Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’s Odo, Rene Auberjonois, has passed away
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From one of my top three favorite Star Trek episodes of all series.
"They were an ecological menace, a plague to be wiped out."
"Wiped out? What are you saying?"
"Hundreds of warriors were sent to track them down throughout the galaxy. An armada obliterated the tribble homeworld. By the end of the 23rd century, they had been eradicated."
"Oh, another glorious chapter in Klingon history. Tell me, do they still sing songs of the Great Tribble Hunt?"
- Worf and Odo, on tribbles (DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations")
"They were an ecological menace, a plague to be wiped out."
"Wiped out? What are you saying?"
"Hundreds of warriors were sent to track them down throughout the galaxy. An armada obliterated the tribble homeworld. By the end of the 23rd century, they had been eradicated."
"Oh, another glorious chapter in Klingon history. Tell me, do they still sing songs of the Great Tribble Hunt?"
- Worf and Odo, on tribbles (DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations")
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I just remembered how surprised I was when one of my proudly-non-Trek-watching friends once mentioned "Odo the shapeshifter" out of the blue to prove a point during a conversation about something completely unrelated. I guess he was just THAT memorable. And respected. Sad news.
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Good people feel and carry the stress from the actions of all the shitty people. Ironically the shitheads are blissfully ignorant about how their actions are impacting the world and making it worse, and seem to be living living longer without that concern. </myarmchairtheory>
While 79 isn't exactly premature, it does seem like we're losing a lot of great human beings lately. Rest in Peace Rene Auberjonois, who was clearly a great actor and person. You will be missed. We can only hope the impact you and others like you have through your words and actions will inspire more to have a positive impact on this world.
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Let's not forget his masterful turn as Father Kudos in The Big Bus.
"If it was God that put you here, why didn't he give you a fancy window seat like mine?
I, Kudos, a doubter, luxuriate in a window seat, while you, ageing with age, get older yet in that disgrace of an aisle seat. Where is your God now, old woman?"
"If it was God that put you here, why didn't he give you a fancy window seat like mine?
I, Kudos, a doubter, luxuriate in a window seat, while you, ageing with age, get older yet in that disgrace of an aisle seat. Where is your God now, old woman?"
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"Character actor" is kind of a backhanded compliment. It's generally used to describe people who aren't conventionally attractive, but can still hold your attention on screen. In the old days, this mysterious ability was called "acting".
On the other end of the scale, you had "Star" who was someone who was attractive, often extremely so, but who wasn't a particularly good actor. Not to say they couldn't act, but that it wasn't really their acting people were paying attention to.
In the middle of these, there was introduced the concept of the "Super Star", not just someone with a big following, but an attractive person who could also act. I believe Robert Redford is usually held up as the archetype.
Often "Stars" and "Super Stars" transition into "Character Roles" as they age, and have to rely more on talent than on their looks. Many observers are still waiting for Redford to reach this stage of his career.
Anyway, my point is that Auberjonois was a character actor, because he could actually act, and because he didn't look like Robert Redford. He wasn't ugly, but his head was kind of an odd shape, even before they put the Odo makeup on him.
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And Rene seems to have been a smoker
Not necessarily. Lung cancer has been on the rise for awhile, my wife who is 49 was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer about 3 years ago. She is not a smoker, never smoked and this isn't from radon or other exposures.
Granted her mother is a heavy life long smoker who more than likely is the reason her daughter is going to die before her (and yes I am bitter tyvm) but it is not necessary for Rene to have been a smoker to have developed this disease.
Sorry I see comments like this and sometimes they are blatant "well lung cancer, shit musta been a smoker and you kinda deserve it" (yes I've seen that more than once) the rest can be nicer but they are all variations of "if you have lung cancer you must have done something wrong to get it".
Trust me nobody deserves lung cancer.
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I was working on various engineering projects in China for long periods during much of DS9's run (Voyagers', too), so there were large gaps in what I saw and had never gotten to watch the series from start to finish until this past six months, when the 'Heroes & Icons' broadcast network became available in my area. As those series both cycled around to their premiere episodes, I set up one of my DVRs to record each show's nightly broadcast from that respective point onward and just finished the finale of DS9 last week -- an outstanding series, in both writing, production and acting. I'm truly saddened to learn of his passing...R.I.P.
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Andrew Norton
Ars Tribunus Militum
Oh man, I forgot what a badass Kurtwood Smith looked as the Efrosian president.
(Kurtwood also played Odo's predecessor, Thrax, in the DS9 ep 'Things Past')
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You through me with "Father John Mulcahy from M.A.S.H" as William Christopher passed away a few years ago.
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I got to meet him once at a small NYC trek convention almost 20 years ago. He and Armin Shimerman had a little routine they did that was very charming. As I was leaving, was in an elevator with him and he was still friendly in person.
Shortly after I saw the new DS9 documentary, Aaron Eisenberg passed away and now this. I think I'll watch "His Way" tonight.
Shortly after I saw the new DS9 documentary, Aaron Eisenberg passed away and now this. I think I'll watch "His Way" tonight.
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Fuzzypiggy
Ars Scholae Palatinae
A terrible shame, one of the few genuinely unique character actors left in Hollywood. I will forgive his role in one of the later Police Academy films, we all need to work just to pay the rent sometimes!
Good night Rene and time to dig out the DS9 DVDs methinks.
Good night Rene and time to dig out the DS9 DVDs methinks.
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William capably took on the role for the TV series. Rene played the role in the movie. As best I remember, the only actor to move from the one to the other was Gary Burghoff (as Radar).
Several characters from the book and movie were simply not included in the series, with Duke (Tom Skerrit) being the most obvious one. It's also understandable why, in the early 70's, the producers thought audiences weren't ready for a black neurosurgeon nicknamed Spearchucker.
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It was a pleasure to watch M. René Auberjonois over the years especially Star Trek DS9.
I never got into the series at first mainly due to it being fixed not traveling around through space, the religious undertones, and then Voyager started in 1995. But last year I watched the series and I did enjoy it I was glad in a way I had saved a Trek series for over 20 years before watching it!
Even acting aside in real life M. René Auberjonois was an interesting person. His family history is not the usual stuff his mother was Princess Laure Louise Napoléone Eugénie Caroline Murat.
I never got into the series at first mainly due to it being fixed not traveling around through space, the religious undertones, and then Voyager started in 1995. But last year I watched the series and I did enjoy it I was glad in a way I had saved a Trek series for over 20 years before watching it!
Even acting aside in real life M. René Auberjonois was an interesting person. His family history is not the usual stuff his mother was Princess Laure Louise Napoléone Eugénie Caroline Murat.
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Andrew Norton
Ars Tribunus Militum
right, but wasn't with Rene, so I left it out (even though it's by far his most substantive role in trek)
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I think the black neurosurgeon was actually in the series, as a recurring part, not ongoing, although I don't think they used the name, which I can understand.
Still, my favourite line in the movie is "Their ringer spotted our ringer."
There was also a character in the show early on with an appalling Australian accent and slightly anachronistic facial hair, which I think was based on the portrayal of Australians in the book, but it's been a long time.
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steelcobra
Ars Tribunus Angusticlavius
And from the "role nobody remembers until you get a weird rewatch urge decades later" file, when he played the bad guy in Police Academy 5:
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And from the "role nobody remembers until you get a weird rewatch urge decades later" file, when he played the bad guy in Police Academy 5:
Odo had a problem with rendering hair even back then!
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Andrew Norton
Ars Tribunus Militum
And from the "role nobody remembers until you get a weird rewatch urge decades later" file, when he played the bad guy in Police Academy 5:
Psst
And fuzzypig mentioned it this morning. , so you're number 3.
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For anyone who hasn't seen it, What We Left Behind is a documentary they made about DS9. It has Aaron in it, too. It will have to stand as the last time the gang's all together.
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IMHO, 79 should be too young. Sad reality is life expectancy rates are falling in the US. And Rene seems to have been a smoker
You can live a long time and hate your existence, or you can enjoy your life living it as YOU SEE FIT.
He smoked because he wanted to smoke and likely enjoyed it.
Some people spend so much time worrying about what might kill them that they never really "live" life.
I don't smoke myself, but know plenty who do or have - and its up to the individual how they want to handle such decisions. I have my own vices (fast cars and motorcycles) that may well be the death of me, so whilst i personally don't smoke i understand and will support the right of others to make "bad" or "risky" life choices.
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Daymn. I was just watching DS9 S1-4 on Netflix for the first time (I think I only started with S5 bak in the day, eh). RIP Rene/Odo, on that final nebula somewhere in the Omega quadrant mate...
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Ha! I also loved the "their ringer" line. I lean, personally, towards the "Pros From Dover" bit. This may be better suited as a Pony Lounge debate, though
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IMHO, 79 should be too young. Sad reality is life expectancy rates are falling in the US. And Rene seems to have been a smoker
You can live a long time and hate your existence, or you can enjoy your life living it as YOU SEE FIT.
He smoked because he wanted to smoke and likely enjoyed it.
Some people spend so much time worrying about what might kill them that they never really "live" life.
I don't smoke myself, but know plenty who do or have - and its up to the individual how they want to handle such decisions. I have my own vices (fast cars and motorcycles) that may well be the death of me, so whilst i personally don't smoke i understand and will support the right of others to make "bad" or "risky" life choices.
Smoking involves risk to oneself, assuming one minimizes second hand smoke issues.
Risky driving habits can kill other people. I've seen it. I've had to console people. Grumpily--and less importantly--I've had to deal with traffic delays because of it.
Living "your" life shouldn't put others at risk, silly wabbit. Consider slowing down and enjoying life. If you do the "I live my life" thing--please be careful about those around you.
As an example, in real time, I had to figure out how to avoid running over a lane-splitter who laid down his cycle on a California freeway, while I was doing 75 MPH, when he bumped against a car and fell off his motorcycle--at 80 MPH-ish, rolling in front of me.
My solution was to pump hard on on my brakes and slot into an available slot on the lane to my right. It is fortuitous there was a slot.
News reports later said he lived.
When you fuck up, I hope the guy behind you has that solution available, and the driving skill to pull it off.
Up to you. Sparky!
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Yeah, sure, anyone can look stuff up...
[EDIT] And he was played by a Pom, too. That explains the awful accent. Although our own actors have been known to "Ocker it up" for foreign productions.
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