Posted on 02/21/2006 8:38:59 PM PST by iPod Shuffle
Posted on Tue, Feb. 21, 2006
'Babylon 5' and 'Fugitive' star Andreas Katsulas, 59, dies
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - Veteran character actor Andreas Katsulas, immortalized as imposing red-eyed alien ambassador G'Kar on television's "Babylon 5" and a one-armed murderer in the 1993 film "The Fugitive," has died of lung cancer. He was 59.
Katsulas, who had been undergoing chemotherapy treatments, died in his Los Angeles home Feb. 13, his agent Donna Massetti said Monday.
"He was a lovely and talented man, and we are deeply saddened. He will be missed," Massetti said.
Born May 18, 1946, in St. Louis, Katsulas earned a master's degree in theater at Indiana University.
He appeared in small roles in a handful of films before landing the part of a Greek immigrant in 1982's "King of America" and then a regular role that same year in the soap opera "Guiding Light."
He cemented his status as the actor to go to for villainous characters with his turn as mobster Joey Venza in Ridley Scott's "Someone to Watch Over Me" in 1987.
Katsulas donned a prosthetic device in 1993's "The Fugitive" to portray the murderous one-armed man Frederick Sykes, who frames Harrison Ford's Dr. Richard Kimble in the death of Kimble's wife.
But Katsulas' role as Narn ambassador G'Kar in the syndicated television series "Babylon 5" brought him the most attention.
Spending hours in heavy makeup, the actor played G'Kar as a diplomat whose hatred of Londo Mollari of the Centauri Republic became a central theme of the show. Later, G'Kar evolved into a spiritual leader.
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
For me, Mollari and G'Kar are what made B5 such a great show. Katsulas' acting was superb - especially in the later seasons, after G'Kar had his spiritual awakening.
As a long-time SciFi fan and wannabe writer, I mourn the loss of such a remarkable talent.
Andreas captured my imagination. I will be forever grateful.
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