Pierre Trabaud was a French actor extensively involved in theatre, film, and radio, who built a prolific secondary career as a voice actor in animated series and films, particularly for the French market. Born on August 7, 1922, in Chatou, France, he trained at the Cours Simon drama school after a brief period at the École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts. His on-screen acting career began in 1945, and he gained recognition for his role in the classic 1962 film La Guerre des boutons. He passed away on February 26, 2005, in Versailles.

Trabaud's voice acting work is extensive, covering a wide range of anime and Western animated productions dubbed into French. He is well-known for providing the French voices for several iconic characters in the Dragon Ball franchise, including the Turtle Sage (Maître Tortue Géniale), the villain Pilaf, the North Kaiō (Maître Kaïo), and Dodoria. His involvement with the series extended beyond acting to include voice direction on the French adaptations of Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z. As noted, he also voiced Aramis in the animated series Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds, a role that connects him to a beloved European adaptation of the classic novel. His other prominent anime voice roles include Monsieur Zon and the Doctor in Albator 84, Zack and Salambo in Space Adventure Cobra, and various characters in Sherlock Hound, such as Inspector Lestrad.

Beyond anime, Trabaud was a highly recognizable voice in other areas of animation. He was the first French voice of Daffy Duck and also lent his voice to characters like Popeye and Joe Dalton in the various Lucky Luke animated productions. In feature-length animation, he voiced characters in the early Astérix films, including a Roman in Astérix le Gaulois and the pirate captain in Astérix et Cléopâtre. He also voiced Wicket the Ewok in the French dub of the Ewoks television series.

Throughout his career, Trabaud participated in numerous dubbing projects that saw him collaborate regularly with a circle of French voice actors. His work frequently intersected with that of colleagues like Roger Carel, another giant of French dubbing, particularly on series such as Astérix, Lucky Luke, and various animated productions from the 1970s through the 1990s. He also worked extensively in radio, notably on the long-running mystery series Les Maîtres du mystère.

A notable achievement in Trabaud's career was his role as the voice director for the French adaptation of several major anime series, including Dragon Ball and its sequel Dragon Ball Z, as well as the series Tsuyoshi Shikkari Shinasai. This positioned him as a key figure in introducing and shaping these Japanese series for a French-speaking audience. His contribution to French popular culture is marked by the sheer volume and recognition of the characters he voiced, from the comedic Joe Dalton to the wise Turtle Sage, making his voice a familiar presence to generations of viewers.