Gottfried Kramer was a distinguished German actor and voice artist, born on May 3, 1925, in Hamburg. He began his professional journey after training under Eduard Marks at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hamburg, having previously worked as a Vorschullehrer, or pre-school teacher, in Worpswede. His acting career commenced on stage in Schleswig, and he soon became a familiar face in German television during the 1960s and 1970s, appearing in numerous series and television films such as Gestatten, mein Name ist Cox, Hafenkrankenhaus, Tatort, and Onkel Bräsig.

However, Kramer became best known to a wide audience for his distinctive voice work. His markedly raspy voice, often described as a gravelly voice, became his trademark and led to an extensive and prolific career as a dubbing actor. In the realm of German-dubbed anime, he contributed his voice to several notable series produced during the 1980s and early 1990s. He voiced the panther Baghira in the anime adaptation Jungle Book: Shōnen Mowgli. In the series Mori no Tonto-tachi, he took on the role of Nikolaus, and he portrayed Mr. Morton in the anime version of Swiss Family Robinson. His work in this field also included voicing Dr. Watson in the anime series Sherlock Hound and taking on roles in series such as Ahiru no Quack and Grimm's Fairy Tales.

Beyond his anime roles, Kramer's voice became iconic through his work in live-action dubbing. He was the German voice for some of the most celebrated actors in film history, including Marlon Brando in The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, Al Pacino in The Godfather Part III, and Humphrey Bogart in revoicings of his classic films. He also lent his voice to F. Murray Abraham as Antonio Salieri in Amadeus and as Bernardo Gui in The Name of the Rose. A whole new generation of television viewers came to know his voice as that of K.I.T.T., the talking car in the series Knight Rider. Simultaneously, he was a beloved presence in children's television as the original German voice of Oscar the Grouch on Sesamstraße.

Kramer was also an immensely active and sought-after Hörspiel speaker, featuring in hundreds of audio drama productions. He was a regular guest at the renowned Europa studio in Hamburg, where his voice brought to life characters in popular series such as Die drei Fragezeichen, TKKG, Fünf Freunde, and Masters of the Universe. He is particularly fondly remembered by fans for his portrayal of Captain Haddock in the Tim und Struppi series. Throughout his career, he was occasionally credited under pseudonyms, including Heinz Überreiter, Klaus Marwitz, and Victor Mann.

Gottfried Kramer passed away in June 1994 in Hamburg at the age of 69. His unique and powerful voice left an indelible mark on German audio and dubbing, making him a legendary figure for listeners and viewers who grew up with his performances in the latter half of the 20th century.