Katsuhiko Kobayashi was a Japanese actor and voice actor born on January 15, 1937, in Tokyo, Japan. He began his on-screen acting career in 1958 after passing an audition for Daiei Studios, initially appearing in films and later becoming a familiar face in television dramas, particularly in period pieces and roles as antagonists. Alongside his on-camera work, he built a substantial career as a voice actor, lending his distinct baritone voice to numerous anime series and foreign film dubs.

In anime, Kobayashi is known for his role as the father, Ernest Robinson, in the 1981 Nippon Animation series Swiss Family Robinson: Flone of the Mysterious Island, an adaptation of the classic novel. He provided the voice for the patriarch of the shipwrecked family in the early episodes of the series. His other notable anime voice roles include Ideya in the series and movie God Mars, Captain Horikawa and Dr. Challenger in Shin Tetsujin 28, and Dr. Schumann in Monster. He also contributed to popular series such as Lupin III: Part II, Lady Georgie, and Master Keaton.

Kobayashi was also highly active in the world of voice-over dubbing for foreign films and television shows, a field where his deep voice was frequently utilized. One of his most prominent dubbing roles was providing the Japanese voice for Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, also known as Darth Sidious, in the Star Wars prequel trilogy and the related animated series Star Wars: Clone Wars. His extensive dubbing credits also include voicing characters played by actors such as Paul Newman, Harvey Keitel, and Hal Holbrook. Other notable dubbing work included roles in major films like Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Commando, and Mission: Impossible.

Katsuhiko Kobayashi passed away on May 6, 2005, at the age of 68. His career, spanning nearly five decades, left a significant mark on both Japanese cinema and the voice acting industry through his work in animation and foreign film localization.