René Auberjonois Dies: ‘Benson’ And ‘Star Trek’ Actor Was 79DEADLINE
By Anita Bennett
December 8, 2019
René Auberjonois, an actor who rose to prominence with roles on Benson, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and the film M.A.S.H., died Sunday at his home in Los Angeles of metastatic lung cancer, the Associated Press reported. He was 79.
Auberjonois was a character actor and performed in theater of the 1960s. He made the transition to film in the 1970s, and appeared on a string of popular television series in the 1980s and ’90s.
He made a mark as Father Mulcahy in Robert Altman’s 1970 film M.A.S.H.
Auberjonois would later win over a legion of television fans as Clayton Runnymede Endicott III, chief of staff at a governor’s mansion on the sitcom Benson, which aired from 1979-1986. He segued to sci-fi television with his portrayal of Constable Odo, the station’s chief of security, on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The series ran from 1993-1999.
In 1984, he received a Primetime Emmy nomination for his role on Benson, and picked up a second Emmy nomination in 2001 in the guest actor drama series category for playing Judge Mantz on legal drama The Practice.
His other memorable recurring roles were as Walter Nowack in Madam Secretary; a cardinal in Archer; and a judge in Judging Amy.
Auberjonois also did extensive voice work in animation, including as the singing French chef in Disney’s 1989 The Little Mermaid. He played Kangent in The Pirates of Dark Water; and Dr. March inBatman: The Animated Series.
The actor was born in New York in 1940. He graduated from Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Institute of Technology, now Carnegie Mellon. Auberjonois later decided to pursue a career as a performer, joining theater companies and landing roles on Broadway in 1968. He earned Tony nominations for his stage work in 1973’s “The Good Doctor,” 1984’s “Big River,” and 1989’s “City of Angels.”
AUBERJONOIS, René (Rene Murat Auberjonois)
Born: 6/1/1940, New York City, New York, U.S.A.
Died: 12/8/2019, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
René Auberjonois’ westerns - actor:
McCabe and Mrs. Miller – 1971 (Sheehan)
The Wild Wild West Revisted (TV) – 1979 (Captain Sir David Edney)
More Wild Wild West (TV) – 1980 (Captain Sir David Edney)
Billy the Kid (TV) – 1989
Lucky Luke (TV) – 1992 (Mr. Edgar Rockbottom / Mendez)
Ned Blessing: The True Story of My Life (TV) – 1992 (Marquis)
The Ballad of Little Jo – 1993 (Streight Hollander)
Los Locos – 1997 (Presidente)
Longarm – 1998 (Governor Lew Wallace)