Cullen died Wednesday, August 26, at his home in Los Angeles, according to reports from TMZ and The Hollywood Reporter. His death was announced Thursday morning.
Cullen first voiced Optimus Prime in the original Transformers animated series in 1984 and would return to the role repeatedly over the next four decades in animated series, video games and the live-action Transformers films. His many other roles included Eeyore in "Winnie the Pooh", KARR in "Knight Rider", Monterey Jack in "Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers", and the vocalizations of the Predator. Additional information about his long lifetime of roles can be found on Wikipedia.
In a statement shared with TMZ, Cullen's family said he "passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family" and asked fans to remember one of the principles that became inseparable from Cullen and Optimus Prime: "be strong enough to be gentle."
For more than 40 years, Peter Cullen was an extraordinary part of Transformers and its fandom. We invite our fellow Seibertronians to share their memories, stories and thoughts about Peter Cullen in our forums.
Our condolences go out to Peter Cullen's family, friends and all those whose lives he touched.
Until All Are One.
