Anyway, this was one of my favorite cartoons growing up. Unlike many brain-dead cartoons of the 80's where each episode was a self-contained story, Transformers had a continuous story line that tied the episodes together in sequence. A few others also did this like GI Joe, Star Blazers, Robotech, etc. Those were my favorites too.
The leader of the good robots, Optimus Prime, was voiced by Peter Cullen. He was very distinctive and really conveyed the strength & wisdom of the character.
In an interview on USATODAY.com, he credits the inspiration for the voice to his brother:
I think Optimus was more -- his voice came more of substance of character. I kind of modeled Optimus Prime's voice out of many people I had known over the years, my family especially. My brother was a captain in the Marine Corps, and a very big hero in my life. His approach to serious situations was always calm and controlled an authoritative. So my brother is in there. Even my dad, too, (and) former friends who have now departed but are strong in my memory.
Sadly, he said he never received a fan letter during the time of the TV series. He didn't realize his popularity until just recently. I have to say I've been a fan for a while, and I've recognized his voice in several commercials, movie trailers, and other shows (eg: the evil KARR in Knight Rider).
Using Peter for Optimus just got them a huge boost in ticket sales. Dedicated fans will flock to see the new movie and will drag along their friends and significant others to see and hear the new version of a childhood fantasy.
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