‘He-Man’ artist, toy designer T. Mark Taylor dead at 80

T. Mark Taylor, an artist and toy designer for the He-Man and Masters of the Universe franchise, died Thursday at his California home, The Associated Press reported Saturday. He was 80.

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Taylor also designed the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toys, according to the AP.

He-Man was the muscled product for toy manufacturer Mattel’s Masters of the Universe franchise, which would later spawn an animated series, according to the AP.

Beginning in 1982, Mattel sold more than 70 million action figures from its Masters of the Universe collection, according to The New York Times.

Terrell Mark Taylor, who went by his middle name, was born June 5, 1941, according to online California voter registration records. He said he based the concept of He-Man on his vision of Cro-Magnon men, as well as Vikings, the AP reported.

Taylor was not the sole creator of He-Man or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but his work as a designer produced iconic images for a generation of children.

Mattel did not respond to a request for comment Saturday, according to the AP.

Taylor began his career with Mattel in 1976 as a packaging designer, his family said.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, designer Rebecca Salari-Taylor, the AP reported.

“I felt him say goodbye to this world as I held him in my arms for one final loving kiss,” Salari-Taylor wrote in a Facebook post.

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