Andreas Katsulas one of my favourite actors, whose striking Greek visage was often obscured by prosthetic makeup in his several sci-fi roles, died on Monday, February 13, of lung cancer at the age of 59.
Science fiction fans know him well as the Narn ambassador "G'Kar" in Babylon 5. His numerous other TV credits include spots on Alien Nation, Max Headroom, Millennium, Diagnosis Murder, NYPD Blue, etc.
Katsulas also played the recurring role of the Romulan "Commander Tomalak" in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes "The Enemy," "The Defector," "Future Imperfect" and "All Good Things..."
Katsulas also had his share of movie roles, and perhaps his most famous was the notorious one-armed man "Frederick Sykes" in "The Fugitive" with Harrison Ford.
Of working-class Greek and American heritage, Katsulas was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and caught the acting bug at age 4. He earned his master's degree in theater from Indiana University, and performed on stage in St. Louis, New York and Boston before being cast by Michael Cimino in "The Sicilian." That started his Hollywood career, where his scowl and furrowed brow landed him mostly villainous parts, such as a ruthless mobster in Ridley Scott's "Someone to Watch Over Me," and a terrorist leader in "Executive Decision" with Kurt Russell and Steven Seagal.
Katsulas is survived by his second wife, whom he married less than a year ago, and a daughter and a son from his first marriage. Funeral services are pending in his native St. Louis.
And only 59.