Today in Star Trek history: Deep Space Nine guest star Fritz Weaver is born

Fritz Weaver in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’s “Tribunal” and in The Twilight Zone’s “The Obsolete Man”

On January 19, 1926, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine guest star Fritz Weaver was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As a child, he attended the Fanny Edel Falk Laboratory School, located on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh. Weaver must have been in the first class, as the school was established in 1930. As originally chartered, it was an experimental private school, featuring progressive, experiential and inquiry-based instruction.

After graduating from Peabody High School, he served in the Civilian Public Service as a conscientious objector during World War II. When the war ended, he served in various jobs until he discovered acting in the 1950s.

Weaver’s first role for television was on The United States Steel Hour. He continued to act in TV for several decades, becoming well-known for his roles in two Twilight Zone episodes, “The Obsolete Man” and “Third From the Sun.” He also guested on such classics series as Dr. Kildare, Rawhide, The Fugitive, Gunsmoke, and Mission Impossible, and even played a Vulcan on The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (Though he didn’t have to don pointy ears, since he portrayed the character “Andrew Vulcan,” not a logical being from Spock’s planet.)

Weaver was also a familiar face in motion pictures, finding himself cast in To Trap a Spy, The Maltese Bippy, The Day of the Dolphin, The Legend of Lizzie Borden, Marathon Man, Creepshow, The Martian Chronicles and The Thomas Crown Affair.

On Broadway, Weaver won a Tony Award for Best Actor and the Drama Desk for Outstanding Performance in 1970’s Child’s Play. He was also in The Chalk Garden, All American, Love Letters, The Crucible and he even played Sherlock Holmes in the musical Baker Street.

In the second-season DS9 episode “Tribunal,” Weaver played Kovat, a Cardassian Public Conservator who represented Chief O’Brien against the charge of arming the Maquis. Since O’Brien was already found guilty before he ever entered the courtroom, it was Kovat’s job to convince him to confess the bogus crime.

Fritz Weaver passed away in his Manhattan home on November 26, 2016, at the age of 90. Please join us at Daily Star Trek News in remembering this fine, prolific actor and his work.