Wolfgang Thal was a German actor and voice actor known for his extensive work in dubbing foreign films and television series into German. While his career encompassed a wide range of genres, he contributed to several notable anime productions for the German-language market.

Born on May 30, 1924, in Magdeburg, Thal pursued acting after his education was interrupted by World War II. He began his stage career in 1947 and later worked at prominent theaters in Berlin, including the Maxim Gorki Theater and the Deutsches Theater. Beyond acting, he also worked as a director, both for television and as a synchronization director for dubbing projects.

One of his most recognized roles in anime is the character Son-Gohan Sr., the grandfather of the protagonist Goku, in the Dragon Ball Z feature film Dragon Ball Z: Son-Gokus Vater. His performance in this role was part of the German dubbing production. In the long-running detective series Case Closed, known in German as Detektiv Conan, Thal provided the voice for the character Mr. Aso, the butler of the Tani family, appearing in the second episode of the anime. His anime voice credits also include the role of the hermit in the series Arjuna and the character Kimatas Großvater in an episode of Pretty Cure.

Beyond these performances, Thal had a prolific career as a dubbing actor for a vast number of films and television series. He voiced characters across many popular international franchises, including several roles in the German dubs of various Star Trek series. His voice was also featured in German adaptations of shows like Boston Legal, Navy CIS, and Cold Case. His extensive film dubbing work included many productions from the 1950s through the early 2000s.

Wolfgang Thal passed away on June 10, 2006, at the age of 82.