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R.I.P. Peter Cullen, celebrated voice actor behind Optimus Prime, Eeyore, and more
The voice actor behind Optimus Prime, Eeyore, and many other characters has passed away. He was 85 years old.
Legendary voice actor Peter Cullen has passed away. He was 85 years old.
Cullen's acting career spanned over 55 years and included every kind of cartoon under the sun, but he was especially known for his work in sci-fi and action-adventure cartoons of the '80s and '90s. Equally important to his work in animation was his appreciation of NASA and he considered working with Buzz Aldrin in Transformers: Dark of the Moon as one of his proudest moments.
After fifteen years of appearing in sketch comedy shows like The Smother Brothers Comedy Hour and The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, Cullen entered the world of animation by providing extra voices in Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo. From there he provided additional voices on Plastic Man, Spider-Man, My Little Pony, The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries, The Snorks, Heathcliff & the Catillac Cats, The Flintstone Kids, Alvin & the Chipmunks, The Smurfs, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and more.
His most famous role was playing Optimus Prime, and when Cullen auditioned for the series, he recalled his brother's advice, saying, "Peter, don't be a Hollywood hero, be a real hero. Real heroes don't yell and act tough; they're tough enough to be gentle, so control yourself." After channeling the gentle giant in his audition, Cullen got the role of Optimus Prime, and Ironhide as well. Suddenly the opportunity of the year became a home run.
Optimus Prime was Cullen's favorite role, and he had no idea how popular the character was until the 1986 Transformers: The Movie premiered. Fans of all ages were upset about Optimus Prime's death in the film, with many walking out of the theaters and writing angry letters to the studio. The public backlash was so great that the writers had to write Optimus Prime back to life in the television series. Cullen went on to play Optimus Prime in 35 productions, including the live-action series.
Another beloved role of Cullen's was Eeyore, who he began voicing in The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh in 1988 and continued voicing in until 2017, in over forty productions.
Other characters Cullen voiced include Bristletooth in The Kwicky Koala Show, Sour Puss in Pac-Man, Officer Ed and Pete the Pup in The Little Rascals, Mario in Donkey Kong, Narrator and Coran in Voltron: Defender of the Universe, Venger and the Darkling in Dungeons & Dragons, Eddie Spenser Jr. in the animated Ghostbusters, Sergeant Havor in the animated Rambo, Murky Dismal in Rainbow Brite, Grundle and Captain Crabnasty in the My Little Pony universe, Monterey Jack in Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers, and many, many others.
Cullen also provided vocal effects for non-human characters in live-action movies; he voiced King Kong in the 1976 film, Mogwai and the Gremlins in Gremlins, and the Predator in Predator.
In 2010, Cullen was one of the first four humans inducted into the Transformers Hall of Fame by Hasbro. In 2023, the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences awarded Cullen with the Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by his good friend and longtime Transformers costar Frank Welker.
In a statement shared with TMZ, Cullen's family said: "Peter Cullen passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family - and held in the hearts of his many friends and countless fans worldwide. His family ask that you honor his remarkable legacy by serving your communities and leading others with compassion, integrity, and loyalty and always remember ''Be strong enough to be gentle.'"