Prolific actor René Auberjonois has passed away at age 79. In a career spanning over six decades, the actor’s performances were seen on the small screen, the big screen, and on Broadway. To many, he is best known for his portrayal of the enigmatic Odo in the Star Trek franchise. He is also known for his memorable supporting roles on shows like Benson and Boston Legal.
Born in 1940, in New York, Auberjonois would begin his long career in show business by working with several different theater companies. This included the respected Arena Stage in Washington D.C. In 1970, Auberjonois landed the first of several roles that would mark his tenure in show business. He starred in MASH as Father Mulcahy. Directed by Robert Altman, who would go on to frequently collaborate with Auberjonois, the movie would be made into a television series. That same year, Auberjonois performed in the Broadway musical Coco opposite Katharine Hepburn. For his turn as a flamboyant fashion designer, Auberjonois would earn a Tony award. The actor also lent his vocal talents to The Little Mermaid, voicing the chef who attempted to make a meal out of Sebastian.
As reported by Variety, Auberjonois passed away on Sunday in his Los Angeles home from metastatic lung cancer. Although his list of credits is uniquely versatile, including directorial work and early forays into the world of voice acting for video games, he is best remembered for his consistent presence on the small screen. To sci-fi fans, he is recognized as the alien security officer Odo on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. To fans of old sitcoms, such as Benson, they knew him for his portrayal of an overbearing assistant for most of the comedy’s run. Lovers of courtroom drama saw him work with another Star Trek alum, William Shatner, on Boston Legal. Shatner was one of the many who remembered Auberjonois on social media.
Fans are remembering Auberjonois as well, tweeting about his contributions to the world of Star Trek and his support of the fandom. He was a regular at conventions, raising money for Doctors Without Borders. He also had a funny, affectionate way of signing autographs with a drawing of Odo’s bucket, the container his character would use when he needed to regenerate, which showed the actor’s sense of humor about the character that arguably brought him the most prominence.
Auberjonois would remain active in front of the camera. In recent years, he’s popped up in shows like Madam Secretary and The Librarians. On the big screen, he worked with director Kelly Reichardt on the drama film First Cow. It will be released in March 2020. His final film, titled Cortex, is currently in post-production.
Auberjonois is survived by his wife of 56 years, writer Judith Auberjonois, and his children Rèmy-Luc and Tessa.
RIP René Auberjonois: June 1, 1940 – December 8, 2019
Source: Variety, William Shatner, George Takei, Paul F. Tompkins