Manuel Cavaco is a Portuguese actor and voice actor, recognized for his extensive work in dubbing foreign animation and live-action productions for the Portuguese market. He was born Manuel Tavares Cavaco in Lisbon, Portugal, on June 14, 1944. His early involvement with the performing arts began in childhood, coming from a family of theater amateurs. He first appeared on stage at the age of five and later attended the Conservatório Nacional, although he did not complete the course after beginning his professional career.

In the realm of anime and animated series, Cavaco is known for his voice work in several titles that were dubbed in Portugal during the 1980s and 1990s. A key example is the series Koguma no Misha, known in Portugal as Misha. In this production, he provided the voices for three distinct characters: Chefe da Aldeia (the Village Chief), Dr. Bode, and the Gerente do Hotel (Hotel Manager). His other anime voice roles from this period include characters in D'Artacão e os Três Moscãoteiros (as Dogus, Conde de Rocãoforte, and Rei Luís XIII), the 1983 anime adaptation of Alice no País das Maravilhas (as Bobo and Rato Dorminhoco), and Bell e Sebastião (as Carlos). He also contributed voices to long-running animated series such as Os Smurfs and Os Cavaleiros das Estrelas.

Beyond these anime titles, a substantial portion of Cavaco's dubbing career is closely linked to Disney films and series. His filmography includes roles as Dengoso (Dopey) in a later dubbing of Branca de Neve e os Sete Anões, Agonia (Pain) in Hércules and its spin-off series House of Mouse, Guarda Brutish in O Corcunda de Notre Dame, and the voice of Doc Hudson in both Carros and Carros 3. He also voiced Auguste Gusteau in Ratatui and Norte (North) in A Origem dos Guardiões. For live-action hybrid films, he lent his voice to characters in O Pequeno Stuart Little and the Caterpillar in Alice no País das Maravilhas (2010) and its sequel.

In terms of recurring collaborations, Cavaco was a prominent voice on the Portuguese adaptation of the educational children's program Rua Sésamo during its first three seasons. In this production, he voiced the iconic characters Monstro das Bolachas (Cookie Monster) and Telmo (Elmo). His career also includes work for various dubbing studios, including Nacional Filmes, Matinha, and On Air. Recognized as one of the early figures in the Portuguese dubbing industry, his career demonstrates a notable range, from classic Disney characters to memorable roles in anime and children's television.