Anthony James, character actor from In The Heat of the Night and Star Trek, has passed away at 77

Anthony James (right) as Romulan Subcommander Thei in Star Trek: The Next Generation “The Neutral Zone”

Star Trek guest star Anthony James has died. According to The Hollywood Reporter, his death on May 26th was due to cancer, as announced in an obituary placed by a funeral home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was 77.

James is known to Star Trek fans as the Romulan Subcommander from the Star Trek: The Next Generation season one finale, “The Neutral Zone”. That episode was significant because it was the first time we saw Romulans in TNG, and it set the scene for their role in the series from that point on.

Outside of Star Trek, James was known as a character actor with a distinctive appearance. His 6’6” lanky frame made him instantly recognizable on film. As The Hollywood Reporter notes, his lengthy acting career was bookended by appearances in two best picture Oscar winners: 1967’s In the Heat of the Night, and 1992’s Unforgiven. He also had roles in Gunsmoke, Starsky and Hutch, The A-Team and Married...With Children.

James retired from acting in the mid-90s and moved to the Boston area to focus on a career as an abstract painter. Donations in his memory can be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.