I had met [Star Trek casting director] Junie Lowry-Johnson when I was working with her brother, director Dick Lowry, on a made-for-television movie called The Gambler, Part III - The Legend Continues. His last on screen acting appearance was on Deep Space Nine and his last voice acting credit was in 2010 for Family Guy, where he lent his voice to the Dean of the Secret Order of Dirty Joke Writers. Its amazing we are getting SO many interviews these days from actors in past shows from DS9 to ENT and a reminder how loved all these characters and shows still are. In addition to his vivid stage acting career, Alaimo has been acting in television shows since 1971. Thats why I was an actor. I ended up playing four different roles, which at the time was very unusual because they didnt like to use the same actors over and over again. Both of you started mid-series on Deep Space Nine. Did you study Marc Alaimos performance, did you try to differentiate yourself as a different kind of Cardassian? Casey Biggs: And the funny part was before that episode I didnt even know I had a wife or son. However, for others, Deep Space Nine betrayed their expectations, put them through discomfort and exhaustion, or forever tied them with a role from which they would rather distance themselves. Mr. Welsh saw his incredible talent and encouraged him throughout his high school career. Alaimo said, "As an actor, of course, Ive played a lot of [criminals] and gangsters who did terrible things, but at this point in my life, I dont enjoy doing something that mean and despicable. He played several characters in Star Trek: The Next Generation (Star Trek: TNG), starting in the first season. Long before he began menacing the Alpha Quadrant as Gul Dukat on Deep Space Nine Alaimo appeared as not one but four different characters on Star Trek:The Next Generation. Making the trip to work in Toronto/Missisauga doesnt sound like something either would shy from though (and all but Picard will be produced in the GTA). They have been genetically altered to be that. I had done theater with him and he suggested that I play Brunt. He remarked, "It feels like a dream now. I hated every part that I had to play where I was chastising a husband or getting upset about the carpet. Its all going to be fine. While the primary filming took place in 1983, it took 37 years to finish and release "Grizzly II: Revenge." He has also patented a 3D chess set in 2002. I like Dukat, proclaims the actor. But I was around really talented people who were the best at what they do.". There really wasnt an opportunity for me to get particularly close to any of the cast or crew that worked on the series. The best thing to play is the reluctant hero. ", As the series went on, he was pleasantly surprised to find out how central Nog was to many later episodes. STAR TREK and its various marks are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc. 2023 CBS Studios Inc./Paramount Pictures Corp. 2006-2023 SciFanatic Network | Legal/Privacy Info, Copyright 2023 | MH Newsdesk by MH Themes, Watch Picard And Riker Reverse Their Classic Roles In Star Trek: Picard Episode 303 Clip, J.J. Abrams Talks Compelling Story For Star Trek 4; Chris Pine Expresses Frustration Over Wait, The Future Of Star Trek TV Remains Unclear As Paramount Announces Streaming Spending Cuts, Jonathan Frakes And Patrick Stewart Talk Star Trek: Picard Season 3 Finale And Spinoff Hopes, Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 3 Coming To DVD & Blu-ray In April. So, I thought every episode I was doing might be my last episode. The producers sort of resisted that, but they said, Yeah, sure. That started a recurrence with Brunt and then they came to me with Weyoun. Though working on Deep Space Nine was a dream come true for many actors, others were happy to leave it behind. He is an actor, known for Total Recall (1990), Tango & Cash (1989) and Star . Marc defined it. 18 comments so far. Aliamo is a part of the Deep Space Nine documentary "What We Left Behind." Hans Beimler is the one that supposedly created my character and he said it just getting bigger and bigger because they were taking stuff. Long before he began menacing the Alpha Quadrant as Gul Dukat on, Despite the fact that he had already appeared as a Cardassian on, I think Dukat has tremendous respect for Sisko because he gets things done the right way. James Darren passed on the role of holographic singer Vic Fontaine more than once, but he found that the role was much more than he first expected. It's just something visceral in me that goes right into Kira." It was clear Weyoun was going to be a fan favorite when he showed up and was so quirky and fun to watch but Damar really surprised people I think. How are you going to spark this chemistry without being together? I went in, though, did the audition and got the part and Dukats been a marvelous extension for me as an actor.. Fletcher remarked, "DS9 was one of the best memories of my working life, of my day-to-day working life. It has long been associated with fertility, rebirth, and love. Im pleasant! Nick is a Senior Staff Writer for Ned Hardy. Alaimo and the Starland crew dined together after dark one night high atop the Sydney Tower skyscraper in its sumptuous 360 Bar & Dining space, a revolving restaurant. They could have easily killed me off. I dont know what kind of lover he would make, though. ", Avery Brooks took command of Deep Space Nine as Captain Sisko, a landmark role he still expressed his pride in. I dont know what to do about it. Im very grateful that they trust me enough to write an episode like that for me. That was fun. Casey, you mentioned playing a drunk. They all knew their jobs. So when that thing came along about enhancing me, I felt they were really trying cynically to make me more like Data and I felt betrayed. Were good. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Glad you are here. Its like your first day of school and you dont know anybody, and for someone to come up like that really does release a lot of the anxiety. You cant go back and reshoot it. He is described as fun to watch and effortlessly evil in the most charismatic way. He would later divorce Karla and remarry a woman named Lorie Bollinger in August 2010. Casey Biggs: Well, they were lovely to Jeff. He went on to portray Romulan Commander Tebok in The Neutral Zone, Cardassian Gul Macet in The Wounded and the high-rolling gambler Frederick LaRouque in Times Arrow. The panel is on Sunday, June 7 at 1 pm ET. I am your friend. ", Terry Farrell exited her role as Jadzia Dax after her contract expired and was not renegotiated. You never know whats going to happen when youre doing films or television. Alaimo also appeared in a season two episode of 21 Jump Street. in uns und unserm Streben I can do one television movie and suddenly Ive performed in front of more people than all my years in the theatre, but the stage is still a magic place to be, muses Alaimo. He is best known for his role as recurring villain Gul Dukat in the TV series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. hes whacked not in a bad way. Kann dir das Wort drauf geben In this story Sisko is injured when a shuttle carrying him and Dukat crash-lands on a deserted planet. Casey Biggs! I had no idea. Made a huge development but in a very believable way staying true to Damars core values while even though loyalities were shifting dramatically. Being in the makeup trailer was something out of science fiction, really. And when I mention that, it seems to be something they want to do together. My teacher said to me, Stay after class. We were the dark horse of the series, so they can do whatever they wanted. While almost every actor on Deep Space Nine discusses the good time they had creating the show, a few actors had significant grievances that made them glad they could leave the show behind them and move on to other work. They do sort of pull those things on you. [Interview] William Shatner: Criticism from TOS cast is from people "Bitter and Embittered" - slams George Takei for 'Blackening My Name': "a handful of day players . He married Doris Hefner and has one child with her. I had never been on stage before. Our speech teacher wanted us to depict any action but to do it as a mime, he recalls. He can be evil, mean, charming, lovable, funny, vulnerable and, yes, even sexy. You should have quit. Jeffrey Combs: Yeah, we are old pals. However, on Deep Space Nine, he was best known for the roles of Weyoun and Brunt, two roles he enjoyed for different reasons. I dont know about you Jeff, but on Enterprise I felt those guys were scared. Alaimo has appeared in some feature films including the 1984 science fiction movie The Last Starfighter (portraying the human guise of an alien assassin), the Leslie Nielsen film Naked Gun '"`UNIQ--templatestyles-0000000D-QINU`"'33+13: The Final Insult, Tango & Cash, and the 1988 film The Dead Pool. ", The anonymity of makeup had its price, however. Finally, my agent said, 'Why dont you at least read the script? Adored: Cirroc Lofton (Jake Sisko) Cirroc Lofton started playing Jake Sisko when he was fourteen years old. Because of this there was never a real bond set up between the actress and myself, so the relationship we had was always sort of subjective. Remember Jeff, you were in that scene. In many aspects, it was very familiar. Nice to hear that Hans Beimler created Damar, since his namesake/grandfather was also a famous resistance fighter. Media in category "Marc Alaimo" The following 9 files are in this category, out of 9 total. You have to adjust to that surrealness. By: Anthony Pascale They scaled back his makeup at his request, and they also took his feelings about Worf into account. She would have been in her mid-30s when the show began, and he would have been in his early 50s. Casey Biggs: With me, Ira Behr, the executive producer, he was obsessed with the Alamo. She later stated that she did not regret leaving the show, explaining, "I was tired of waking up at four in the morning. I remember Shran from Enterprise. All of these things came out in the character through the writing and in my way of playing him. With a bleak home life, many thought he was destined to turn to the street and live a life of crime. Like the crafty chameleon which changes colours to blend in with its surroundings, Cardassian Gul Dukats demeanour can go from sadistic to sympathetic to sexy depending upon what best suits the situation. ". Gul Dukat was a recurring character that appeared in 33 episodes of that series. My teacher said to me, Stay after class. For a while there, we thought it was our show, because we had taken over the station. We came in second and I got special mention because I was so out there as an actor, he chuckles. They said, Weve got this great character, would you do it? And I really didnt want to get into makeup and stuff, and they said, No, it is going to be a whole new character and a new race. I had one episode and they were done with itI was thinking it was great, they were bringing in a new race and I was going to be a foil for [Captain Archer]. Theyre in range sir, fire. Then the director came up to me as I was sitting there pretending to push buttons and he says to me, They have big plans for this character. I thought, dont tell me that, I have four pounds of rubber on my face. Marc Alaimo's age is 80. They were supremely professional. At the time it was just another job. I think Dukat would love to seduce Kira, notes the actor. A lot of familiar faces on the different sets. Besides the fact that you get paid more, a lot more people recognize you from your work in films and on television. Id just come in, do my job and leave. He worked at a motorbike factory to bring in money for his family. His son from his first marriage, Micheal Anthony Alaimo, is a writer, story editor, and producer. All the other teachers were saying, What are you doing? See Nicole de. Marc Alaimo's Professional Career Casey, you mentioned how you were introduced as Dukats right hand. Marc Alaimo as Gul Dukat in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. From making empty threats to Captain Sisko and Garak to the veiled. Tags: Before he captured hearts and became a household name, Alaimo, born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, had a hard childhood. You can bid atauctions.creation.com. I havent seen her in a long time and we really dont have much of a relationship, so it was easy to relate to Ziyal in that way as well and I believe it worked for the character. Firstly, what was it like drinking all that syrup? First of all, it is called typecasting. And second of all, he loved that shit. Were you trying to play it as the guy we love to hate, or more of the proverbial villain who thinks he is the hero of the story? Marc Alaimo (2010) 02.jpg 576 720; 148 KB. Goddammit, I got to, I dont wanna, but I have do it. The show never took the easy way out when it came to situations, be they personal or political, and that provided us with a lot of great things to do as actors.". Marc Alaimo was born on May 5, 1942 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. After that I played a one-armed man in the Eugene ONeill play The Cross, which we did for a state competition. He spent most of this time, however, working in classical repertory theatre. However, he felt the Deep Space Nine writers did not know what to do with the character. Again, this is why DS9 is held up in such regard today. It could be an awful script with a boring plot and either of these guys would make it shine somehow :). I didnt even know this until much later on but they brought in someone else to do Gul Dukat. And that is because they really took a lot of cues from dailies. One such individual is Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor), who goes on to become Bajoran liaison to Starfleet and first officer aboard Deep Space Nine. So I just ignored it. I was there to tell you that your wife and your son had been killed. That was great. I dont think we will have any issues doing it virtually Ill get in a foxhole with Jeff anytime. Do you know the Spike Lee film, When Bajor was under Cardassian occupation many of its citizens joined an underground resistance group in the hopes of driving the aliens from their planet. When he was the bond villain in that episode our man bashir I thought that was perfect casting because he liked to ham it up. It just so happens that my friend Ren AuberjonoisI love him to death, to the ends of the Earth and beyonhe was getting ready to direct his very first episode, it was a Ferengi episode. See Shannon Elizabeth Now at 49. When he's not writing, he's probably wondering how Frank Dux got 52 consecutive knockouts in a single tournament. In the sixth-season episode Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night Kira uses the Bajoran Orb of Time to travel back in time to witness Dukats relationship with her mother. He has appeared, mostly as villains, in shows such as The Doctors, Kojak, Gunsmoke, Baretta, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman, Starsky & Hutch, Knight Rider, Quincy, The Greatest American Hero, The Incredible Hulk, Quantum Leap, Family Guy, Walker, Texas Ranger, Wonder Woman, The Rockford Files, Hill Street Blues, Barnaby Jones, and The A-Team. He appeared on the television series The Incredible Hulk starring Bill Bixby. Its the one that got away. In 1993, Alaimo began playing his recurring role of the Cardassain Gul Dukat in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. 14 October 1997: Episode focus: "Bar Association". The only thing I could watch about Cardassians was a couple of episodes of Next Generation, in which Marc Alaimo and David Warner played Cardassians, and that was somewhat helpful, but not really . Wherever he is his presence dominates and he just sort of takes over the proceedings and thats exactly what happens during his first meeting with Sisko in his [Dukats former and Siskos current] office. Jeffrey Combs: Oh, we dont have a problem with that. On his experience as Brunt, he commented, "Man, did I have the best time playing Brunt. I liked Leeta in many ways, but if I were offered a new role in Trek, Id be happiest if it were entirely opposite of who she was. Nobody is better than Marc Alaimo as Gul DukatI guess it was a similar thing for me when I was playing a Ferengi. His television filmography includes many shows, including The Doctors, Kojak, Gunsmoke, Baretta, The Six Million Dollar Man, Starsky & Hutch, The Incredible Hulk, Quantum Leap, Wonder Woman, The Rockford Files, Hill Street Blues, and The A-Team. Auberjonois said, "I loved the fact that when we got a script one that focused on Odo and his world Id learn something new that I didnt know about the character. So, they would fly me on my day off on Monday from New York to L.A., and Jeff and I would shoot all our scenes in one day and fly back to New York to do the show. Some actors got their breakthrough roles in Deep Space Nine, or they got to play a more complicated and authoritative character than most of their other roles allowed. Damar has a drink of kanar while Weyoun looks on in Strange Bedfellows. Ill do it as an actor, but the thought of anybody thinking of me that way is bothersome. "He pointed out the advantages to doing this show -- mostly a steady paycheck.". ", Nicole de Boer came into the series late as Ezri Dax to replace Terry Farrell's Jadzia Dax. 6. ", The cast was also welcoming to their new castmate. I think when I began playing Dukat their [the shows producers] objective was to have an aggressive, fairly one-dimensional Cardassian, explains Alaimo. Jeffrey Combs: When I think of Enterprise, I think of the camaraderie I had with the cast. I want to talk to you, so I did. I think hes the most exciting character on the programsimply because the writers can take him in so many different directions. Just make sure the roles are substantial and the writing & dialogue are excellent. When you get a film or television script you have to subconsciously know where the arc is for your character emotionally, psychologically and physically because you might be shooting the last scene first. Max Grodenchik ended up playing Quark's kind-hearted brother, Rom, but he originally auditioned for the role of Quark himself. Jeffrey Combs: Oh the one time I was an understudy. Star Trek: Deep Space Nines resident villain is none too pleased when Commander Sisko arrives to take charge of the Cardassian space station in the shows pilot episode Emissary. He grew up on Deep Space Nine, and he still looks back fondly on his experience as a child actor on Star Trek. Nobody is better than Marc Alaimo as Gul DukatI guess it was a similar thing for me . She is a very attractive woman so its easy to play those scenes where he comes on to her.. The irony that both roles started so small like Damar (who literally had just one line when he appeared as Biggs said) to Weyoun dying in his first episode didnt even hint that both roles would be so pivotal to the entire show later. It was just amazing. She Played Nadia In American Pie. This weekend, Star Trek: Deep Space Nineactor Casey Biggs (Damar) will join actor Jeffrey Combs (DS9: Weyoun and Brunt, ENT: Shran, in addition to other Trek roles) in Creation Entertainments Virtual Fan Experience, doing a live panel and Q&A. However, Dukat is an opportunist, so he plays both his good and bad sides to get exactly what he wants.. And yes, I love the chemistry between the two characters. Marc Alaimo is significantly older than Nana Visitor, and let's be honest here. Later, he would become a member of various theatre companies in New York and touring theater companies before eventually taking the leap to move to Los Angeles in 1973. Marc Alaimo As Badar N'D'D. Marc Alaimo is best known for his astonishing role as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's big-bad Gul . This was when she learned that he was very sweet, funny, and charming. De Boer added, "They totally embraced it. Most recently, Marc was co-head of Investment Banking at Oppenheimer & Co, where he also formed the Software & Services team that executed over 120 financing and M&A transactions valued in excess of $15 billion. The weird part is you walk onto a soundstage and you worked on that soundstage for many episodes and it is now all gone, but it is all new. Jeffrey Combs: First of all, I would like to say right off the top, I dont usually share my time with interviews with anybody. And in my way of playing him I was there to tell you that wife!, even sexy pleasantly surprised to find out how central Nog was to later. Back his makeup at his request, and charming began, and love Grizzly II: Revenge. reluctant.! 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