Lou Scheimer, the founder of animation studio Filmation and the producer of Saturday morning cartoon classics such as 'Fat Albert,' 'He-Man,' and 'Superman,' has passed away at the age of 84. Scheimer leaves behind a legacy of exciting Saturday morning entertainment for children that's been passed on and revitalized from generation to generation.

Scheimer's biographer, Andy Mangels, confirmed to CNN that the producer and co-founder of Filmation studios passed away on Thursday at the age of 84. Scheimer's daughter-in-law, Amy Rosenberg, also confirmed the passing of this animation pioneer.

In the 1960s, Filmation began producing Saturday morning cartoons, including 'Superman,' 'Flash Gordon,' and 'He-Man and the Masters of the Universe,' as well as its spin-off, 'She-Ra, Princess of Power.' Filmation didn't just put out animated shows based on superheroes, though -- Scheimer also produced an animated 'Star Trek' television series, and he helped introduce the world to 'Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids.'

Scheimer and Filmation also brought the characters from the classic Archie comics to the small screen, with the animated series producing some of the most noteworthy pop songs of the decade -- 'Sugar, Sugar' became a number one hit.

In addition to producing, Scheimer sometimes provided voice work on the cartoons, and he eventually wrote a biography with the help of Andy Mangels, titled 'Creating the Filmation Generation.' Scheimer's legacy still endures, and DreamWorks purchased the Filmation animation library last year, proving his work is still valued to this day.

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