Robert V. Barron was an American actor, voice actor, writer, director, and producer who played a significant role in the early days of English-language dubs of Japanese anime. He was born on December 26, 1932, and passed away on December 1, 2000. Barron was also known for his on-screen portrayal of Abraham Lincoln in the 1989 comedy film Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.

Barron's career in entertainment began in radio and regional theater, where he performed in classical stage roles. He later moved to Hollywood, taking on acting roles in television series such as Bonanza, Mannix, and Night Court, as well as writing episodes for shows like Bonanza and The Wild Wild West. His deep and resonant voice, however, led him to become a prominent figure in the emerging field of English dubbing for Japanese animated series.

In this capacity, Barron was a pioneer, working as an adapter of English dubbing scripts and a voice director. He served as executive director and story editor for Saban Productions, a company that became a major producer of children's programming. His work in anime often involved providing voices for multiple characters in a single series or film, a common practice in dubbing at the time.

Among his numerous voice roles in anime, Barron is most recognized as the voice of Admiral Donald Hayes in the 1985 animated series Robotech, a role for which he also served as supervising producer. In Dracula: Sovereign of the Damned, a 1980 English dub of the Japanese anime film, he served as the voice director and provided several voices, including that of the Narrator. He also contributed voices to the anime film Wicked City and the feature Twilight of the Cockroaches. His work in the industry extended to other English adaptations, such as the series Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds.

Barron's legacy in anime is that of a foundational figure who helped bring Japanese animation to English-speaking audiences, both through his vocal performances and his behind-the-scenes work in writing, directing, and production.