René Auberjonois, a prolific actor best known for the TV shows Benson and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, has died. He was 79.
His son Remy Auberjonois told The Associated Press he died Sunday at his home in Los Angeles of metastatic lung cancer.
The actor won a Tony on Broadway in 1969s Coco opposite Katharine Hepburn. His first major movie role was as Father Mulcahy in the 1970 film M.A.S.H.
In the 1980s, he played Clayton Runnymede Endicott III, a snooty staffer in a governors mansion on Benson. And in the 1990s, he played the shape-shifting alien Odo on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
He was an expert scenery chewer in City of Angels.
May he rest in peace.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
He not only chewed the scenery in COCO, he made the show tolerable.
RIP
I read a story once by San Francisco actors who got tickets to the first A.C.T. show there in 1967 which was Tartuffe. They planned to interrupt the show as a protest against "corporate theatre" or some such. But Auberjonois came on to the stage with such power and flash and entertainment that they watched the show and forgot about the protest.
Saw him in Tricks .It was a flop musical over 30 years ago
I enjoyed his performances in Big River, City of Angels, and the revival of Sly Fox. He was fun to watch. I believe he was also in Dance of the Vampire, but that show was so dreadful I tried to block out any memories I have of the show. RIP, sir.
I am not a fan of Big River but he was excellent in it.
Such diverse roles a wonderful talent .
Thanks for the memories R.I.P.
ggersten said: "I read a story once by San Francisco actors who got tickets to the first A.C.T. show there in 1967 which was Tartuffe. They planned to interrupt the show as a protest against "corporate theatre" or some such. But Auberjonois came on to the stage with such power and flash and entertainment that they watched the show and forgot about the protest."
That’s a lovely story. I’ve always admired his work so very much from Benson to Star Trek. He’s an extremely underrated actor. This one’s for you, NeNe...Coco wasn’t a total “fiasco” thanks to you, even if your character aged badly.
Peter S. beagle, author of “The Last Unicorn”, said Rene was so good in his vocal performance of the skeleton in the Rankin-Bass film version that Rene could have played any role in the story. That’s high praise from the author himself.
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