Christopher Latta, born Christopher Lawrence Latta on August 30, 1949, in Orange, New Jersey, was an American actor and voice artist known for his extensive work in animation and live-action television and film. He was also recognized for his successful stand-up comedy career, often performing under the stage name Chris Latta to avoid confusion with another actor named Chris Collins. Latta passed away on June 12, 1994, in Ventura, California.

Latta's entry into voice acting for animation began with one of the earliest English-dubbed anime to achieve popularity in the United States, Star Blazers, an adaptation of the Japanese series Space Battleship Yamato. He provided voices for multiple characters in the series, most notably during The Comet Empire story arc. In this installment, he is recognized as the voice of space marine Sergeant Webb Knox and General Dire, a high-ranking officer within the Comet Empire. This work in the late 1970s marked the beginning of a prolific career in voice acting.

He went on to achieve widespread recognition for his voice roles in two of the most iconic American animated series of the 1980s. He was the original voice of the power-hungry and treacherous Starscream, as well as the Autobot scientist Wheeljack and human ally Sparkplug Witwicky, in the original Transformers series. Concurrently, he voiced the duplicitous Cobra Commander and the rugged marine Gung-Ho in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. His distinctive, high-pitched, and raspy portrayal for characters like Starscream and Cobra Commander became a hallmark of his performance style, effectively conveying cunning and deceit.

His voice acting portfolio extended to numerous other animated projects throughout the 1980s. He provided voices for characters in series such as Inhumanoids, Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light, and Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends. He was also part of the original cast for The Simpsons, originating the voice of Mr. Burns in its first season.

In addition to his voice work, Latta had an active career in live-action television and film, often credited as Christopher Collins. He made guest appearances in popular series of the era, including playing Klingon Captain Kargan and Pakled Captain Grebnedlog in Star Trek: The Next Generation, a mugger in an episode of Seinfeld, and a recurring role as Roger, one of Al Bundy's bowling buddies, on Married... with Children. His film credits include small roles in Road House, True Identity, and Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot.

Beyond acting, Latta was a dedicated stand-up comedian. His comedy career reached its peak in the late 1980s and early 1990s, culminating in him winning the prestigious San Francisco International Stand-Up Comedy Competition in 1990. His stage persona was often loud and confrontational, a stark contrast to the many villainous characters he voiced.

In recognition of his significant contributions to the franchise, Chris Latta was posthumously inducted into the Transformers Hall of Fame in 2012, with his daughter accepting the honor on his behalf.