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

René Auberjonois, a character actor best known for playing Odo on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and for his Emmy-nominated work on the sitcom Benson, has died, Variety has reported. He was 79.

Born in New York City to a Swiss father, himself a Pulitzer Prize-nominated writer, Auberjonois began his career as a theater rat. At one point, in 1968, he starred in three Broadway plays simultaneously, and the next year he won a Tony for Coco, in which he acted alongside Katharine Hepburn. He would be nominated for three more Tonys, including for Neil Simon’s The Good Doctor.

It was his screen work, though, that made him a name. He was long part of Robert Altman’s vast stable of regulars, first appearing in the legendary filmmaker’s movie of MASH, originating the role of Father John Patrick Francis Mulcahy, who would be played on the TV show by George Morgan and William Christopher. He would also appear in Brewster McCloud, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Images, and The Player.

Television embraced him as well. Along with Benson and Boston Legal, which ran from 1980 through 1986, Auberjonois spent seven seasons in the Star Trek-verse on Deep Space Nine, playing Odo, a Changeling who often took the form of a humanoid and the station’s chief of security. He would revive the beloved character for the MMORPG Star Trek Online.

You may have heard Auberjonois as often as you saw him. He was a prolific voice actor, and even played Chef Louis, who sings “Les Poissons,” in Disney’s 1989 version of The Little Mermaid. He also did many audiobooks, including World War Z, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and Mark Frost’s The List of 7.

Auberjonois’ passing was mourned by, among many others, the Star Trek community.

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Auberjonois had been battling metastatic lung cancer.

(Via Variety)