Henry Djanik was a highly influential French actor, born Arthur Djanikian on March 21, 1926, in Varna, Bulgaria, who became one of the most recognizable voices in French dubbing. Of Armenian descent, he immigrated to France during his youth and, after a period working in a factory and serving in the French Forces of the Interior during World War II, he pursued a career in acting. Following dramatic training, he began appearing on stage, in films, and on television from the 1950s onwards, with roles in productions such as Peur sur la ville and I... comme Icare. It was in 1954, encouraged by a fellow actor, that he transitioned into the field of dubbing, where he would leave an indelible mark.

Djanik's voice, described as deep, gravelly, and instantly recognizable, became his trademark and made him a singular presence in French dubbing. While he was the regular French voice for numerous Hollywood icons like Anthony Quinn, Telly Savalas, and Mr. T, his contributions to animation were equally prolific and cherished. He lent his distinctive timbre to a vast array of animated characters across numerous series and films, becoming a familiar presence for French viewers of animated programming from the 1970s through the 1990s.

Among his many animation roles, Djanik voiced the Cowardly Lion in the 1982 Japanese anime film The Wizard of Oz, bringing a gentle warmth to the character. He is also noted for providing the voice of Basile in the series Mori no Tonto-tachi, a role that is part of his extensive body of work in children's animation. His career was marked by a high degree of versatility, often voicing multiple characters within a single series. A prime example is the iconic series Saint Seiya, known in French as Les Chevaliers du Zodiaque, where he not only voiced the protagonist Ikki the Phoenix but also numerous other characters, including the Old Master Dohko and the villain Arles. He was similarly prolific in the first French dub of The Transformers, where he was the voice of the villainous Megatron, as well as numerous other Autobots and Decepticons.

His voice became synonymous with beloved characters in Disney and other animated features. For generations of French audiences, he was the definitive voice of the melancholy donkey Eeyore (Bourriquet) in nearly all Winnie the Pooh productions from 1977 until the early 2000s, often also voicing the character Owl. His other notable roles include the villainous Sykes in Oliver and Company, the wolf Akela in The Jungle Book, Panthro in Thundercats (Les Cosmocats), and the narrator for the series Bibifoc.

Henry Djanik passed away on August 18, 2008, in Le Perreux-sur-Marne, France, at the age of 82. His death marked the loss of a giant of French dubbing. With a career spanning over five decades, he left behind an immense and varied body of work. His deep, gravelly voice, which brought to life a multitude of heroes, villains, and sidekicks in animation, remains a cherished memory for French audiences who grew up listening to his unmistakable performances.