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Andreas Katsulas: 1946--2006

AndreasKatsulas.jpg


A Fine Actor, who has unfortunately died today.

His IMDB biography has one line:

"He does not own a computer".

Perfect.


I honestly never took notice of him until I saw him in Babylon 5. His role and the way he played it simply floored me and in several scenes moved me to tears. What follows is a speech his character gave during the series which I think are some of the finest I have ever heard in the defense of freedom and liberty and he delivered them with the full depth of character.

Citizen G'Kar: No dictator, no invader can hold an imprisoned population by force of arms forever. There is no greater power in the universe than the need for freedom. Against that power tyrants and dictators cannot stand. The Centauri learned that lesson once. We will teach it to them again. Although it take a thousand years, we will be free.

Substitute the word "Centauri" with any tyrant you like, if it helps.

The words are powerful, but this man poured his heart into the scene. I have rarely seen a moment in television that was as moving as that scene, acted by that man.

His character Gkar also had the best way I think anyone has ever had for saying "the final goodbye".

"I believe that when we leave a place, part of it goes with us and part of us remains. Go anywhere in the station, when it is quiet, and just listen. After a while, you will hear the echoes of all our conversations, every thought and word we've exchanged. Long after we are gone our voices will linger in these walls for as long as this place remains. But I will admit that the part of me that is going will very much miss the part of you that is staying.”


You know, it doesnt matter who wrote the words, when you can emotionally move people when you are wearing 4 pounds of plastic prosthetics on your face, you really are one hell of an actor.

Posted @ February 15, 2006 05:47 PM | Current Affairs

Comments

Also played a Romulan in Star Trek: TNG. RIP

Posted by: Juliette at February 15, 2006 09:55 PM

A great character actor. Just damn great.
I too loved his caracter on B5.
My favorite Gkar quote: "They made a most satisfying thud, when they hit the ground" said with Micheal York, after thumping some bad guys.

I watched little of Trek but remember him on there too.

Posted by: JP at February 16, 2006 04:06 PM

I think it would be hard to name a better SF series in TV history. J.M. Strazinski(sp?) unquestionably did a fantastic job with the series.

Offhand, the only one that closely compares to it is DS9 (mainly after season 3), and, oddly enough, that's the one the average joe pooh-poohs (frankly, I think because of those mediocre first three seasons).

His character was certainly one of the better ones, and he did a great job with it.

Posted by: Igotbupkis at February 16, 2006 11:57 PM

I am so sorry to hear of his passing. His work on B5 I found to be very moving. I can't pick a favorite scene as I loved his work in the entire show, so I'll mention one from my favorite B5 episode "Comes the Inquisitor". G'Kar's people have just been killed by the millions by the Centauri. Vir a Centauri tries to apologize.

--------------------

G'Kar stares at Vir intently, and Vir says to him, "I'm sorry. I wish... there was something that I could do. I tried telling them, but they wouldn't listen. They never listen... I'm sorry."
The elevator door opens and G'Kar walks out.

Before he vanishes, though, G'Kar turns to Vir. He slices his hand, letting the blood drip on the floor. "Dead... dead, dead, dead, dead, dead, dead, dead, dead, dead... How do you apologize to them?"

"I can't," Vir admits.

"Then I cannot forgive," G'Kar tells him, and walks away.

--------------------


It's how I feel when I think about 9/11.

Posted by: geoffb5 at February 18, 2006 10:36 PM

Great post--sorry to hear that Katsulas passed away; I always liked him as the recurring Romulan heavy on "ST:TNG".

Didn't he also play the infamous one-armed man in the Harrison Ford big screen remake of "The Fugitive"?

Posted by: Ed Driscoll at February 19, 2006 04:31 PM