elba.
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Celebrity News ‘He-Man’ creator Roger Sweet dead at 91 after dementia battle as fans rallied to help in final months By Adam Silverstein Published April 29, 2026, 1:23 a.m. ET Roger Sweet, the toy designer credited with creating He-Man, has died at 91 after battling dementia. Sweet — the mind behind the muscle-bound star of ’80s animation “He-Man and the Masters of the Universe” — died peacefully Tuesday morning at a care facility, his wife Marlene told TMZ. The He-Man creator’s final months were marked by serious health struggles. 5 Roger Sweet, the creator of He-Man, has died at 91 after a battle with dementia. GoFundMe Marlene previously revealed that Roger suffered a scary fall while walking alone and couldn’t remember what happened.
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