Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Michael Ansara obit

Michael Ansara, actor behind Klingon leader Kang, dies at 91

He struck an imposing figure as Kang, the villainous Klingon commander who struck fears in the hearts of the federation. 

The man who played Kang in three iterations of "Star Trek," Michael Ansara, has died, according to his former agent.
Ansara was 91. 

The veteran character actor was probably best known for playing the Klingon leader in the original "Star Trek" series, then again in the legendary sci-fi series "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and "Star Trek: Voyager." 

But he had an illustrious career beyond that, plus a personal life that included a marriage to Barbara Eden of "I Dream of Jeannie" fame and a 36-year marriage to his wife Beverly.
Ansara died Wednesday at his home in Calabasas, California, according to former agent Michael B. Druxman. 

He was born in a small village in Syria, arriving in the United States with his American parents at the age of two, according to a biography provided by Druxman. 

Having entered college in Los Angeles intending to be a doctor, he went into acting instead. His breakout role came as Cochise in the 1950s TV series "Broken Arrow."
Other small-screen roles included in parts in such shows as "The Untouchables," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," "Perry Mason, "Lost in Space," "Hawaii 5-0," "Murder She Wrote," "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" and his ex-wife's show, "I Dream of Jeannie." Ansara also voiced Mr. Freeze in Batman movies and the TV series. 

Ansara's film credits include 1953's "Julius Caesar," "The Greatest Story Ever Told," John Wayne's "The Comancheros," "Guns of the Magnificent Seven," "The Bears and I," "The Message" and "The Guns and the Fury." 

William Shatner, who played Capt. James T. Kirk on the original Star Trek, was among the many who offered condolences upon hearing of Ansara's death. So too did Eden, Ansara's former wife.

Tweeted Eden: "He was a good man, a good father and a fantastic actor who had a long and full life."

TV and filmography

    Action in Arabia (1944) as Hamid (uncredited)
    Can't Help Singing (1944) as California Caballero (uncredited)
    Intrigue (1947) as Ramon's Radio Man
    Queen Esther (1948) as Zubal
    Outpost in Morocco (1949) as Rifle Dispenser (uncredited)
    The Desert Film (1950) as Guard (uncredited)
    South Sea Sinner (1950) as Native Policeman (uncredited)
    Kim (1950) as Harem Guard (uncredited)
    Soldiers Three (1951) as Manik Rao
    Only the Valiant (1951) as Tucsos
    Smuggler's Island (1951) as Sikh Policeman (uncredited)
    Bannerline (1951) as Floyd
    Hill Number One (1951, TV Series) as Decius
    My Favorite Spy (1951) as House Servant (uncredited)
    Brave Warrior (1952) as The Prophet
    Diplomatic Courier (1952) as Ivan (uncredited)
    Yankee Buccaneer (1952) as Lt. Romero
    The Golden Hawk (1952) as Bernardo Díaz
    Road to Bali (1952) as Guard (uncredited)
    The Lawless Breed (1953) as Gus Hanley (uncredited)
    The Bandits of Corsica (1953) as Blacksmith
    Julius Caesar (1953) as Pindarus
    Serpent of the Nile (1953) as Captain Florus
    White Witch Doctor (1953) as De Gama (uncredited)
    The Robe (1953) as Judas (uncredited)
    Slaves of Babylon (1953) as Prince Belshazzar
    The Diamond Queen (1953) as Mir Jumla, the Mogul's general
    Three Young Texans (1954) as Apache Joe
    Drums of Tahiti (1954) as Opening Narrator (uncredited)
    The Saracen Blade (1954) as Count Alesandro Siniscola
    Princess of the Nile (1954) as Captain Kral
    The Egyptian (1954) as Hittite Commander (uncredited)
    Bengal Brigade (1954) as Sgt. Major Puran Singh
    Sign of the Pagan (1954) as Edecon
    Dragnet: The Big Rod (1954, TV Series) as Carl Chapman
    Jupiter's Darling (1955) as Maharbal
    New Orleans Uncensored (1955) as Floyd 'Zero' Saxon
    Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955) as Charlie
    Diane (1956) as Count Ridolfi
    The Lone Ranger (1956) as Angry Horse
    Gun Brothers (1956) as Shawnee Jack
    The Ten Commandments (1956) as Taskmaster (uncredited)
    Pillars of the Sky (1956) as Kamiakin
    Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Orderly World of Mr. Appleby (1956, TV Series) as Desar
    Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Baby Sitter (1956, TV Series) as Mr. DeMario
    Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Shopping for Death (1956, TV Series) as Butcher
    Broken Arrow (1956–1958, TV Series) as Cochise
    Last of the Badmen (1957) as Kramer
    Quantez (1957) as Delgadito
    The Tall Stranger (1957) as Zarata
    The Sad Sack (1957) as Moki (uncredited)
    The Rifleman: The Indian (1959, TV Series)
    The Rifleman: The Raid (1959, TV Series)
    Law of the Plainsman (1959–1960, TV Series)
    The Untouchables: Nicky (1960, TV Series) as Charlie Steuben
    The Rebel in the episode "The Champ" (1960, TV Series) as Docker Mason
    The Untouchables: The Jamaica Ginger Story (1961, TV Series) as Rafael Torrez
    Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961) as Miguel Alvarez
    The Comancheros (1961) as Amelung
    Wagon Train: The Patience Miller Story (1961, TV Series) as Northstar
    Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea: Hot Line (1964, TV Series) as Malinoff
    Perry Mason: The Case of the Antic Angel (1964, TV Series) as Vince Kabat
    The Outer Limits: Soldier (1964) as Quarlo Clobregnny
    Quick, Let's Get Married (1964) as Mayor Pablo
    The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) as Herod's Commander
    The Virginian: The Showdown (1965, TV Series) as Marshall Merle Frome
    Branded: The Bounty (1965, TV Series) as Thomas Frye
    Harum Scarum (1965) as Prince Dragna
    Lost in Space: The Challenge (1966, TV Series) as The Ruler
    I Dream of Jeannie: Happy Anniversary (1966, TV Series) as Blue Djinn
    Bewitched: A Most Unusual Wood Nymph (1966, TV Series) as Rufus the Red
    Gunsmoke: Honor Before Justice (1966) as Grey Horse
    ...And Now Miguel (1966) as Blas Chavez
    Texas Across the River (1966) as Iron Jacket
    Gunsmoke: The Returning (1967, TV Series) as Luke Todd
    The Fugitive: The Savage Street (1967, TV Series) as Officer Miguel 'Mike' Anza
    The Time Tunnel: The Kidnappers (1967, TV Series) as Curator
    The Destructors (1968) as Count Mario Romano
    Sol Madrid (1968) as Capt. Ortega
    I Dream of Jeannie: The Battle of Waikīkī (1968, TV Series) as King Kamehameha
    Daring Game (1968) as President Eduardo Delgado
    The Pink Jungle (1968) as Raul Ortega
    The High Chaparral (1969, TV Series) as Alberto Ruiz
    Guns of the Magnificent Seven (1969) as Col. Diego
    Target: Harry (1969) as Maj. Milos Segora
    I Dream of Jeannie: My Sister, the Homewreker (1969, TV Series) as Major Biff Jellico
    The Phynx (1970) as Col. Rostinov
    I Dream of Jeannie: One Jeannie Beats Four of a Kind (1970, director)
    The Mod Squad: A Double for Danger, Season 3 (1971, TV Series) as Ray Abruzzi
    Bearcats! Pilot Movie, "Powderkeg" (1971, TV Series) as Paco Morales
    Dear Dead Delilah (1972) as Morgan Charles
    Stand Up and Be Counted (1972) as Playboy Speaker
    The Streets of San Francisco: The Year of the Locusts (1972, TV Series) as Albert 'Al' Ferguson
    Hawaii Five-O: Death is a Company Policy (1972, TV Series) as Piro Manoa
    Call To Danger (1973, TV Movie) as Frank Mulvey
    Mission: Impossible: The Western (1973, TV Movie) as Ed Stoner
    The Doll Squad (1973) as Eamon O'Reilly
    Ordeal (1973, TV Movie) as Sheriff Peter Geeson
    It's Alive (1974) as The Captain
    The Bears and I (1974) as Oliver Red Fern
    Nakia, episode "The Dream" (1974, TV Series) as Howard Gray Hawk
    The Barbary Coast (1975, TV Series) as Diamond Jack Bassiter
    The Rockford Files: Joey Blue Eyes (1976, TV Series) as Joseph DiMinna
    Kojak: Justice Deferred (1976, TV Series) as Keith McCallum
    The Message (1976) as Abu Sofyan
    Day of the Animals (1977) as Daniel Santee
    Mission to Glory: A True Story (1977)
    The Manitou (1977) as John Singing Rock
    Centennial (1978-1979, TV Mini-Series) as Lame Beaver
    The Story of Esther (1979) as Haman
    Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979-1980, TV Series) as Kane
    CHiPs: The Poacher (1980, TV Series) as Nathan
    The Guns and the Fury (1981) as Prince Sohrab
    Bayou Romance (1982, TV Series) as Zanko
    Reading Rainbow: Gift of the Sacred Dog (1983) as Himself (voice)
    The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins (1984, TV Movie) as Turk
    Access Code (1984) as Senator Dales
    KGB: The Secret War (1985) as Lyman Taylor
    Hunter: Rape and Revenge, Part 2 (1985, TV Series) as General Mariano
    Knights of the City (1986) as Mr. Delamo
    Assassination (1987) as Sen. Bunsen
    Murder, She Wrote: The Last Flight of the Dixie Damsel (1988, TV Series) as Nicholas Rossi
    Border Shootout (1990) as Chuluha
    Reading Rainbow: And Still the Turtle Watched (1993)
    Johnny Mysto Boy Wizard (1996) as Malfeasor
    The Long Road Home (1999) as Murdock Haynes (final film role)

Year       Title       Role       Notes
1978      Dr. Strange          Ancient One (voice)         TV Movie
Uncredited
1998      Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero Dr. Victor Fries / Mr. Freeze (voice)          Direct-to-video
Year       Title       Role       Notes
1968      Star Trek: The Original Series       Kang      Episode: "Day of the Dove"
1981      Thundarr the Barbarian Vashtar (voice) Episode: "Prophecy of Peril"
1981      Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends       Hiawatha Smith (voice) Episode: "Quest of the Red Skull"
1986      Rambo: The Force of Freedom   General Warhawk (voice)             63 Episodes
1994      Babylon 5            Elric       Episode: "The Geometry of Shadows"
1992-1994          Batman: The Animated Series     Mr. Freeze / Dr. Victor Fries (voice)          Episodes: "Heart of Ice" and "Deep Freeze"
1994-1996          Star Trek: Deep Space Nine          Jeyal / Kang        Episodes: "Blood Oath" and "The Muse"
1996      Star Trek: Voyager           Kang      Episode: "Flashback"
1997      The New Batman Adventures     Victor Fries / Mr. Freeze (voice) Episode: "Cold Comfort"
1999      Batman Beyond                Episode: "Meltdown"
 


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