Peter Fernandez was an American actor, voice director, and writer, widely recognized as a pioneering figure in the localization and English-language adaptation of Japanese anime for Western audiences. He was born on January 29, 1927, in New York City and passed away on July 15, 2010.

His career in entertainment began long before the advent of anime in the United States. As a child, he worked as a model and began appearing on Broadway and in radio during the 1930s and 1940s. His radio credits from this era include roles in popular series such as Superman, Suspense, and Gangbusters.

Fernandez's pivotal role in introducing anime to English-speaking viewers began in 1960 when he provided the speaking voice for the title character in the film Alakazam the Great, one of the first Japanese animated features to receive a wide release in the United States. He would go on to become instrumental in the English adaptations of several foundational anime series. He is perhaps best known for his multifaceted work on the 1967 series Speed Racer, for which he served as the voice director, co-writer, and the voice of both the protagonist Speed Racer and his brother, Racer X. He also penned the English lyrics for the show's iconic theme song. The rapid-fire delivery of dialogue that became a hallmark of the series was a technique devised by Fernandez and his fellow voice actors to synchronize the English script with the animation's original mouth movements.

Beyond Speed Racer, his extensive voice acting portfolio in anime included roles in other landmark series and films. He voiced Dr. Mariner in Marine Boy, contributed to the English adaptations of Astro Boy and Gigantor, and was the voice of Mark Venture in Star Blazers. For the 1978 film World's Famous Stories for Children: Thumb Princess, he was part of the English-language cast, which also featured frequent collaborators Corinne Orr and Lionel Wilson. His voice work was not limited to animation; he also worked on English dubs of numerous live-action foreign films, including several entries in the Godzilla series, such as Son of Godzilla and Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster.

In addition to his on-screen voice roles, Fernandez had a prolific career behind the scenes as a voice director and writer. He was the voice director for the animated series Courage the Cowardly Dog, a role he cited as a personal favorite, and also contributed voices to the show, including the character Benton Tarantella. His directing credits extended to other series such as Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers and Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders. He continued to be associated with his most famous character late in his career, voicing a racing announcer in the 2008 live-action film Speed Racer and playing an older Headmaster Spritle in the 2008 animated series Speed Racer: The Next Generation.

For his significant contributions to the medium, Fernandez received The Special American Anime Award for Outstanding Achievement in 2007. His last major public appearance was at the Sakura-Con anime convention in Seattle in 2009.