Robert Axelrod was an American actor primarily known for his extensive voice work in anime and live-action series, with a career spanning several decades until his passing in 2019. Born and raised in New York City, he began his entertainment career as a child actor in commercials and theater before spending eight years as a working rock musician, playing electric bass and singing in various bands. His musical pursuits brought him to Los Angeles, where he made the decision to return to acting, a choice that led to a prolific career in voiceover and on-screen roles.

Axelrod's voice acting career, which began in the early 1980s, encompassed a vast range of characters in English-language dubs of Japanese anime. Among his notable early roles was Dr. Sane in the film Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato, a dub produced for Voyager Entertainment in 1994. He also provided the voice for Tsutomu Sugioka in the 1987 anthology film Neo-Tokyo, specifically for its segment The Order to Stop Construction. In the anime world, he was further recognized for voicing Dr. Zero in Space Pirate Captain Harlock and the character Ratso, also known as Ratso Catso, in the series Wowser, known in some regions as Don-Don Domel to Ron. His filmography also includes the role of the Narrator for the series My Favorite Fairy Tales, along with other titles such as Akira, Digimon Adventure, Robotech, and Gaiking.

A significant aspect of Axelrod's career was his recurring collaboration with Saban Entertainment. He began working with the company in 1984, providing voiceovers and writing for programs. This partnership led to his most iconic and widely recognized role: the voice of Lord Zedd, the primary villain on the hit series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. He also voiced Finster, the monster maker, in the same series and appeared in the 1995 feature film Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie. His work extended to other Saban productions, where he was a regular character on shows like Wowser and Hallo Spencer.

Beyond these signature roles, Axelrod's voice can be heard in a multitude of other projects. In the Digimon franchise, he voiced multiple characters, including Armadillomon, Wizardmon, and Ankylomon in Digimon Adventure and Digimon Adventure 02. His other voice credits in anime include roles in Lupin the 3rd: The Mystery of Mamo, Cowboy Bebop, The Big O, and Fist of the North Star. In addition to his prolific voice work, Axelrod also made on-screen appearances in feature films such as the 1988 remake of The Blob, television shows like Star Trek: Voyager, and comedies such as Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!. His agency, Mobile Monicker Productions, noted that he voiced over 150 characters throughout his career.