Mel Welles, born Ira W. Meltcher on February 17, 1924, in New York City, was an American actor, voice artist, and director whose career included significant contributions to English-language dubbing. He held a Doctorate in psychology from Columbia University and worked as a clinical psychologist, radio DJ, and writer before transitioning to film in Hollywood in the early 1950s. He became known for his work with director Roger Corman in films such as The Little Shop of Horrors, where he played his favorite on-screen role, Gravis Mushnick.

In the context of anime voice acting, Welles is recognized for his work on English-language versions of Japanese films and television series. A key example of this is his voice role in the 1958 Japanese animated film Hakuja den, also known as The White Snake. In this feature, he provided the voice for the character identified as The Wizard in the English version, which corresponds to the antagonist Fa-Hai. This role was one of his earliest contributions to bringing Japanese animation to English-speaking audiences.

Welles's career in voice acting extended beyond this single anime title. In the late 1960s, he provided uncredited English voices for the Japanese science fiction film The X from Outer Space, playing a character named Berman. Perhaps his most prolific work in the realm of Japanese series adaptation was his involvement with Spectreman in the late 1970s. He was responsible for the English adaptation of the Japanese television show, and his voice work formed a significant part of the version that aired on U.S. television.

His fluency in five languages enabled him to establish a dubbing company in Rome during the 1960s, where he and his company reportedly dubbed over 800 European-produced films into English. This skill set made him a valuable asset for international film production and distribution. In addition to his work in animation, he also performed voice roles in films such as Faeries in 1981 and Wolfen in 1981. Later in his career, after returning to the United States, he continued to perform voice-over work and also taught voice acting. Mel Welles passed away on August 19, 2005, at the age of 81.