star trek odo actor

Rene Auberjonois (1940-2019)

IMDbPro Starmeter Top 5,000 67

• 4 wins & 11 nominations total

• Constable Odo
• Douglas Pabst
• 1993–1999 • 173 eps

• Father John Mulcahy

• Paul Lewiston
• 2004–2008 • 71 eps

• Reverend Oliver
• Post-production

• Man with Raven (as René Aubergenois)

• President James Buchanan

• Maury (Karaoke)

• Walter Nowack

• World Leader #1 (voice)

• Pomfrey (voice, as Rene Aberjonois)

• Gramps (voice)

• Mr. McGuire

• Additional Voices
• Galvan Security Officer (voice)

• Dr. George Papanikolaou

• performer: "Leonard McLeish's Song", "Leonard McLeish's Song (reprise)"
• performer: "Happy That You're Home (reprise 1)"

• performer: "Skunk Funk"

• performer: "Satisfaction Guaranteed"
• performer: "They Can't Take That Away From Me" (uncredited)

• performer: "Les Poissons" (1989) (uncredited)

• performer: "Etiquette"

• performer: "At the Canine Cafe", "Someone Somewhere Reprise", "I'm Just a Health Food Hound Dog"

• performer: "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" (uncredited)

Personal details

• Official Site & Fan Club
• Rene Aberjonois
• 6′ (1.83 m)
• June 1 , 1940
• New York City, New York, USA
• December 8 , 2019
• Los Angeles, California, USA (metastatic lung cancer)
• Judith Helen Mahalyi October 19, 1963 - December 8, 2019 (his death, 2 children)
• Children Tessa Auberjonois
• Parents Fernand Auberjonois
• Relatives Hélène Macdonald Stallo (Grandparent)
• Other works Narrator for Roger Zelazny's "Unicorn Variation" on audio cassette.
• 12 Interviews
• 4 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

• Trivia His mother was Princess Laure Louise Napoléone Eugénie Caroline Murat (November 13, 1913 - May 10, 1986) and on her side, René was the great-great-great-grandson of Joachim [Napoléon] Murat, King of Naples and King of Sicily, formerly Grand-Duke of Berg and Kleve, and of his wife (Marie Annonciade) Caroline Bonaparte, sister of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte of France.
• Quotes My wife, Judith, is the best person in the world.
• When did Rene Auberjonois die?
• How did Rene Auberjonois die?
• How old was Rene Auberjonois when he died?

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Beloved 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine' Actor René Auberjonois Dies at 79

Among space fans, Auberjonois is best remembered as the shapeshifting Odo aboard the "Star Trek" space station Deep Space 9.

René Auberjonois, who starred in " Star Trek: Deep Space Nine " as the shapeshifting Odo, died Sunday (Dec. 8) at age 79, a family member told The Guardian .

Auberjonois died in his Los Angeles home as a result of metastatic lung cancer, his son Rèmy-Luc Auberjonois told the publication. Auberjonois' death was confirmed by spokespeople on his official Twitter account .

Since the news broke, numerous "Star Trek" actors have paid tribute to Auberjonois on social media.

Related: What I Learned by Watching Every 'Star Trek' Show and Movie

"I have just heard about the death of my friend and fellow actor @reneauberjonois," William Shatner, who played Capt. James T. Kirk in "Star Trek: The Original Series" and numerous movies, wrote on Twitter . "To sum up his life in a tweet is nearly impossible. To Judith, Tessa & Remy I send you my love & strength. I will keep you in my thoughts and remember a wonderful friendship with René."

"This is a terrible loss," George Takei, who played Sulu on "The Original Series" and in various movies, wrote on Twitter . "Star Trek fans knew him as Odo from Deep Space Nine. We knew him as René. He was a wonderful, caring, and intelligent man. He shall be missed. When I look out to the stars, I shall think of you, friend."

Among " Star Trek " fans, Auberjonois is best remembered for playing the Changeling Odo, who served as chief of security aboard the Deep Space 9 space station. Odo's  naturally gelatinous state allowed him to assume multiple sorts of shapes. In the series, he appeared most often as a humanoid to better interact with the other crew members on the station. Odo rested, in natural form, inside a bucket. 

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According to "Star Trek" fan site Memory Alpha , Odo was known as a tough yet fair lawmaker who was even able to settle intercultural disputes during a nasty and lengthy war between the Bajorans and the Cardassians. That war formed much of the backdrop for the drama of "Deep Space Nine," which explored issues including life for refugees and the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder.

"Deep Space Nine," or DS9, as fans call it, was the dark horse of the "Star Trek" franchise during the early years of its 1993 to 1999 run. The 176-episode series was mostly set on a space station, which didn't allow for the usual ship-to-ship fights and interplanetary visits that "Star Trek" fans had previously enjoyed. DS9 also showed a more pessimistic side to the Trek universe than previous series, which leaned heavily toward optimism in the spirit of "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry (who died in 1991). 

DS9, however, quickly picked up its own set of fans, who, online and through fan conventions and gatherings, have followed Auberjonois and other DS9 actors for decades. Auberjonois was humble about his contribution to the series. "When I go to conventions, I don't talk in my Odo voice. I don't have makeup on," Auberjonois told The Birmingham (Ala.) News in 1996, according to The New York Times . "I'm just a guy with a receding hairline."

René Marie Murat Auberjonois was born on June 1, 1940 in Manhattan to an artistic family. The Auberjonois family migrated to Paris after the end of World War II, and it was there, at the tender age of 6, that René decided to become an actor.

"When his school put on a musical performance for the parents, little René was given the honor of conducting his classmates in a rendition of 'Do You Know the Muffin Man?',"  Auberjonois' official website states. "When the performance was over, René took a bow, and, knowing that he was not the real conductor, imagined that he had been acting. He decided then and there that he wanted to be an actor."

The family soon moved to an artist's colony in upstate New York, where Auberjonois got his first theater job at age 16, apprenticing in a Connecticut theater, the website added. He later studied theater at Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie-Mellon University), then acted with several theater companies. In 1969, he won a Tony for the role of assistant Sebastian Baye in the Broadway musical "Coco," which starred Katharine Hepburn.

Soon after, in 1970, Auberjonois played Father Mulcahy in the hit movie M*A*S*H*, which later became a popular television series about an unconventional medical unit during the Korean War. Auberjonois is best remembered in that movie for explaining why a deadbeat doctor, Hawkeye Pierce, made it to the senior levels of the U.S. Army. "He was drafted," Mulcahy says, a line that Auberjonois ad-libbed himself during rehearsal, The Guardian said.

Other prominent roles that Auberjonois is known for include the hypochondriac Endicott in the 1970s and 1980s  sitcom "Benson" and Chef Louis — who crooned about his love of killing fish in the song "Les Poissons" — in the 1989 Disney film "The Little Mermaid."

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Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., is a staff writer in the spaceflight channel since 2022 covering diversity, education and gaming as well. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years before joining full-time. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House and Office of the Vice-President of the United States, an exclusive conversation with aspiring space tourist (and NSYNC bassist) Lance Bass, speaking several times with the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, " Why Am I Taller ?", is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams. Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota, a Bachelor of Journalism from Canada's Carleton University and a Bachelor of History from Canada's Athabasca University. Elizabeth is also a post-secondary instructor in communications and science at several institutions since 2015; her experience includes developing and teaching an astronomy course at Canada's Algonquin College (with Indigenous content as well) to more than 1,000 students since 2020. Elizabeth first got interested in space after watching the movie Apollo 13 in 1996, and still wants to be an astronaut someday. Mastodon: https://qoto.org/@howellspace

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Admin said: René Auberjonois, who starred in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" as the shapeshifting Odo, died Sunday (Dec. 8) at age 79. Beloved 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine' Actor René Auberjonois Dies at 79 : Read more

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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine actor René Auberjonois dies at 79

Fellow actors George Takei, William Shatner and more pay tribute online to the actor who played Changeling Odo.

Actor René Auberjonois played lawyer Paul Lewiston in the TV drama Boston Legal.

Prolific actor René Auberjonois , best known for his role as shape-shifter Changeling Odo in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , has died at the age of 79.

The actor died Sunday at his home in Los Angeles of metastatic lung cancer,  his son son Rèmy-Luc confirmed to the Associated Press.

Auberjonois also appeared as the character Paul Lewiston in 71 episodes of the TV drama Boston Legal . He is also known for his roles in Benson , The Practice (which earned him an Emmy nod), Stargate SG-1 , Warehouse 13 , Star Trek: Enterprise , Frasier , It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia , Murder, She Wrote , and The Jeffersons , to name a few.

Auberjonois has starred in numerous films such as director Robert Altman's M.A.S.H. in which he played Father Mulcahy. He appeared in other Altman movies such as McCabe and Mrs. Miller , Brewster McCloud , and Images. Auberjonois also appeared in the 1976 King Kong movie, The Patriot, Batman Forever , and  Eyes of Laura Mars .

René Auberjonois as Odo with the rest of the cast of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

He is also known for his voice acting roles including 1989's  The Little Mermaid , were he plays Chef Louis and sings the song "Les Poissons."

Auberjonois' character  Odo in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine  was often treated as an outside by other characters, which in turn made Odo rather gruff and persnickety at time. His character was hilariously sarcastic, but he also could show a certain sensitivity that only outsiders can fully understand. He was one of my favorite Star Trek characters.

His Deep Space Nine co-star Armin Shimerman who played Quark tweeted on Sunday a favorite memory of the actor. 

"His last message to me was entitled 'Don't forget…'," Shimerman tweeted. "I know that I, Kitty and all that knew him will never forget. The world seems noticeably emptier now. I loved him."

It is with great heartache and loss I share with you the passing of dear,dear Rene Auberjonois.His last message to me was entitled "Don't forget..." I know that I,Kitty,and all that knew him will never forget.The world seems noticeably emptier now. I loved him. — Armin Shimerman (@ShimermanArmin) December 8, 2019

Star Trek actor George Takei also tweeted his condolences.

"This is a terrible loss," Takei tweeted. "Star Trek fans knew him as Odo from Deep Space Nine. We knew him as René. He was a wonderful, caring, and intelligent man. He shall be missed. When I look out to the stars, I shall think of you, friend."

This is a terrible loss. Star Trek fans knew him as Odo from Deep Space Nine. We knew him as René. He was a wonderful, caring, and intelligent man. He shall be missed. When I look out to the stars, I shall think of you, friend. https://t.co/IE2gtivRcg — George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) December 8, 2019

His Boston Legal co-star and fellow Star Trek actor William Shatner also tweeted his thoughts about Auberjonois.

"I have just heard about the death of my friend and fellow actor Rene Auberjonois," Shatner wrote. "To sum up his life in a tweet is nearly impossible. To Judith, Tessa & Remy I send you my love & strength. I will keep you in my thoughts and remember a wonderful friendship with René."

I have just heard about the death of my friend and fellow actor @reneauberjonois . To sum up his life in a tweet is nearly impossible. To Judith, Tessa & Remy I send you my love & strength. I will keep you in my thoughts and remember a wonderful friendship with René. — William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) December 8, 2019

Actor Edward James Olmos tweeted , "Rene Auberjonois a true gentleman and passionate artist passed onto the next understanding, and we will miss him so much. I was honored to have worked with him on Windows On The World, his second to last film. He delivered an amazing rendition of NY NY -- a brilliant artist."

Rene Auberjonois a true gentleman & passionate artist passed onto the next understanding & we will miss him so much. I was honored to have worked with him on Windows On The World, his second to last film. He delivered an amazing rendition of NY NY - a brilliant artist #sswa #RIP pic.twitter.com/KR5PKylNZe — Edward James Olmos (@edwardjolmos) December 8, 2019

Additional fellow actors, celebs and fans paid tribute to Auberjonois on social media. 

We are deeply saddened to report the passing of René Auberjonois. #StarTrek #StarTrekFamily https://t.co/ySVTLSERIA — Star Trek (@StarTrek) December 8, 2019

😥 pic.twitter.com/jj07NmaqCO — Discovery Writers (@StarTrekRoom) December 9, 2019

Rene was another icon I was amazed to have had the honor to work with on #WAREHOUSE13 . An artist in every sense. Rest In Peace, sir. https://t.co/fvKV0pEUvB — Eddie McClintock (@EddieMcClintock) December 9, 2019

I am so sorry to hear that the wonderful René Auberjonois has passed away. I had the great honor to play his daughter on Boston Legal. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and his many fans. May he rest in peace. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/eRxwfmmkcy — Jayne Brook (@thejaynebrook) December 8, 2019

Rene Auberjonois describes life with Odo's makeup during this 1993 interview with Good Morning America. #StarTrek #ReneAuberjonois pic.twitter.com/icRqcXjsdG — TrekCore.com 🖖 (@TrekCore) December 8, 2019

RIP Rene Auberjonois, a man who loomed large in the TV & film landscape of my youth. I eventually got to meet him and felt so privileged to have done so. My thoughts are with his wonderful family. — Paul F. Tompkins (@PFTompkins) December 8, 2019

Rest in peace, René Auberjonois. You did many things but this was by far your biggest impact on me. pic.twitter.com/DtdcSgX7Nc — Benjamin Siemon (@BenjaminJS) December 8, 2019

Rene Auberjonois has left us. So sad. Such a lovely man. Had.the great pleasure of working with him on stage doing Bulgakov’s Heart of a Dog. And in Nicaragua in the height of the Contra-War, filming Walker. A gentleman and a scholar, chef and photographer. Miss him already. pic.twitter.com/5CLzNzBjt8 — Xander Berkeley (@xanderberkeley) December 8, 2019

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Published Dec 8, 2019

René Auberjonois, 1940-2019

StarTrek.com honors the late DS9 'Odo' actor.

StarTrek.com

StarTrek.com is deeply saddened to report the passing of René Auberjonois, the veteran stage, television and film actor — not to mention artist, director, voiceover talent, audiobook narrator, painter, photographer and gourmet chef — who counted among his hundreds of credits the role of Odo on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . He also directed eight episodes of DS9, appeared uncredited as Colonel West in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country , voiced Odo for the DS9 video games Harbinger and The Fallen , guest starred as Ezral in the Enterprise hour, "Oasis," and entertained fans at countless conventions all over the world. Auberjonois, who was 79, died on December 8, 2019, succumbing to metastatic lung cancer. His son, Remy, confirmed the news.Auberjonois spent his childhood traveling between New York, where he was born; Paris, where he decided to become an actor; and London, where he completed high school. During his childhood, Auberjonois' neighbors in the Artist's Colony in upstate New York included Helen Hayes, Burgess Meredith, and John Houseman, with Houseman later becoming a key mentor. After graduating from Carnegie-Mellon University, he appeared in plays on both American coasts, acting with the American Conservatory Theater, the Mark Taper Forum and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. His first role on Broadway was as the Fool in King Lear ; and a year later he earned a Tony Award for his work alongside the legendary Katharine Hepburn in Coco . Auberjonois also earned Tony Award nominations for Big River , City of Angels, and Sly Fox , all on Broadway, and appeared in dozens of other productions in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere.On the film front, perhaps Auberjonois's best-known early role was that of Father Mulcahy in the Robert Altman-directed feature film M*A*S*H . Other film credits included Brewster McCloud , The Hindenburg , the 1976 remake of King Kong , Eyes of Laura Mars , The Little Mermaid (for which he voiced Louis, the sadistic French chef), Batman Forever , Inspector Gadget , The Patriot , and more. As for television, the IMDB rundown of his appearances was seemingly unending, spanning from The Bionic Woman, Charlie's Angels, and Stargate SG-1 to Frasier, Boston Legal, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Madam Secretary, and Criminal Minds . Auberjonois garnered Emmy Award nominations for his work in Benson and The Practice . Deep Space Nine came the actor's way in late 1992, with the show premiering in early 1993. Over the course of the series, Odo served as the space station's chief of security, with the cranky Changeling often butting heads with his Ferengi frenemy Quark and eventually romancing Kira Nerys. StarTrek.com talked extensively with Auberjonois about DS9 and his other Trek work in a 2011 interview. Discussing Odo's arc from when fans first met the shapeshifting character in "The Emissary" to his final moments in "What You Leave Behind," the actor said:

"The day that [DS9 executive producer] Rick Berman called to welcome me to the Star Trek world, he said something like, I don't remember the exact words..'This character is like Pinocchio.' And I thought, 'Well, that is interesting.' And, over time, I came to understand that that was a certain aspect of the character. He was a very unformed being. Just as Pinocchio was wooden, Odo was a mass of liquid, really, and he was trying to get some kind of shape to his life and to who he was and he wanted to answer the questions he had about what his role was meant to be in that particular universe. People used to say to me early on, 'Oh, I hope Odo finds out where he is from and who he is,' and I'd say, 'Gee, I hope not. I sort of love the mystery of it.' But then, of course, I wasn't one of the writers. So I had nothing to do with that. I was simply the instrument to play the music that the writers had come up with. And we did learn, over time, so much about him. His relationships with Kira [Nana Visitor] and with Quark [Armin Shimerman] and with everybody, really, all made him more and more identifiable in human terms."

Auberjonois is survived by Judith, his wife of 56 years, their children Remy and Tessa, both of whom are actors, and several grandchildren. Please join StarTrek.com in offering our condolences to Auberjonois' family, friends, colleagues and fans.

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René Auberjonois, "Benson," "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" actor, has died at age 79

December 8, 2019 / 7:52 PM EST / AP

René Auberjonois, a prolific actor best known for his roles on the TV shows "Benson" and " Star Trek: Deep Space Nine " and his part in the 1970 film " M.A.S.H. " playing Father Mulcahy, has died. He was 79.

The actor died Sunday at his home in Los Angeles of metastatic lung cancer, his son Remy Auberjonois told The Associated Press.

René Auberjonois worked constantly as a character actor in several golden ages, from the dynamic theater of the 1960s to the cinema renaissance of the 1970s to the prime period of network television in the 1980s and 90s — and each generation knew him for something different.

For film fans of the 1970s, he was Father John Mulcahy, the military chaplain who played straight man to the doctors' antics in "M.A.S.H." It was his first significant film role and the first of several for director Robert Altman.

For sitcom watchers of the 1980s, he was Clayton Runnymede Endicott III, the hopelessly highbrow chief of staff at a governor's mansion on " Benson ," the ABC series whose title character was a butler played by Robert Guillaume.

And for sci-fi fans of the 1990s and convention-goers ever since, he was Odo, the shape-shifting Changeling and head of space-station security on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine."

"I am all of those characters, and I love that," Auberjonois said in a 2011 interview with the "Star Trek" website. "I also run into people, and they think I'm their cousin or their dry cleaner. I love that, too."

Auberjonois was born in New York in 1940, the son of Fernand Auberjonois, Swiss-born foreign correspondent for U.S. newspapers, and the grandson of a Swiss post-impressionist painter also named René Auberjonois.

The younger René Auberjonois was raised in New York, Paris, and London, and for a time lived with his family in an artists' colony in Rockland County, New York, whose residents included the actors John Houseman, Helen Hayes and Burgess Meredith.

After graduating from college at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Institute of Technology, now Carnegie Mellon, Auberjonois hopped around the country joining theater companies, eventually landing three roles on Broadway in 1968, including playing the Fool in a long-running version of King Lear.

The following year he would play Sebastian Baye opposite Katharine Hepburn in "Coco," a play on the life of designer Coco Chanel that would earn him a Tony for best actor in a leading role in a musical.

He would later see Tony nominations for 1973's "The Good Doctor," 1984's "Big River," and 1989's "City of Angels."

In 1970, Auberjonois began his run with Altman, playing Mulcahy in "M.A.S.H."

In his most famous exchange from the movie, Sally Kellerman's Margaret Houlihan wonders how such a degenerate doctor as Donald Sutherland's Hawkeye Pierce could reach a position of responsibility in the U.S. Army.

A bible-reading Auberjonois responds, deadpan: "He was drafted."

"I actually made that line up when we were rehearsing the scene," Auberjonois said on the podcast "The Gist" in 2016. "And it became a kind of an iconic line for the whole film."

The same year he played an off-the-wall ornithologist in Altman's "Brewster McCloud," played a saloonkeeper alongside Warren Beatty in the director's western "McCabe & Mrs. Miller" in 1971 and appeared in Altman's "Images" in 1972.

He spent much of the rest of the 1970s doing guest spots on TV shows before joining the cast of "Benson" in its second season in 1980, where he would remain for the rest of the show's seven seasons, playing the patrician political adviser and chronic hypochondriac Endicott.

Much of his later career was spent doing voices for animation, most memorably as the French chef who sings the love song to fish-killing "Les Poissons" in Disney's 1989 "The Little Mermaid."

He played Odo on "Deep Space Nine" from 1993 until 1998 and became a regular at "" conventions, where he raised money for Doctors Without Borders and signed autographs with a drawing of Odo's bucket, where the character would store himself when he returned to his natural gelatinous state.

"I am all of those characters, and I love that," Auberjonois said in a 2011 interview with the "Star Trek" website . "I also run into people, and they think I'm their cousin or their dry cleaner. I love that, too."

Auberjonois was also a regular on the ABC law-firm dramedy "Boston Legal" from 2004 to 2008.

Late in his career, Auberjonois would work with independent filmmakers including the artful director Kelly Reichardt, for whom he appeared in 2016's "Certain Women" and 2019′s "First Cow," his final role.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years Judith and their two children, Tessa and Remy.

Disclosure: "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" is produced by Paramount Domestic Television, a division of ViacomCBS .

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René Auberjonois, actor who starred in M*A*S*H*, Star Trek and Benson, dies aged 79

In a career spanning six decades, the actor worked on Broadway, in Hollywood’s 70s golden age and TV

René Auberjonois, a prolific actor best known for his roles on the television shows Benson and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and his part in the 1970 film M*A*S*H*, has died aged 79.

The actor died on Sunday at his home in Los Angeles of metastatic lung cancer, his son Rèmy-Luc Auberjonois said.

René Auberjonois worked constantly as a character actor in several golden ages, from the dynamic theatre of the 1960s to the cinema renaissance of the 1970s to the prime period of network television in the 1980s and 90s.

For film fans of the 1970s, he was Father John Mulcahy, the military chaplain who played straight man to the doctors antics in M.A.S.H. It was his first significant film role and the first of several for director Robert Altman.

For sitcom watchers of the 1980s, he was Clayton Runnymede Endicott III, the hopelessly highbrow chief of staff at a governors mansion on Benson, the ABC series whose title character was a butler played by Robert Guillaume.

And for sci-fi fans of the 1990s and convention-goers ever since, he was Odo, the shape-shifting Changeling and head of space-station security on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

“I am all of those characters, and I love that,” Auberjonois said in a 2011 interview with the Star Trek website. “I also run into people, and they think I’m their cousin or their dry cleaner. I love that, too.”

Auberjonois was born in New York in 1940, the son of Fernand Auberjonois, a Swiss-born foreign correspondent for US newspapers, and the grandson of a Swiss post-impressionist painter also named René Auberjonois.

The younger René Auberjonois was raised in New York, Paris, and London, and for a time lived with his family in an artists’ colony in Rockland County, New York, whose residents included the actors John Houseman, Helen Hayes and Burgess Meredith.

After graduating from college at Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Institute of Technology, now Carnegie Mellon, Auberjonois hopped around the country joining theatre companies, eventually landing three roles on Broadway in 1968, including playing the Fool in a long-running version of King Lear.

The following year he would play Sebastian Baye opposite Katharine Hepburn in Coco, a play on the life of designer Coco Chanel that would earn him a Tony for best actor in a leading role in a musical.

In 1970, Auberjonois began his run with Altman, playing Mulcahy in M*A*S*H* In his most famous exchange from the movie, Houlihan wonders how such a degenerate doctor as Hawkeye Pierce could reach a position of responsibility in the US Army. The bible-reading Auberjonois responds, deadpan: “He was drafted.”

“I actually made that line up when we were rehearsing the scene,” Auberjonois said. “And it became a kind of an iconic line for the whole film.”

The same year he played an off-the-wall ornithologist in Altman’s Brewster McCloud, a saloonkeeper alongside Warren Beatty in McCabe & Mrs. Miller in 1971 and appeared in Altmans Images in 1972.

He spent much of the rest of the 1970s doing guest spots on TV shows before joining the cast of Benson in its second season in 1980, where he would remain for the rest of the shows seven seasons, playing the chronic hypochondriac Endicott.

Much of his later career was spent doing voices for animation, most memorably as the French chef who sings the love song to fish-killing Les Poissons in The Little Mermaid.

He played Odo on Deep Space Nine from 1993 until 1998 and became a regular at Star Trek conventions, where he raised money for Médecins Sans Frontières, also known as Doctors Without Borders, and signed autographs with a drawing of Odo’s bucket, where the character would store himself when he returned to his natural gelatinous state.

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René Auberjonois, ‘Star Trek’ and ‘Boston Legal’ Actor, Dies at 79

By Erin Nyren

Staff Editor

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René Auberjonois, best known for his roles in “ Boston Legal ” and “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” died at his home in Los Angeles due to metastatic lung cancer. He was 79.

His son Rèmy-Luc confirmed the news to the Associated Press .

Auberjonois was a prolific television actor, appearing as Paul Lewiston in 71 episodes of “Boston Legal” and as Clayton Runnymede Endicott III in ABC’s long-running sitcom “ Benson ” — a role that earned him an Emmy nomination for best supporting actor in a comedy in 1984. He played shape-shifter Changeling Odo in “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” and carried that role into video games, voicing Odo in “Harbinger” and “The Fallen.” His appearance as Judge Mantz in ABC’s “The Practice” earned him another Emmy nod for guest actor in a drama in 2001.

His guest roles were numerous, appearing on classics like “Murder, She Wrote,” “The Jeffersons,” “The Outer Limits,” “L.A. Law,” “Stargate SG-1,” “Frasier,” and the more recent hit “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”

His first film role came with “MASH,” in which he played Father Mulcahy in the first of several collaborations with Robert Altman. He would go on appear in Altman’s revisionist Western classic “McCabe & Mrs. Miller,” “Brewster McCloud,” and “Images.” Other film credits include Roy Bagley in 1976’s “King Kong” and Reverend Oliver in “The Patriot,” as well as parts in “Batman Forever,” “Eyes of Laura Mars” and “Walker.”

Before his entry into Hollywood, Auberjonois worked in theater, earning a Tony for best lead actor in a musical for his role opposite Katharine Hepburn in “Coco.” He received further Tony nominations for 1973’s “The Good Doctor,” 1984’s “Big River,” and 1989’s “City of Angels.”

Auberjonois was also known for his voice roles, particularly in 1989’s Disney Renaissance hit “The Little Mermaid,” in which he voices Chef Louis and sang the memorable “Les Poissons.” Fans of “The Princess Diaries” would recognize him as the voice of Mia Thermopolis’ father, Prince Philippe Renaldi, in an uncredited role.

In addition to his son, he is survived by his wife of 56 years, writer Judith Auberjonois; sisters Marie-Laure Degener and Anne Auberjonois; daughter Tessa Auberjonois; son-in-law Adrian Latourelle, daughter-in-law Kate Nowlin and three grandchildren.

He was remembered on social media by his “Deep Space Nine” co-star Armin Shimerman, who played Quark.

“His last message to me was entitled ‘Don’t forget…’ I know that I, Kitty and all that knew him will never forget. The world seems noticeably emptier now. I loved him.”

It is with great heartache and loss I share with you the passing of dear,dear Rene Auberjonois.His last message to me was entitled "Don't forget…" I know that I,Kitty,and all that knew him will never forget.The world seems noticeably emptier now. I loved him. — Armin Shimerman (@ShimermanArmin) December 8, 2019

William Shatner also paid tribute, writing that “to sum up his life in a tweet is nearly impossible.”

I have just heard about the death of my friend and fellow actor @reneauberjonois . To sum up his life in a tweet is nearly impossible. To Judith, Tessa & Remy I send you my love & strength. I will keep you in my thoughts and remember a wonderful friendship with René. — William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) December 8, 2019

Edward James Olmos wrote that he “was honored to have worked with him on ‘Windows on the World,’ his second to last film. He delivered an amazing rendition of NY NY – a brilliant artist.”

Rene Auberjonois a true gentleman & passionate artist passed onto the next understanding & we will miss him so much. I was honored to have worked with him on Windows On The World, his second to last film. He delivered an amazing rendition of NY NY – a brilliant artist #sswa #RIP pic.twitter.com/KR5PKylNZe — Edward James Olmos (@edwardjolmos) December 8, 2019

George Takei called his passing “a terrible loss.” “He was a wonderful, caring, and intelligent man. He shall be missed.”

This is a terrible loss. Star Trek fans knew him as Odo from Deep Space Nine. We knew him as René. He was a wonderful, caring, and intelligent man. He shall be missed. When I look out to the stars, I shall think of you, friend. https://t.co/IE2gtivRcg — George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) December 8, 2019

Jayne Brook, who played his daughter on “Boston Legal” and starred in “Chicago Hope,” on which Auberjonois guested, expressed her sorrow as his death. “My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and his many fans. May he rest in peace.”

I am so sorry to hear that the wonderful René Auberjonois has passed away. I had the great honor to play his daughter on Boston Legal. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and his many fans. May he rest in peace. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/eRxwfmmkcy — Jayne Brook (@thejaynebrook) December 8, 2019

See more reactions below.

A very nice man and a brilliant actor. RIP Rene Auberjonois. — Michael McKean (@MJMcKean) December 8, 2019

RIP Rene Auberjonois, a man who loomed large in the TV & film landscape of my youth. I eventually got to meet him and felt so privileged to have done so. My thoughts are with his wonderful family. — Paul F. Tompkins (@PFTompkins) December 8, 2019

Rene Auberjonois has left us. So sad. Such a lovely man. Had.the great pleasure of working with him on stage doing Bulgakov’s Heart of a Dog. And in Nicaragua in the height of the Contra-War, filming Walker. A gentleman and a scholar, chef and photographer. Miss him already. pic.twitter.com/5CLzNzBjt8 — Xander Berkeley (@xanderberkeley) December 8, 2019

Rene Auberjonois 1940~2019. A beloved member of our Star Trek family, among so many other decorated achievements on stage and screen. But above all, one of the sweetest humans I have ever met. May he rest in God’s peace. #ReneAuberjonois #RIP pic.twitter.com/mK0aua9beV — Doug Jones (@actordougjones) December 8, 2019

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René Auberjonois, a ‘Deep Space Nine’ Star, Dies at 79

The busy character actor was also known for “Benson,” “Boston Legal” and several Broadway roles.

By Neil Genzlinger

René Auberjonois, a sought-after character actor whose hundreds of roles included a governor’s officious assistant in “Benson,” an alien security officer on “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” a managing partner in “Boston Legal” and a con man who gets Huck Finn into hot water in the Broadway musical “Big River,” died on Sunday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 79.

His son, the actor Rèmy-Luc Auberjonois, said the cause was metastatic lung cancer.

Mr. Auberjonois moved easily among television, film and the stage, and between comedy and drama, often playing scene-stealing characters who injected comic relief or snark or a plot wrinkle into the proceedings.

In “M*A*S*H” (1970), the first of several Robert Altman films in which Mr. Auberjonois appeared, he was Father Mulcahy, the chaplain for an offbeat medical unit during the Korean War. That same year, in the Broadway musical “Coco,” which starred Katharine Hepburn as Coco Chanel, he played a flamboyantly gay fashion designer, winning a Tony Award.

In the 1980s, in “Benson,” an ABC sitcom in which Robert Guillaume , as the title character, rose from butler to lieutenant governor over seven seasons, Mr. Auberjonois was Clayton Endicott III, a chief of staff who was as self-important as his name but also painfully insecure. In 1989, young moviegoers came to know him, or his voice, from “The Little Mermaid,” in which he was the chef who sings “Les Poissons,” a gleefully gruesome song about preparing fish for cooking.

In one of his most recent roles, Mr. Auberjonois played an international security official in several episodes of the CBS drama “Madam Secretary” whose job was often to convey bad news.

Major roles on long-running television shows in three decades — “Benson” in the 1980s, “Deep Space Nine” in the 1990s and “Boston Legal” in the 2000s — made him the kind of star whose face was familiar to millions, even if they might not immediately be able to put a name to it. Across almost 60 years as a professional actor, he was rarely not in demand.

“Some friends of mine will say, ‘Oh, they don’t use you enough!’” Mr. Auberjonois told TV Guide in 2006, speaking about his “Boston Legal” role, one he thought of as a late-career surprise, “and I look at them, like, ‘What, are you wishing me to work hard? I’m 65 years old! I thought I was going to retire when this thing came out of nowhere.’”

He amassed more than 40 additional acting and voice-over credits after that.

René Marie Murat Auberjonois was born on June 1, 1940, in Manhattan to Fernand and Laura (Murat) Auberjonois. His father was a journalist and frequent foreign correspondent, and when René was a boy the family lived in Paris. He sometimes told the story of discovering his calling at age 6, when he conducted his class in the singing of “Do You Know the Muffin Man?”

“When the performance was over,” a biography on his website says, “René took a bow, and, knowing that he was not the real conductor, imagined that he had been acting. He decided then and there that he wanted to be an actor.”

Returning to the United States, the family settled in an artists’ colony in upstate New York; John Houseman, who would become a mentor to Mr. Auberjonois, lived nearby.

When he was 16, Mr. Houseman got him a job as an apprentice at the American Shakespeare Theater in Stratford, Conn. He graduated from the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) in 1962 with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts.

Mr. Auberjonois began his professional career as a theater actor, performing with the American Conservatory Theater in Pittsburgh and San Francisco, among others. He made his Broadway debut in 1968 playing the fool in a production of “King Lear,” with Lee J. Cobb as Lear.

He did not consider himself a singer, yet some of his most prominent stage roles were in musicals, among them “Coco” and the 1985 Broadway production of “Big River,” the Huck Finn story, in which he played the Duke, earning a Tony nomination.

“He managed to put what he felt were his limited musical talents to work by mastering a kind of patter style,” his son said by email, “‘talk-singing’ (his term) his way into the hearts of so many theatergoers.”

Mr. Auberjonois’s early television roles included parts on “Mod Squad,” “McMillan & Wife” and “Love, American Style.”

He appeared in episodes of seemingly every television show of the 1970s: “Starsky & Hutch,” “The Rockford Files,” “The Bob Newhart Show,” “Charlie’s Angels” and many more. “Benson,” which he joined in 1980 in its second season, made him a regular in American living rooms.

Mr. Auberjonois was thrust into a whole different level of fame when he took on the role of Odo, a stern shape-shifter and the security chief of the Federation space station Deep Space Nine, on the 1990s “Star Trek” spinoff, which ran for 173 episodes (several of which he directed). Mr. Auberjonois turned up at various fan fests for the “Star Trek” franchise and enjoyed the adulation — but as himself, not as an alien.

“When I go to conventions, I don’t talk in my Odo voice, I don’t have makeup on,” he told The Birmingham News of Alabama in 1996. “I’m just a guy with a receding hairline.”

His other films included “McCabe & Mrs. Miller” (1971), “The Hindenburg” (1975), “Where the Buffalo Roam” (1980) and “Batman Forever” (1995). He recently completed “Raising Buchanan,” a comedy about a woman who steals President James Buchanan’s corpse. He plays Buchanan.

In addition to his son, Mr. Auberjonois is survived by his wife, Judith (Mihalyi) Auberjonois, whom he married in 1963; a daughter, the actress Tessa Auberjonois; two sisters, Marie-Laure Degener and Anne Auberjonois; and three grandchildren.

Mr. Auberjonois was an amateur artist, enjoying drawing, painting, photography and sculpture. At “Star Trek” conventions he would sometimes sell personalized cartoons to fans, the proceeds going to Doctors Without Borders, a favorite charity.

Another recipient of his artwork was William Shatner, his co-star on “Boston Legal,” who became a close friend. The two men shared a “Star Trek” connection, Mr. Shatner having played Captain James T. Kirk in the original television series.

“He loved my artwork,” Mr. Auberjonois said of Mr. Shatner, addressing an audience at a 2017 fan event in Denver. “He always reminded me — he’d say, ‘You know, in the bathroom of my office, there’s a whole wall of your drawings.’” The look Mr. Auberjonois threw in brought the house down.

Neil Genzlinger is a writer for the Obituaries Desk. Previously he was a television, film and theater critic. More about Neil Genzlinger

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories .

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René Auberjonois, Star of Stage, Screen and Star Trek , Dies at Age 79

By Jordan Hoffman

René Auberjonois, who originated the role of Father Mulcahy in Robert Altman's MASH , starred as Clayton Endicott III on Benson and aided the Federation during the Dominion War as Constable Odo on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine has died at the age of 79.

Auberjonois' father was a journalist and his mother a painter. Look back on his family line far enough and you'll find that his Great-Great-Great Grandmother was Napoleon's (yes, that Napoleon's) youngest sister. His break on Broadway came in 1968, playing the Fool opposite Lee J. Cobb in King Lear . He won the Tony in 1969 appearing with Katherine Hepburn in André Previn and Alan Jay Lerner's musical Coco .

The following year he co-starred in Altman's MASH and worked with the maverick director again on Brewster McCloud , McCabe and Mrs. Miller , Images and, briefly, The Player . In Brewster McCloud he plays an ornithologist who transforms into a bird. Altman flew Auberjonois down from New York to Houston on a Sunday night, they created the character and shot his sequences on a Monday and he was back in New York by Tuesday for that night's stage performance.

More recently he was seen as a regular on Boston Legal (alongside Star Trek legend William Shatner ) and in Kelly Reichardt's Certain Women . He will appear next year in her film First Cow .

Auberjonois has hundreds of credits from television guest shots, but it's the one-two punch of Benson and Deep Space Nine that gives him the most notoriety. Clayton Endicott III, the snobbish Chief of Staff to the Governor of California, came to the show in the second season, locking horns with the rest of the gang from 1980 to 1986. In a weird twist, Benson's cast also includes Ethan Phillips as Pete Downey, who later played Neelix on seven season of Star Trek: Voyager .

From 1993 through 1999, however, is where Auberjonois slapped on the face-smoothening makeup to become Odo, the mysterious Chief of Security on Deep Space Nine , the most rich and nuanced of all the Star Trek series.

Odo, like Spock and Data before him, and Seven of Nine and T'Pol after, was the outsider on the show and, by extension, the character that usually worked as a stand-in for an engaged fan. Not to deal too much in stereotypes, but I can say with some assurance that there is a degree of truth to the notion of Trekkies sometimes being a bit of a square peg in society's round hole. Someone who has trouble fitting in is going to be a natural favorite for this group.

Auberjonois took to Odo's lore quite well, and when fans approached him for autographs he was keen to include a little cartoon of Odo's bucket. (For those of you who don't know, Odo was from a species called the Founders, who were shapeshifters. At the end of each day, to regenerate, he would revert to his original form, which was a a big mass of goo. Thus, he slept in a bucket. It's Star Trek !) Proceeds from the Odo bucket drawings went to Doctors Without Borders , an organization for which he raised money for years.

I have written about the passings of many celebrities in my career, but this is the first time I've written about somebody I knew.

This isn't to say he and I were bosom buddies, but after years of moderating panels at Star Trek conventions in Las Vegas, New York, Germany, England and on the open seas, I had more than one occasion to do something surprisingly intimate with him: I had the chance to be bored.

By Chris Murphy

By Savannah Walsh

But even working a grueling convention, he was kind. One time, on the Star Trek Cruise , we were backstage before doing an evening game show gig. (Imagine a parody of Hollywood Squares with George Takei in the center, and a guy dressed as The Gorn in the corner.) He and I were alone in an ugly, windowless metal chamber with fluorescent light sucking out our brains. We were exhausted. Someone adjacent to the production approached with some Little Mermaid paraphernalia, and said that it was his daughter's favorite film. Before he could get the request out of his mouth, René was rooting around for a marker to offer a personalized signature. (Auberjonois voiced Chef Louis.)

As with most Star Trek alumni, René was a working character actor who knew a good gig and grabbed onto the convention circuit, and endeared himself to his fans. He had an easier time than most since his character, the gruff changeling Odo, had a tendency to be testy. So, if he was ever grouchy about anything in life, he could go on stage and continue to be grouchy . The crowd loved it and his co-stars loved it even more.

In the last season of Deep Space Nine Odo finally got together with Major Kira, but their love could not last. (I mean, she was a Bajoran freedom fighter, he was a bucket of ooze – how would they raise the kids?!!) But those final episodes, when our friends knew love and happiness, are some of my favorite memories of the future. My heart goes out not just to René's widow and children, but to Nana Visitor and Armin Shimerman who brilliantly played opposite him as Major Kira and as Quark for seven seasons. We'll all meet again on the other side of the wormhole.

Jordan Hoffman

Contributing editor.

By Joy Press

By Alfred Molina

By Maureen Ryan

By Kase Wickman

By Bess Levin

By Andrew Buss

René Auberjonois, 'Star Trek' and 'Benson' actor, dies at 79

LOS ANGELES — René Auberjonois, best known for his roles in "Boston Legal," "Benson" and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," died at his home in Los Angeles of metastatic lung cancer. He was 79.

His son, Remy-Luc Auberjonois, confirmed the news to The Associated Press.

Auberjonois was a prolific television actor, appearing as Paul Lewiston in 71 episodes of "Boston Legal" and as Clayton Runnymede Endicott III in ABC's long-running sitcom "Benson" — a role that earned him an Emmy nomination for best supporting actor in a comedy in 1984.

He played the shape-shifter Changeling Odo in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and carried that role into video games, voicing Odo in "Harbinger" and "The Fallen." His appearance as Judge Mantz in ABC's "The Practice" earned him another Emmy nod for guest actor in a drama in 2001.

His guest roles were numerous on classics like "Murder, She Wrote," "The Jeffersons," "The Outer Limits," "L.A. Law," "Stargate SG-1," "Frasier" and the more recent hit "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia."

His first film role came with "M*A*S*H," in which he played Father Mulcahy in the first of several collaborations with Robert Altman.

He would go on appear in Altman's revisionist Western classic "McCabe & Mrs. Miller," "Brewster McCloud," and "Images." Other film credits included Roy Bagley in 1976's "King Kong" and Reverend Oliver in "The Patriot," as well as parts in "Batman Forever," "Eyes of Laura Mars" and "Walker."

This is a terrible loss. Star Trek fans knew him as Odo from Deep Space Nine. We knew him as René. He was a wonderful, caring, and intelligent man. He shall be missed. When I look out to the stars, I shall think of you, friend. https://t.co/IE2gtivRcg — George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) December 8, 2019

Before his entry into Hollywood, Auberjonois worked in theater, winning a Tony for best lead actor in a musical for his role opposite Katharine Hepburn in "Coco." He received further Tony nominations for 1973's "The Good Doctor," 1984's "Big River" and 1989's "City of Angels."

Auberjonois was also known for his voice roles, particularly in 1989's Disney Renaissance hit, "The Little Mermaid," in which he voiced Chef Louis and sang the memorable "Les Poissons." Fans of "The Princess Diaries" would recognize him as the voice of Mia Thermopolis' father, Prince Philippe Renaldi, in an uncredited role.

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In addition to his son, he is survived by his wife of 56 years, the writer Judith Auberjonois; a daughter, Tessa Auberjonois; sisters Marie-Laure Degener and Anne Auberjonois; son-in-law Adrian Latourelle; daughter-in-law Kate Nowlin; and three grandchildren.

He was remembered on social media by his "Deep Space Nine" co-star Armin Shimerman, who played Quark.

It is with great heartache and loss I share with you the passing of dear,dear Rene Auberjonois.His last message to me was entitled "Don't forget..." I know that I,Kitty,and all that knew him will never forget.The world seems noticeably emptier now. I loved him. — Armin Shimerman (@ShimermanArmin) December 8, 2019

"His last message to me was entitled 'Don't forget...' I know that I, Killy and all that knew him will never forget. The world seems noticeably emptier now. I loved him."

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René Auberjonois, Odo From ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,’ Has Died At 79

| December 8, 2019 | By: TrekMovie Editors 77 comments so far

TrekMovie is deeply sad to report that actor René Auberjonois, who played Odo on  Star Trek: Deep Space Nine for all seven seasons, has died of metastatic lung cancer at age 79.  His son Rèmy-Luc confirmed the sad news, and said that René died at his home in Los Angeles.

Auburjonois had a long and amazing career even before taking on the unforgettable role of Odo on DS9.  He began in in theater, landing his first Broadway role in 1968 and soon appearing in three plays simultaneously, alongside future DS9 co-star Frank Langella.  He eventually became a director as well.

In the movies, he was Father Mulcahy in the original film version of  MASH ,  as well as dozens of other films, including his first appearance in the Star Trek franchise as Colonel West in  Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country , although the role was initially cut for the theatrical release. Kids of all ages will remember him as Louis the Chef in Disney’s The Little Mermaid.

He appeared on dozens upon dozens of TV shows, and was a regular on three: In addition to playing Odo, he was Clayton Runnymede Endicott III in  Benson and Paul Lewiston on Boston Legal.  He provided voices for numerous animated characters in cartoons and video games, and guest-starred on Enterprise as Ezral in the episode “Oasis,” He was also a director.

Fans who were fortunate enough to meet him at Trek conventions helped him raise money for his favorite charity, Doctors Without Borders. He signed his autographs with a drawing of Odo’s bucket, and often posted the drawings along with happy fans holding them on social media.

We mourn the loss of this great actor and human being, who played Odo with such grace, depth, humor, and complexity as he fought for justice, struggled with his identity, discovered his origins, fell in love, and sacrificed for those he loved, trading verbal quips and insults with Quark at every step along the way. Our sincerest condolences to his friends and family. We are heartbroken.

It is with great heartache and loss I share with you the passing of dear,dear Rene Auberjonois.His last message to me was entitled "Don't forget…" I know that I,Kitty,and all that knew him will never forget.The world seems noticeably emptier now. I loved him. — Armin Shimerman (@ShimermanArmin) December 8, 2019

I love and respect Rene more than I can say right now. This beautiful soul. My heart. Oh pic.twitter.com/ohNOq0c0Si — Nana Visitor (@NanaVisitor) December 8, 2019

I cannot express how much you meant to me. I will truly miss you my dear colleague, mentor, father figure, friend. pic.twitter.com/zE9TeyOzf5 — Terry Farrell (@4TerryFarrell) December 9, 2019

pic.twitter.com/6ouQQNhx7z — Ira Steven Behr (@IraStevenBehr) December 8, 2019

When Rene was cast as Odo, he joked "I hope #DS9 will replace Benson on my tombstone." He will be remembered for both, for Boston Legal, for The Little Mermaid, & so much more. His portrayal of Odo, under all that latex, was subtle, emotional, & astounding. One of the greats. pic.twitter.com/Z6YzC5xgMh — Robert Hewitt Wolfe (@writergeekrhw) December 8, 2019

I feel truly fortunate to have worked with Rene and truly blessed for the time spent over the years with this lovely man & beautiful soul. My deepest condolences to his family Big hugs today to my #startrekfamily &to all who loved him R.I.P. @reneauberjonois We will miss you so pic.twitter.com/lbBc7f2AbV — Nicole deBoer (@Nikki_deboer) December 9, 2019

I have just heard about the death of my friend and fellow actor @reneauberjonois . To sum up his life in a tweet is nearly impossible. To Judith, Tessa & Remy I send you my love & strength. I will keep you in my thoughts and remember a wonderful friendship with René. — William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) December 8, 2019

This is a terrible loss. Star Trek fans knew him as Odo from Deep Space Nine. We knew him as René. He was a wonderful, caring, and intelligent man. He shall be missed. When I look out to the stars, I shall think of you, friend. https://t.co/IE2gtivRcg — George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) December 8, 2019

@reneauberjonois You were a spectacular artist from Altman film IMAGES to Star Trek:DS9 and the million performances in between. A devoted family man, a visual artist, and loving and loves le human being. Thanks for showing the world how to do it. #love #admiration — Gates McFadden (@gates_mcfadden) December 8, 2019

Goodbye, René. We love you. pic.twitter.com/kNuhk2nYW1 — Michael Okuda (@MikeOkuda) December 8, 2019

View this post on Instagram May ⁦Rene Auberjonois⁩ RIP he was one our finest actors and an even better man. I always looked up to him and I will continue to. A post shared by Jonathan Frakes (@jonathansfrakes) on Dec 9, 2019 at 11:08am PST

View this post on Instagram I am shocked and deeply saddened by the death of Rene Auberjonois, whom I first met on the set of MRS COLUMBO. I was 23 years old and vividly recall his great kindness, his terrific sense of fun, and thinking oh, how wonderful it would be to have this man as a friend! This miracle came to pass and it was much, much better than wonderful. How missed he will be! The singular and splendid Rene Auberjonois. Photo credit: @roddenberryofficial A post shared by Kate Mulgrew (@thekatemulgrew) on Dec 9, 2019 at 3:05pm PST

Rene Auberjonois 1940~2019. A beloved member of our Star Trek family, among so many other decorated achievements on stage and screen. But above all, one of the sweetest humans I have ever met. May he rest in God’s peace. #ReneAuberjonois #RIP pic.twitter.com/mK0aua9beV — Doug Jones (@actordougjones) December 8, 2019

So so sad to hear of the passing of René Auberjonois. Deep Space 9 was the show that started my love for Star Trek, and that's in no small part due to his wonderful performance as Odo. May he rest in peace. #DS9 #ReneAuberjonois — Erika Lippoldt (@gryphonmetal) December 8, 2019

René’s final tweet:

I think https://t.co/zQMbJn3RuH pic.twitter.com/A01pGMqhwN — Rene Auberjonois (@reneauberjonois) December 6, 2019

René Auberjonois  – June 1, 1940 – December 8, 2019

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Very sad. Didn’t even know he was sick. Him and Aron in 3 months, the DS9 family must be in a lot of pain right now.

We also lost Robert Walker Jr. aka Charlie Evans in TOS’s Charlie X.

Marina Sirtis lost her husband yesterday as well. Such sad news…

RIP, Rene. Thank you for the great memories on DS9, Benson and Boston Legal. :(

He was also the only tolerable thing about Police Academy 5… and to call anything about that movie “tolerable” means a lot!

Rene has appeared in both Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country and Deep Space Nine as Odo. He will be missed by Star Trek fans. RIP

Oh for cryin out loud. What’s going on these days? Aron Eisenberg, Dorothy Fontana and now René – what a terrible three months for Trek fandom and the TV world in general!

So many members of the Trek family are passing away. Time IS the fire in which we burn.

No, time is a companion that goes with us on our journey and tells us to cherish every moment… because they will never come again. So let us cherish the moments we had with René Auberjonois whenever he graced our movie or television screen.

So damn true

All the more reason to be grateful that the DS9 documentary was made and released.

Indeed. I am glad that he and Aron both got to see the documentary before they passed.

Devastating news. We’ve lost such a talented actor who played a character whom so many can relate to. He was great on DS9 and so many other series. Farewell Odo.

Very sad. RIP Odo.

My heart goes out to the DS9 family. Loosing two of their own in so short a time is tragic. RIP Rene you were awesome.

Terrific actor, with such a wide and impressive range. My goodness – to have conveyed even the most subtle of emotions under all of that makeup. Very upset to hear of his passing.

This sucks. Star Trek is my biggest love in this world. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is my favourite show. And Constable Odo my favourite character. He was distant, stern, sarcastic, dedicated to his job and an outsider. To those who didnt know him he was a cold character; but to those lucky few he allowed into his bubble he was warm, kind, caring and above all loyal.

The character of Odo made a massive impression on me as a young man who felt completely on the fringes of all society. I never fit it. I never felt like “one of the lads”. I was not smart enough to be a science nerd. I was too uncoordinated for sport. I was too shy for Drama etc But through Odo I saw that none of that mattered. The only thing I had to be in life was the best version of me that I could be. As he struggled to find “his place” in the universe, I too was struggling to find my place as well.

And I know it may seem stupid to give all this meaning to a character in a TV show but I honestly believe most of us have “that one show”, “that one movie”, “that one singer” or “that one character” who we see ourselves reflected in and connect too. And as a 14/15 yr old Star Trek fan that character just happened to be a misanthropic, sarcastic, cards close to his chest shapeshifter lol And it was Rene Auberjonois’ performance in every moment that captured that connection for me, and allowed me to see so much of myself in a character who couldn’t have been more different than I was and yet also very similar to who I was becoming.

So tonight I raise a glass to you fine sir and steal the following line from a fellow Odo admirer; “What’re you talking about? That man loves me! Couldn’t you see? It was written all over his back”.

You’re very eloquent in your praise and sorrow. I’m sure Mr. Auberjonois would appreciate that he was able to provide the hope and inspiration you needed in life through his work, even more than the praise. Pass that on in whatever way you can, as your way of repaying that debt which can never be repaid. Peace.

ShaunieB Same here… I went through the same thing and related to Odo immensly. I also had my Major Kira growing up, your In-the-Friend-Zone unreachable woman… and again, for Odo and for myself it turned out ok at the end. We both got them… :-) and I always get tears in my eyes when I watch “His Way”

With the Picard show coming up, I somehow had hopes they revisit the character I so looked up to.

RIP Rene, thank you for giving that wonderful character life, you’ll be missed.

What a great actor, and an even better person. He played Odo with unmatched skill and grace, creating one of the most compelling characters in all of Star Trek. This is a painful loss.

I applaud you, Mr. Auberjonois. Thank you for the wonder.

RIP. He was such a great actor.

RIP. Great, wonderful actor who was perfect for the role he played.

This marks a a truly historic moment for the Star Trek franchise. It’s the very first time a main actor from one of the “modern” Star Trek products dies (apart from Yelchin’s lethal accident and Eisenberg, who did NOT play a main character).

I guess, this shows how important it is we finally get PICARD as a revival for that era. It’s the final chance for this generation of Trek actors to reprise their beloved roles…

Sad for his family. I enjoyed watching DS9 quite a lot and no small part of that was his portrayal of Odo. RIP

So sad to hear another member of the Star Trek family has passed on. Rene did amazing work as Odo on DS9 and he obviously cherished being a member of the Trek alumni. I forgot all about his “Battling Bickersons” scene in M*A*S*H that made me laugh as a teenager and he definitely will be remembered by fans and myself as Odo, an outsider who battled to be accepted by his friends, co-workers and his home world and one who struggled with his feelings for Kira. R.I.P. Rene and don’t worry, Odo is who you will be remembered for by me and so many others, not for your role on Benson.

Wow this is devastating! To lose such a great actor and guy in general. And our second DS9 actor in the same freaking year along with Aaron Eisenberg. :(

I still remember seeing him at Star Trek convention back in 1996 (my very first Star Trek convention in fact) with other DS9 actors Nana Visitor, Armin Shimerman and Terry Farrel. He sung the song from The Little Mermaid he played in as his character on stage. The crowd went wild! And he was so funny and easy going, the complete opposite of Odo lol.

It’s been a rough few months for the Trek community. He will be missed greatly.

I am thankful that I got to meet him more than once at conventions. I loved that he had Odo’s bucket at his table when he came. I’m sad to learn of this and that he had lung cancer. My heart goes to his family and friends. Rene, rest in peace. You will always be remembered…

Even when he was in pap like the 76 KONG or a disco ep of CHARLIE’S ANGELS, he still never phoned it in. Definitely a class act. BOSTON LEGAL and DS9 were my faves of his, though he was very good in the Altmans as well.

Poor Marina’s husband just passed away in his sleep last night. Sad day for Trekdom. 🖖

Thanks for letting us know that Marina Sirtis is also bereaved.

Heavy hearts in Trekdom indeed.

I didn’t know about this. A sad day indeed. My condolences to Marina and family.

Citation, please?

Marina has tweeted about this being true. https://mobile.twitter.com/Marina_Sirtis

It’s on Marina’s Twitter page.

I saw that, yet that information is nowhere else. Hopefully this either gets confirmed or cleared up.

Phil, there’s no reason to believe that Marina’s verified official Twitter account has been hacked.

She said in the message that she was signing off for a bit, including Cameo. There’s been no further messages on her Twitter or other accounts which would be unlikely if it were hacked.

Newspaper death announcements in the US might be the only official place you might find a confirmation.

Sites like Startrek.com are usually pretty good about putting up life events of those close to the franchise. So far, nothing. Absent any other information, it’s just as likely that her account was compromised. I’d hope the mods here could comment on this, one way or the other. I’d not want to be spreading this kind of rumor, knowing the pain it could cause, if there were any reason at all to believe it was fake. If it’s not, then clearly condolences to the family are in order.

Marina tweeted it. It’s legit.

Phil, I don’t have a lot of confidence in the official Star Trek social media team this week.

While StarTrek.com has posted about Rene Auberjonois under news, they haven’t management to tweet their own news story on their Twitter account and it’s 3 days since his death.

CBSAA Twitter is carrying on tone-deafedly with promotional tweets and no mention of Rene.

There seems to be a 3 working day lag on tweeting. It all has the air of a gridlock in corporate approval processes. My guess is that it has do do with short run PR restrictions arising from the ViacomCBS merger.

In the meantime, it reflects poorly on ViacomCBS for Variety and new wire services to have a obituaries up for two days and no recognition from TPTB.

We can’t count on them to verify and get the word out.

Rene was also so very good & memorable as a camp friend of Faye Dunaway in the classic late 1970’s TV movie The Eyes of Laura Mars!

Just saw that movie for the first time this year. He’s so great in it.

So sad. The highlight of my day one afternoon in Los Angeles in 1994 was when the gas guy came to fix a leak and told me that the customer he just saw before me was Rene. He told me how nice and funny he was. The gas guy was a fellow Trek fan so we both geeked out about it. It’s an odd, tangential connection, I know, but it was my first brush with what would be many moments like that and later on the sets of the shows themselves. You always remember your first. Au revoir, René.

That is a lovely anecdote, Luke… thanks for sharing. :)

My love for you was the most a stranger could ever feel toward a stranger; strong, hardy, but faraway. Your love for us all made my love for you barely a drop in the river; passionate, proactive, and near and dear to our every heart.

Godspeed, Rene.

Founder, you honored us with your presence. Rejoin the great link and be at peace.

My first thought as well.

Damn. A looot of people are going to be feeling this one. Sad.

Sad to learn of this, but, all good things. . .

And, at least we still have his work. His contributions to DS9 were major, and, as noted above, he had a long career prior to DS9.

So sad to hear this.

One of my favourite moments was when he appeared on Family Guy as Odo ripping on Stewie’s cousin Quark Griffin…! There are too many DS9 and Boston Legal memories to mention.

This hurts like hell. Especially when you see how much he meant to those who knew him best.

This has been a hard three months for the Star Trek family. René was a funny guy, a terrific actor, and a wonderful human being. I already adored him for his beautifully iconic portrayal of Odo (not to mention his vast body of non-genre work), but when I found out several years ago that he was a longtime supporter of Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) my admiration increased an order of magnitude.

The world has lost one of the good guys. My deepest sympathies and condolences to René’s family, friends, and his countless millions of fans.

This is so tragic and sudden, it feels like we just saw him in good health and full of life! This is another reminder to cherish the time we have with those we love, this year has been tough. This also marks the first time we’ve lost a member of the TNG/DS9/VOY/ENT era main cast, I’m grateful the DS9 doc was finished this year so we could look back one last time at the entire cast together. RIP Rene and Aron!

Most people (present company excluded) do not understand the challenge of taking on an untested character such as Odo, but René Auberjonois exceeded anyone’s expectations for the character. He follows a long line of Shakespearean Actors who have made their characters legendary in the world of ‘Trek. Kirk, Picard, Sisko, Janeway, etc. Star Trek is deeply layered with culture, and it’s because of truly stellar performers like René Auberjonois. His contributions to the world will forever be remembered. My heart goes out to his close friends and family. I am sorry for your loss.

So sad to hear this :(

RIP Constable.

So sad so many deaths this week just this morning Marina Sirtis announced her husband Michael passed in his sleep last night

I caught an old IRONSIDE episode last night, and was kind of amazed at how nearly every guest star — Andy Robinson, George Murdock, Bill Zuckert, Ken Lynch, Tige Andrews and Michael Strong– was a Trek alum … and then I realized all of them except Robinson were now dead.

I met Rene at a GalaxyCon show in Richmond, Va. earlier this year: we talked about his various roles, especially Odo – and also his role in the 1970 movie “M*A*S*H” which inspired the TV series. He had one of the best / most memorable lines in that or any other movie – one that pretty much summed up the entire storyline and answered why some people end up in wars…. Maj. Margaret ‘Hot Lips’ O’Houlihan (Sally Kellerman, who portrayed Dr. Dehner in TOS’s second pilot) had just been humiliated by the guys, particularly Hawkeye Pierce (Donald Sutherland), and demanded, in outrage, to know how anyone with his mentality could ever achieve a position in ANY army as a surgeon. Rene, as Father John Mulcahy, responded, simply, “He was drafted.” (LOL) Rene said he actually made up that line himself and the director liked it enough to include it in the picture. And – may I say Rene LOVED TO LAUGH, and was extremely gracious to everyone at the Convention; I won’t forget him, ever. May he rest in peace, and may he Live Long and Prosper in the next life.

Strange, just Friday night the series finale of DS9 was playing on H&I, and I watched the scene where Odo morphs into a tuxedo to part with Kira and wade into the ‘water,’ waving goodbye to her. Very poignant scene, and now this happens. What a rough few weeks in the Trek world with regard to losses. RIP, all.

And Marina Sirtis husband died in his sleep last night. Condolences to all.

Always thought we would see his character again. But in hindsight…what we leave behind is the perfect sendoff for his character.

Tough few months for the Trek family. I echo the sentiments mentioned above. I’ve heard nothing positive things about the guy over the last few decades. Condolences to all who knew him.

Yes, a tough few months for the fan community, and the community of 90s Trek actors.

Nana Visitor’s eulogy of Rene published by Variety really shows her respect for his craft and his humanity as well as a true friendship. The DS9 company sounds to have been one of the strongest of all the Trek shows, and while the other actors were aware Rene’s time was drawing short, it must leave be a tremendous gap.

The outpouring here and on other fan sites and many media outlets shows that the connections to the characters and the actors who brought them to life are enduring.

I appreciate how quickly TrekMovie was able to get this story and thread up so that we could express and share our remembrances.

This is all the more important since the official Star Trek site is not a board where we can respond, and the CBSAA Twitter site seems to have switched to only promoting current shows and managed to get through the end of Monday without acknowledging Rene’s passing even with a tweet of the official site’s story.

Sending love to Marina Sirtis ( counceler Deanna Troi ) who’d husband died in his sleep at 61 years of age last night.

Godspeed, and thank you, Mr. Auberjonois.

A Life Well Lived is its own reward.

RIP René Auberjonois…

That’s truly heartbreaking. I had slim hope that some future series would explore the current state of the Dominion. But with Odo it might not work.

This is very sad news.

There are many brilliant DS9 scenes that come to mind when you think of René Auberjonois. Sisko and Odo quietly talking while Odo is experiencing alcohol for the first time. Odo’s story arc with Kira. His arc with the female Founder during the Dominion War. His banter and one-upmanship with Quark. His final scene, wearing a tux. Many more. We all have our favourites.

This wasn’t unique to René on DS9, but I’ve been trying to identify the “extra something” he brought to his performance. The answer is “gravitas”. René treated the role and the setting with absolute seriousness and imbued the performance with a level of sincerity that gave the character dignity and realism. Not easy at all when it involves a fictional shapeshifting alien, in a rubber mask, in the most notoriously nerdy sci-fi franchise of all. And yet, René pulled it off, so that Odo not only commanded respect from viewers but believably commanded respect in the Trek universe too.

René’s performance on the peerless Boston Legal was also superb, of course.

There was one major difference between Odo and René in real life. It’s something you notice when you see photos of René, especially at conventions etc: The genuinely kind gaze and the smiling and the laughter, always, from a man who clearly triggered the same heartwarming reaction in everyone around him. Admit it, when you think of René’s expression in those photos, you’re finding yourself smiling right now.

I take no credit for the following eloquent statement, as someone else on Twitter quoted it when news broke of René passing away. However, it is a particularly appropriate description now: “The drop has become the ocean”.

My condolences to René Auberjonois’s family and friends. May he rest in peace.

Great actor, great role. RIP in the Great Link, friend.

It’s just been announced that William Shatner is divorcing his wife! The guy is 88. Holy crap!

Is…is this a reply to an RIP thread? :o

I already expressed my condolences above. I was simply sharing news on the latest thread.

Just a touch off topic there….

I was sad to learn of his death. He brought such depth to Odo. The sarcastic smile he saved for Quark, the sweet smile for those he cared for, the impatience with process, the love of justice, the many complexities of being a Changeling in a Solids universe, the loneliness, the defensive prickliness from being a lonely person. Considering his makeup was painful to wear [per something he said in What We Left Behind] I have that much more respect for him. His body language and voice were fine instruments that helped him express so much in Odo.

What an actor! I will miss him.

I Just realized DS9 isn’t one of the nee Shows anymore. Although it still feels Like the Most modern ST Show with its development in Story Arc and Characters.

And I Just realized WE never will See anything from DS9 anymore, certainly Not from Odo.

A great actor is eine :(

You will be greatly missed Rene.

• The Inventory

Remembering René Auberjonois, Star Trek 's Compelling, Curmudgeonly, and Lovingly Comic Odo

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ’s moral murkiness meant that a lot of its heroes, unlike many of the noble Trek stars that came before them, started out as kind-of jerks who softened and grew with the time we spent with them across seven seasons. But it wasn’t really a Starfleet officer on the show that best symbolized this; it was DS9 's irascible chief of security, René Auberjonois’s Constable Odo.

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Auberjonois, who passed away last night at the age of 79, was a heartwarming constant throughout Deep Space Nine ’s entire run. As the show itself grew and evolved—moving on from the lingering tensions between the Federations and the Bajoran government attempting to join its ranks (and the factions looking to avoid that outcome) to plunging into the dark depths of the all-out war with the alien Dominion in its back half—Odo felt like a character you could rely on for a sense of familiarity among the ever-changing crowds of the titular space station’s promenade. Whatever episode you pulled up, whatever season, Auberjonois—almost hidden underneath the layers of prosthesis required to give Odo his smooth-faced, almost melting changeling appearance—would be there, Deep Space Nine ’s ever-watchful grump .

With a brusque huff or complaint about being overworked, he’d get on with his job as constable regardless, managing the bustling crowds of DS9, keeping order, or trying—trying so hard —to finally nail Quark doing something openly illegal enough at his bar to warrant the scheming Ferengi a bit of time in Odo’s little brig. It was a familiar bit, the gruff and put-upon security officer. But Auberjonois made it his bit, bringing a charming physicality and a whipsmart sense of comedic timing to bear when his makeup work limited what he get across with his face. He did it with an ability to growl about something in a particular way that could make you both understand Odo’s frustrations and yet also chuckle on command (something Odo himself wouldn’t really appreciate in the throes of his annoyances).

But for all the familiarity of Odo’s charming bit as the station’s haplessly diligent warden provided, he is also the character that perhaps changed the most of all on Deep Space Nine . He did this physically, of course, in that Odo was literally a shapeshifter, necessitating Auberjonois to bring a heft and conviction to mid-‘90s, TV-budgeted CG effects to turn Odo from humanoid alien to everything from a spinning top to a seagull (and, more often than not, a distressingly-colored pile of goop). But he also did it emotionally. Where Auberjonois truly shined wasn’t really as Deep Space Nine ’s familiar curmudgeon, it was in relishing Odo’s role in another Star Trek trope, an alien being who was, deep down inside, so compellingly and heartbreakingly human.

Like almost everyone else on DS9 , Odo’s irascible exterior hid a heart driven by pain and trauma. While for people like Kira or Sisko, those traumas were the scars of long and bitter wars, crises of conscience and a desire to understand the strength of their moralities in dark times. Odo’s were existential: He thought himself the last of kind, so he was desperate to understand the very basic idea of who he was, where he came from, and why he was so isolated. His need to understand himself brought with it a crippling loneliness.

His gruff attitude kept everyone at arm’s length, because how could he let people in when he didn’t even know who he was? And when he did learn who he was—and that he wasn’t just the sole survivor of a dead race, but that that race, the Founders, were the calculating and cold minds behind the Dominion—he’s forced to contend with placing himself into the context of a family that both provided the answers to some of his deepest questions of identity, but was also now an antithesis to the person he’d become thanks to his found family on DS9.

Auberjonois’ physicality in Odo’s lighter moments drove these internal anguishes too—and suddenly, beneath all that makeup, the same glimmer in those sunken eyes, the downward turn of the corner of his mouth, and yes, even that frustrated harumph could instantly transform from something comic to utterly heartbreaking. But that was Odo at his core, this constant struggle between the mask of the dutifully put-upon Constable and the turmoil of exploring his sense of self, of trying so hard to keep people out while desperately wanting to let them in so he could help find an anchor in the swirling storm of sadness in his heart.

Auberjonois’ best performances on Deep Space Nine might highlight the more solitary, internalized moments of Odo’s quest to find himself—episodes like “The Begotten,” where the scientist who found Odo and raised him re-enters his life; the heartbreaking “Things Past,” which examined his time as DS9's constable during the Cardassian occupation; or “Chimera,” where he’s confronted with another isolated changeling who’s come to despite the “solids” Odo has learned to build connections to. But what work he did best with the character, what makes Odo so compellingly human in the first place, was always in the moments when he could break down that comical curmudgeonly exterior and let other people in.

“His Way” saw Odo and Kira finally act upon their feelings for each other in the closest Star Trek could ever get to a rom-com. Inversely, there’s episodes like “The Forsaken”—which sees his exasperated team-up with the always-hilarious Lwaxana Troi become a sweet, shared sadness—and “The Ascent,” where crash-landing on a frigid alien world and needing each other to survive brings a new layer of understanding to Odo and Quark’s combative relationship. For all his loneliness and his frustrations, cooped away in his little square of an office on the promenade, Odo always shone brightest when he had someone else to share it with, a lesson he slowly learned himself over Deep Space Nine ’s run.

With Auberjonois’ passing, a little part of that bright light has gone from Star Trek ’s universe. But what’s left behind in the connections he made with his colleagues on the show, or in the hearts of Trek fans this warmly funny yet compelling tragic alien touched, will still shine forever.

For more, make sure you’re following us on our Instagram @ io9dotcom .  

Screen Rant

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Alien: Romulus Is Even More Exciting After New Movie With 81% On Rotten Tomatoes

Jason statham's $152m action thriller is a streaming success after becoming 2024’s first box office hit, why jerry seinfeld's new movie's rotten tomatoes score is even worse than his 17-year-old meme disaster.

In a way, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country featured three different kinds of appearances by Odo from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Though the actual character of Constable Odo, who wouldn't even debut until 1993 - two years after Star Trek VI arrived in movie theaters - wasn't in the movie, The Undiscovered Country featured a different kind of shapeshifter and the Director's Cut of the film included a cameo by the late Rene Auberjonois , who played Odo for seven seasons on DS9.

The sixth and final film starring the cast of The Original Series , Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country was about the end of the Cold War between the Klingon Empire and the United Federation of Planets. But while Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and the Starship Enterprise-A were negotiating galactic peace with the Klingon High Chancellor Gorkon (David Warner), a conspiracy between Starfleet, Romulans and Klingon dissidents framed Kirk and Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForrest Kelley) for Gorkon's assassination. It was up to Spock (Leonard Nimoy) to prove Kirk's innocence and rescue him from imprisonment. The Enterprise crew then uncovered the conspirators and saved the life of the new Chancellor, Gorkon's daughter Azetbur (Rosanna DeSoto), ensuring the peace between the Federation and the Klingons, which would last into the era of Star Trek: The Next Generation over 70 years later.

Related: Star Trek: Voyager Proved A Sulu Spinoff Should've Happened

However, the extended Director's Cut of Star Trek VI that was released on DVD, Laserdisc, and VHS featured a cameo by Colonel West, played by Rene Auberjonois. West was a Starfleet Officer who presented Operation Retrieve, a plan to rescue Kirk and McCoy from the Klingons, which was not approved by the Federation President (Kurtwood Smith). When the president feared that such a rescue attempt could ignite a full-scale war, West memorably boasted, "Then quite frankly, Mr. President, we can clean their chronometers." At the conclusion of the Star Trek VI Director's Cut, the Klingon who tried to assassinate Azetbur at the Khitomer Peace Conference was revealed to be West incognito; the traitorous Colonel was actually one of the conspirators and he was killed and exposed by Montgomery Scott (James Doohan).

Auberjonois isn't in the credits for Star Trek VI , not even in the Director's Cut where his character appears, and the actor was surprised to learn his scenes were restored in the extended version. However, after 2009, only the theatrical cut of Star Trek VI without West is available for purchase, although Colonel West's scenes can be seen on YouTube . As for how Auberjonois was cast in the film, the talented actor happened to be longtime friends of director Nicholas Meyer, who invited him to play the role of the Starfleet traitor . And once Auberjonois was part of the Star Trek family, he was soon cast as Constable Odo in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

Meanwhile, a predecessor to Odo appears in Star Trek VI : At the Klingon penal planet Rura Penthe, Kirk and McCoy encounter Martia, a Chameloid played by Iman. As a shapeshifter, Martia took on several forms, including aliens and Captain Kirk himself. Martia predated the Founders, Odo's race of liquid-based changelings from the Gamma Quadrant who founded the Dominion and became the main villains of DS9 . However, Martia is the only known Chameloid in Star Trek canon and it was never clarified nor retconned whether Martia was also a Founder or whether Chameloids just happen to be an entirely separate race of shapeshifters. In the film, Martia was memorably killed by the Klingons after she took Kirk's form and brawled with the Captain (after she kissed him and teased that Kirk kissing himself "must have been your lifelong ambition" ).

Fascinatingly, Star Trek VI 's Odo connection continues with actor Kurtwood Smith. After playing the Federation President, Smith was cast in DS9 as Thrax, Odo's predecessor as Chief of Security when the space station was still under Cardassian control and called Terok Nor. In the DS9 season 5 episode, "Things Past", when Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) and his crew found themselves inhabiting Bajorian bodies in Odo's memory of Terok Nor, it turned out Thrax was actually the younger version of Odo himself. Indeed, Star Trek VI intriguingly contains several elements of Constable Odo that would one day coalesce into Deep Space Nine 's beloved shapeshifter.

Next: Star Trek 6: How Worf Appeared In The Final TOS Movie

• SR Originals

Star Trek Had A Huge Star Wars Easter Egg - But It Was Cut

"Star Trek" and "Star Wars" are two of the best sci-fi franchises out there, and they're still going strong after all these years. As such, they are often compared to each other, and debates regarding which saga is better have informed pop culture discourse for decades. That said, what if both franchises were part of the same universe and people could embrace them equally?

That's probably never going to happen, but "Star Trek: The Next Generation" tried to make it so. A "Star Wars" Easter egg appeared in Season 2's "Up the Long Ladder" episode, according to Larry Nemecek's "Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion." The moment occurs when the HMS New Zealand ship is sent to a planet called Alderaan — you know, the same planet that is destroyed by the Death Star in "Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope."

The planet isn't explicitly mentioned on TNG, but it could be spotted on computer screens. Unfortunately, the reference was removed for the Blu-ray release and replaced with the planet Aldebaran, ultimately debunking any notion that both sci-fi sagas are canonically linked. Still, the thought has led to some interesting fan conversations — and there are other references to the galaxy far, far away.

There's a Star Wars Easter egg in Star Trek: DS9

It seems that sneaky "Star Wars" homages were an in-joke for some "Star Trek" creators, as Alderaan briefly reappeared in another series. In the "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" Season 1 episode titled "A Man Alone," the planet crops up during the scene where Odo (René Auberjonois) checks Ibudan's (Stephen James Carver) calendar.

Meanwhile, other fans have pondered how the Federation would have reacted to the Galactic Republic's destruction of Alderaan. As Redditor  u/TheBurgareanSlapper wrote, "If Alderaan is an Imperial planet, its destruction is a clear-cut case of an internal Empire affair and none of the Federation's business. The most the Federation Council may do is send a strongly worded letter to the Imperial Ambassador. Maybe."

Sadly, high-definition Blu-ray technology has ruined the idea that both franchises are canonically intertwined. That said, "Star Wars" and "E.T." might exist in the same universe , which is also an exciting notion.

If you enjoyed this article, read about the actors who've appeared in both "Star Trek" and "Star Wars."

Giant Freakin Robot

Data Has A Secret Full Name Star Trek TNG Fans Discovered

Posted: May 8, 2024 | Last updated: May 9, 2024

Data is a fan-favorite Star Trek character who is part of a proud franchise tradition. In short, he’s a one-name outsider offering a unique perspective on humanity, just like Spock, Odo, Phlox, and so on. However, a deleted scene from The Next Generation episode “The Child” had Data reveal his full name to the computer: NFN NMI Data.

Not Exactly A Catchy Name

As you can tell, Data’s full name doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. That’s because it is made up largely of acronyms. In this case, “NFN” means “no first name,” and “NMI” means “no middle initial.

For fans who have eagle eyes and presumably watch their TNG Blu-rays a lot, the existence of Data’s full name may not be as much of a surprise. In the seminal episode “Measure of a Man,” the android’s full name is clearly visible on both his Starfleet Academy diploma and his classified schematics.

Originally Not Visible

Of course, “clearly visible” is a relative term. When these episodes were first broadcast in standard definition in the ‘80s and ‘90s, audiences didn’t have much hope of clearly reading small text in an episode on our small CRT television sets. The Star Trek set designers actually leaned into this by hiding cute little messages (like the names of the different Doctor Who lead actors) on screens where only the actors in a scene would have been able to read them.

Hi-Def Changed Things

However, all of that changed when Star Trek: The Next Generation came out on Blu-ray. Paramount poured an almost surprising amount of time, love, and cash into remastering this beloved Star Trek show. The final result is that episodes looked better than ever, and these are the eps you’ll see if you choose to stream the show on Paramount+.

Viewing a much sharper image on much larger televisions made it easy for fans to identify otherwise hidden details like Data’s full name. In some cases, this prompted Paramount to change some of the jokes that were previously hidden in plain sight. For example, the aforementioned names of Doctor Who actors in the TNG episode “The Neutral Zone” were eventually replaced by names of various TNG staff and cast members.

The Deleted Scene

So, if Data’s full name was already revealed in “Measure Of a Man,” then what is significant about the episode “The Child?” Previously, his name was just one more hidden background detail, but in this episode, Data’s complete name is spoken out loud for the first time. Weirdly enough, though, we never would have heard that name spoken if not for one insanely dedicated fan.

Cyril “Patchou” Paciullo is a Canadian Star Trek collector who managed to obtain VHS workprint copies of “The Child” and other episodes. If you don’t already know, workprints often contain deleted scenes that were never aired. Eventually, Paciullo tried to give his workprint copies to Paramount in time for the Blu-ray release, but it was too late to remaster most of the missing scenes, including the one with Data using his full name.

More Acronym Trek Names?

Fortunately, that scene and many others are available to view online. For Star Trek completists, it’s always when there is even more to discover about our favorite characters and episodes. However, we hate to break it to the android, but “NFN NMI Data” is simply never going to be as catchy as names like James T. Kirk or Jean-Luc Picard.

However, those two iconic captains could benefit from some acronyms in their own names. May I humbly suggest WTF LOL Kirk and OMG SMH Picard? 

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Star Trek's Best Characters Have a Strange Connection Most Fans Never Realized

Throughout its 50+ year history, Star Trek has made its characters' favorite drinks a major part of their personalities.

• Traditional Earth drinks, alcohol and synthehol play significant roles in portraying characters' personalities in Star Trek .
• Star Trek characters love a good drink, with coffee, raktajino and tea being iconic choices of the franchise's most well-known characters.
• Various Star Trek series showcase a wide array of alcoholic sci-fi beverages, including Romulan ale and Klingon bloodwine.

It's no exaggeration to say that there is a lot of Star Trek . With three different movie series and 12 TV shows that total over 25 straight days of Star Trek viewing, plus dozens of video games and a near-infinite number of novels, Star Trek is undeniably one of the most expansive and popular franchises in human history. While there are obviously many themes, both aesthetically and narratively, that cross over between the various entries in the Star Trek eras, there's one somewhat surprising trope that the shows and movies have kept up for decades that connects its famous characters: Star Trek characters love a good drink .

Sci-fi beverages aren't exclusive to Trek , of course, but while Star Wars ' blue milk and Fallout 's Nuka-Cola are enjoyed by their universes' characters en masse, Trek is unique in that it often associates a character or a group of characters with a specific drink . The franchise also goes above and beyond having one or two iconic drinks, with several famous beverages introduced across its nearly 60 years of existence. It's a wet universe in Star Trek , and the Trek franchise shows no signs of drying up anytime soon.

Coffee in Nebulas and a Space Station Addicted to Raktajino — Star Trek Loves Caffeine

'here comes captain kirk': william shatner open to star trek return, the star trek tv shows.

• Coffee in particular features heavily in Star Trek: The Original Series as well as Deep Space Nine and Voyager .
• However, Captain Jean-Luc Picard's love for Earl Grey makes it the most iconic Star Trek drink.

Among its many messages on the problems with modern society and what a better future could look like, Star Trek also tells the present one thing in particular: Humans will still love caffeine even when they live among the stars and can replicate any beverage they wish. In fact, coffee shows up in Star Trek even before its first aired episode , appearing at a picnic with Captain Pike in the original Star Trek pilot episode now called "The Cage." That Trek pilot episode was rejected and Pike was replaced with Captain Kirk, but yet again, a coffee break shows up in the second, successful pilot episode "Where No Man Has Gone Before," which became the first aired piece of Trek ever.

Coffee continued to be a part of Star Trek : The Original Series throughout its run, but whereas the crew of the Enterprise NCC-1701 was certainly known to have a cup, their love for coffee doesn't compare to the people running Deep Space Nine decades later. In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , there's a genuine craze for a unique Star Trek version of coffee made by Klingons, called raktajino. Probably similar to a very strong cappuccino, raktajino features prominently in Deep Space Nine , one of the best Trek series to rewatch , as the favorite beverage of a number of main characters, including Captain Sisko, Major Kira, Dr. Bashir, Constable Odo, Lieutenant Dax and Jake Sisko. The beverage, which is served in a specially designed cup, shows up in no less than 32 Deep Space Nine episodes, plus a few from the other series.

Despite their love for raktajino, the entire cast of Deep Space Nine would have a hard time competing with the amount of coffee that one particular Star Trek hero drinks. Captain Kathryn Janeway of Star Trek: Voyager is seen ordering "coffee, black" often in Voyager , an affectation that apparently came directly from actor Kate Mulgrew's love for it herself. In fact, Janeway's coffee obsession became a major character trait very quickly in Voyager , leading to the famous line "There's coffee in that nebula" in Episode 6 "The Cloud," and later in Season 4 episode "The Hunters" Janeway saying:

"Coffee: the finest organic suspension ever devised. It's got me through the worst of the last three years. I beat the Borg with it."

Coffee is the drink of choice of the galaxy at large in Star Trek , but perhaps the most famous caffeinated drink in Trek history is tea. Two captains of the Enterprise famously loved tea, but while Jonathan Archer of Enterprise was known for his love of a pitcher of cold sweet tea, Captain Jean-Luc Picard is the tea-drinking icon of Trek , repeatedly ordering "Tea, Earl Grey, hot." in Star Trek: The Next Generation . While Picard's life is full of legendary moments , the tea line is so famous that it's now synonymous with Picard, TNG and Star Trek itself.

Saurian Brandy and Romulan Ale — Boozing It Up with the Star Trek Crews

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• Star Trek has a long history of its characters having an adult drink after-hours.
• There are a number of alcohols that were invented specifically for Star Trek , some of which are famous.

Poverty may have been eliminated in The Federation of Star Trek , but apparently, the stresses of galactic exploration and frequent space combat leave a strong urge in future people to have a drink. Alcohol makes appearances in every Trek series (except the two aimed at children), starting with The Original Series and now making prominent appearances in the recent Star Trek: Lower Decks and hit show Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . Across the hundreds of years shown in Star Trek , numerous drinks are shown being imbibed, often in ways that become central to the story.

If "Tea, Earl Grey, hot" is the most famous drink-related line of dialogue in Star Trek , Romulan ale is certainly the most famous beverage created for Trek . The alcoholic drink, illegal in The Federation for much of the time that the shows cover, first shows up in Season 3 Episode 2 of The Original Series , where the stoic Spock is seen having a glass with a Romulan commander. Though the drink isn't named in the episode, the bright blue hue of the banned Trek beverage is unmistakable, and it goes on to be a repeated liquid of choice in multiple series.

Trek writers have been quite creative in their drink inventions : Throughout the various series, drinks like Saurian brandy, Arcturian fizz and Aldebaran whiskey are introduced, often coming in bright colors with an inventive sci-fi bottle. In particular, the crew members of Star Trek: Lower Decks are often seen carousing in the USS Cerritos' bar with a glass of something neon. The extremely strong Klingon bloodwine also features centrally in several Trek episodes. One memorable bloodwine appearance is Season 2, Episode 1 of Strange New Worlds , in which Spock and his partner La'an engage in a drinking competition with Klingons, which La'an wins.

Of course, while sci-fi drinks are a lot of fun, old-fashioned Earth alcohol still plays a prominent role in Trek . Beer is mentioned a number of times, such as when Captain Kirk goes back in time and has a Michelob, and Quark on DS9 is often shown mixing colorful cocktails at his bar. But it's whiskey and wine that play the most memorable parts in Trek , particularly with Captains Pike and Picard. Pike is a known oenophile, often drinking a glass with his home-cooked meals, and Picard himself comes from a history of winemakers, with the Picard family winery making frequent appearances in TNG and Picard . Bourbon seems to be Pike's choice of drink, though, and perhaps even Picard's in his later years, as the two are repeatedly shown sipping a tumbler of the stuff in recent shows.

Staying Sober with Star Trek's Synthehol

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• Getting drunk doesn't fit well with the rules of Starfleet, so much of the drinking seen in Star Trek is actually synthehol, a drink that is not as intoxicating to humanoids.
• Synthehol is a Ferengi invention and makes frequent appearances in the various Star Trek shows and movies.

There's no question that characters in every major Trek series get intoxicated on alcohol, or even addicted to caffeine, which can be difficult to reconcile with the straight-laced image of The United Federation of Planets. As consummate professionals working in a quasi-militaristic structure where thousands of lives are almost constantly on the line, substance use doesn't often mesh well with the universe of Trek . That's where another Star Trek invention comes in: syntheho l.

Most of the time when a character is seen drinking in Star Trek , if it's not explicitly stated that they're drinking alcohol, it's implied that it's synthehol, or "synthetic alcohol." Synthehol was invented by Ferengi to reproduce the sensory experience of alcohol, but it is easily broken down by enzymes in humanoid bodies. Interestingly, it's never been clear whether synthehol has no intoxicating ability at all for humanoids or whether it's only effective while actively imbibing, clearing up quickly once one stops. Either way, synthehol is incredibly popular in the Star Trek universe , to the point that Quark of Deep Space Nine , Trek 's most famous Ferengi , is referred to as the "Synthehol King" for the amount of it he sells.

Star Trek Is a Galaxy Full of Adventure and Adventurous Beverages

Star trek: strange new worlds gets renewed, lower decks to end with season 5.

• Having a favorite drink is a frequent feature of some of Star Trek 's best characters.
• Liking a particular drink humanizes Star Trek 's characters and makes them more relatable to the viewer.

Though each show and era has its own special qualities, Star Trek 's focus on galaxy-spanning adventures that center around a utopia-like version of humanity focused (ostensibly) on science, exploration and helping others has fascinated generations. There are many factors that go into this, from rich characters to inventive sci-fi writing to willingness to tackle contemporary social issues, but perhaps primary among all of its secret weapons are Trek 's attention to detail and its interconnected stories .

In this regard, as unassuming as they may seem in isolation, the various and varied drinks of Star Trek are part of the backbone of the storied franchise. Sitting down to have a drink, especially having a favorite that brings one a particularly nice moment amongst the stressful parts of life, is inherently human, something almost everyone can relate to.

By giving viewers a moment with Picard sipping Earl Grey while reading the reports of the day, Janeway smiling at the smell of coffee in the morning, the crew of Deep Space Nine drinking raktajino and bantering together at their local shop or the pals of Lower Decks blowing off steam with a round of cocktails after nearly dying yet again, Star Trek connects its characters across the centuries . And more so, Trek characters having affectations for drinks connects viewers to characters , using a very human action to put viewers right there in Ten Forward with Riker, Picard and Troi, having a sip of something nice.

The Star Trek universe encompasses multiple series, each offering a unique lens through which to experience the wonders and perils of space travel. Join Captain Kirk and his crew on the Original Series' voyages of discovery, encounter the utopian vision of the Federation in The Next Generation, or delve into the darker corners of galactic politics in Deep Space Nine. No matter your preference, there's a Star Trek adventure waiting to ignite your imagination.