Ansara Passes
2 min read
Michael Ansara, best-known to Star Trek fans as Kang the Klingon Commander, is dead at the age of ninety-one.
Ansara died last Wednesday at his home in Calabasas, California from complications of Alzheimer’s disease.
Born in a small village in Syria on April 15 1922, Ansara and his family arrived in the United States when he was two years old. After living in Massachusetts, the Ansara family moved to Los Angeles in 1932.
Ansara originally planned a career in medicine before being bitten by the acting bug after studying acting at the Pasadena Playhouse in hopes of overcoming shyness.
The actor appeared in many television roles and often played ethnic roles in the 1950s and 1960s on television shows including shows such as: Broken Arrow, and Law of the Plainsman, where he played an Apache. He also played ethnic characters in some movies including 1956’s The Ten Commandments where he played an Egyptian taskmaster, and 1965’s Harum Scarum, where he portrayed an Arabian prince.
Other television shows on which he made appearances during the 1950s-1970s include Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, The Rifleman, The Untouchables, Perry Mason, The Outer Limits, Ben Casey, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Lost in Space, Bewitched, The Fugitive, The Mod Squad, The Streets of San Francisco, Hawaii 5-0 and Kojak.
Ansara played Kang on the original series, and reprised his character in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and on Star Trek: Voyager.
Married three times, Ansara’s second marriage to Barbara Eden (I Dream of Jeannie) produced a son, Matthew, who died in 2001.
Survivors include his third wife, Beverly Kushida, and a sister.
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RIP Mr. Michael Ansara 🙁
I just loved this actor. The man who can overshadow and trump Kirk…..cease hostilities, disarm.
He made Buck Rogers more fun. Henry Silva a tough act to follow but added some flavor to that role of Kane.
The Hawaii 5-0 episode with him where his character hand picked an inside man in the force was one of the best ever.
Where is Kangtheimbalanced for a few words?
He’s busy howling Mr. Ansara into the halls of Sto’Vo’Kor.
T’Bonz forgot to list Michael’s credits in both the Voyage To the Bottom Of The Sea movie(FOX, 1961) and the TV Series(he was in two episodes). Not to mention his appearances on Babylon 5 and The Greatest Story Ever Told(UA, 1965). Oh, well…..
Anyway, Michael Ansara was a remarkable character actor who could play both heroes and villains with equal precision. A real cool person and an excellent performer in any role he was given.
He will be truly and sadly missed.
R.I.P. Michael Ansara(1922 to 2013).
Thank you for your wonderful and memorable contributions to the cinema, stage, and television arts.
Great actor and large life. “Day of the Dove’ has always been a favorite. Still -unfortunately- timely. Kang almost seemed real in that show.
He married Barbara Eden? Well DONE, sir.
Sad news, indeed. One of my favorite character actors ever, and he left an indelible impression on me as a kid when I first saw him as the imposing, bass-voiced Kang.
What, no love for his role as the Indian shaman in The Manitou? That movie scared the poop out of me when I was young. I own it today because of his performance, which pretty much saved an otherwise just OK supernatural thriller.
Yes. It took a while. Also, it upset the orderlies. A lot.
One of the greatest has left us, gone to join John Colicos and William Campbell in the halls of legend. Some would say that these are just actors. But those who show us greatness, represent greatness; they inspire those who see them to aspire to greatness. Farewell, then, to a great man, a hero, and a legend.
Vaj Hegh!
Farewell indeed. Vaj Hegh!!
I don’t usually do everything an actor does, just a sampling.