American actor René Auberjonois died on Sunday due to metastatic lung cancer at the age of 79, according to his son Remy Auberjonois.
Auberjonois was famous for playing a wide range of roles on TV shows such as “Benson,” “Boston Legal,” and “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.” He also acted in theater and film “MASH” as Army chaplain Father John Mulcahy.
He was born in New York on June 1, 1940. In 1970, he won a Tony Award for his role in “Coco.” He was nominated for his roles in “Big River,” “The Good Doctor,” and “City of Angels.” He was also nominated for an Emmy twice, and then again in 2001 for outstanding guest actor in “The Practice.”
Remy called his father a “proud progressive and consummate professional and craftsman.” He went on to praise his father for working with “Doctors Without Borders,” an international humanitarian medical non-governmental organization that is best known for its projects in conflict zones and in nations affected by endemic diseases.
Remy added, “He was married to my mother for 56 years. He was a dedicated father and grandfather and he had a fantastic sense of humor.”
Fellow Star Trek actor George Takei reacted to news of his death on Twitter. Takei wrote, “This is a terrible loss. Star Trek fans knew him as Odo from Deep Space Nine. We knew him as René. He was a wonderful, caring, and intelligent man. He shall be missed. When I look out to the stars, I shall think of you, friend.”
