Charles Rettinghaus is a German voice actor, actor, and audiobook narrator born on May 24, 1962, in Remagen, Germany. Before entering the entertainment industry, he completed training as a steel construction locksmith and bridge builder. He later attended the Margot Höpfner acting school in Hamburg, where he performed at the Kleine Komödie Hamburg and the Lübeck Theatre. Following his education, he moved to Berlin for a three-year engagement at the Theatre Die Komödianten, during which he also began taking on small voice acting roles.

Rettinghaus gained early recognition for providing the German voice of Geordi La Forge, played by LeVar Burton, in the series Star Trek: The Next Generation. This role marked a significant step in his career as a voice actor. Over the years, he has become known as the German voice for numerous international film stars, including Jamie Foxx, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Robert Downey Jr., Billy Zane, Vin Diesel, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. His extensive voice portfolio includes work on major film franchises such as The Expendables and the Avengers series. In addition to film and television, his voice has been featured in many German commercial campaigns for brands like Media Markt, McDonald's, Opel, and TV Movie.

Within the realm of anime, Charles Rettinghaus is best known for his role as Marik Ishtar in the German dub of Yu-Gi-Oh!. Marik Ishtar is a significant character who serves as the main antagonist of the Battle City story arc, acting as the leader and founder of the Rare Hunters and the heir to the Tomb Keepers. Another notable anime role was his portrayal of Genta Kojima in the series Detective Conan, a part he voiced for the first three seasons before being replaced by another actor.

Beyond his work in animation and on-screen dubbing, Rettinghaus has an extensive career as a narrator for audiobooks and radio plays. He has been the voice for the title character in the children's radio play series Xanti and was the first voice actor for the character Holger Martin in the popular Bibi and Tina series. His career encompasses well over a thousand speaking roles, establishing him as a prolific and prominent figure in the German dubbing industry.