John Colicos (December 10, 1928 – March 6, 2000) was a Canadian actor noted for his Shakespearean roles on stage, particularly with the Stratford Festival, but became well-known to science fiction fans for his roles as Klingon commander Kor on Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and as the villainous Baltar on the original Battlestar Galactica.
Early life Colicos was born in Toronto, Ontario, to a Greek father and a Canadian mother. He was raised in Montreal. He made his acting debut playing Jesus in a Christmas pageant, later joking "one of the first roles I ever played was the Son of God, and I've been going downhill ever since."
As a teenager, he acted with the Canadian Art Theatre and trained at the Brae Manor Playhouse in Knowlton, before making his professional debut with the Montreal Repertory Theatre.
Career
Theatre Colicos worked on CBC Radio dramas with Douglas Rain. In 1951, Colicos won the Best Actor Award at the Dominion Drama Festival. He moved to England to work at the Old Vic for the 1951-52 season. At the age of 22 he played the title role in King Lear, the youngest actor to play the part at the Old Vic. He also starred in a production of Timon of Athens, then starred in The Ghost Writers on the West End.
In 1956, Colicos made his Broadway debut, playing Edmund in Orson Welles' production of King Lear. In 1957, he starred in Mary Stuart at the Phoenix Theatre. That same year, he joined the American Shakespeare Theatre for two seasons. In 1961, Colicos joined the Stratford Festival, for four seasons. He played King Lear in the Festival's first-ever production of the play in 1964.
His other New York theatre credits included The Devils (1965–66), Serjeant Musgrave's Dance (1966), and Soldiers (1967–68). His role in the latter play, where he portrayed Winston Churchill, was described as "uncannily believable.... hypnotically interesting. The actor created, not a replica, but a strong impression of the great man."
In 1982, he played "Sir" in The Dresser at the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton.
Film and television Colicos made his screen acting debut in the Canadian film Forbidden Journey (1950).
He appeared as Monks in a television version of Oliver Twist for the DuPont Show of the Month series in 1959. He also gave memorable performances in 1966 on the CBS soap opera The Secret Storm; as the unscrupulous Thomas Cromwell in the 1969 movie version of Anne of the Thousand Days; and as the governor of Umakran in the episode "The Goddess Calabra" from the 1973 TV show The Starlost.
On American television, he established himself as a science-fiction villain icon, portraying the first Klingon ever seen in the Star Trek franchise, Commander Kor in the Original Series episode "Errand of Mercy" (1967). Colicos worked with Gene Roddenberry designing the look the Klingons have on Star Trek (1966). Budget constraints prevented the extensive makeup the Klingons were supposed to have so Colicos suggested they have a leathery Genghis Khan look, dark skin and hair. He also portrayed Lord Baltar in the original Battlestar Galactica movie and television series. Over a quarter-century after his initial appearance in the Star Trek franchise, Colicos reprised his role as the 140-year-old Kor in three episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, telecast between 1994 and 1998.
Aside from his science-fiction roles, Colicos also appeared numerous times in episodic television from the 1960s onwards, including the portrayal of the villain on three episodes of Mission: Impossible. He appeared in four episodes of the CBC docu-drama The National Dream as the "railway general" William Cornelius Van Horne and appeared in seven episodes of Mannix. The last person shot and killed in the television series Gunsmoke (1955–1975) was Judge Flood, played by Colicos in episode 631, "Hard Labor".
Several years after his Battlestar Galactica tenure, Colicos again ventured into science fiction. In August and September 1981, he portrayed Mikkos Cassadine, a demented, power-mad businessman bent on freezing the world, on the ABC soap opera General Hospital. He was also the voice of the X-Men villain Apocalypse/En Sabah Nur (1993–1995) in the Fox Kids animated X-Men television series in the nineties, and twice played rogue alien Quinn in the first season (1988–1989) of War of the Worlds.
In 1982 he ventured into educational TV with TVOntario's award-winning production of Prophecy with John Colicos. The writer/director, Robert Gardner, recalled his initial meeting with the actor: "I had seen him scores of times in movies and television and I was very nervous. In truth, though, he was a joy to work with. Once he sensed that you were prepared he was thoroughly professional. His presence in the ninety-minute production was the main reason it went on to win the prestigious Gold Medal at the Atlanta International Film Festival."
He appeared in TV commercials during the 1990s for America's Best Contacts & Eyeglasses. Colicos' final acting appearance was his reprise of Baltar in the concept demonstration trailer Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming, exhibited at many science fiction conventions in 1999.
Personal life Colicos wed Mona McHenry in 1956 and divorced in 1981. They had two sons, Nicolas (also an actor) and Edmund. The family lived at a Victorian-style mansion in Toronto, where Colicos owned a 4,000-volume theatrical research library.
Colicos received the Order of Ontario in 1997.
Death Colicos died in Toronto on March 6, 2000, at the age of 71, after a series of heart attacks.
Partial stage credits YearTitleRoleVenue1951-52Timon of AthensThe Old Vic, LondonKing LearLear1955The Ghost WritersRalph ShermanCambridge Arts Theatre, London1956King LearEdmundNew York City Center, New York1957The Merchant of VeniceGratianoAmerican Shakespeare Theatre, StratfordMuch Ado About NothingLeonatoOthelloLodovicoMary StuartSir Edward MortimerPhoenix Theatre, New York City1958HamletLaertesAmerican Shakespeare Theatre, StratfordThe Winter's TaleLeontesA Midsummer Night's DreamLysander1961Love's Labour's LostBerowneFestival Theatre, StratfordCoriolanusTullus Aufidius1962The TempestCalibanThe Taming of the ShrewPetruchio1963Troilus and CressidaHectorTimon of AthensTimonCyrano de BergeracCyrano de Bergerac1964Timon of AthensTimonLove's Labour's LostBerowneChichester Festival Theatre, ChichesterKing LearLearFestival Theatre, StratfordThe Country WifeMr. Horner1965-66The DevilsBaron de LaubardemontBroadway Theatre, New York City1966Serjeant Musgrave's DanceSerjeant "Black Jack" MusgraveLucille Lortel Theatre, New York City1967MacbethMacbethAmerican Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford1968SoldiersWinston ChurchillBilly Rose Theatre, New York CityNew Theatre, LondonRoyal Alexandra Theatre, Toronto1982The DresserSirCitadel Theatre, Edmonton
Filmography
Film
+ Year Title Role Notes 1950 Forbidden Journey Student 1953 Appointment in London Pip Uncredited 1955 Barbados Quest Mustachioed Henchman U.S. title: Murder On Approval 1956 Bond of Fear Dewar 1956 Passport to Treason Pietro 1956 Breakaway First Kidnapper 1957 War Drums Chino 1964 The Naked Flame Blackmailer Uncredited 1969 Anne of the Thousand Days Thomas Cromwell 1971 Doctors' Wives Dr. Mort Dellman 1971 Raid on Rommel Sgt. Allan MacKenzie 1971 Red Sky at Morning Jimbob Buel 1972 The Wrath of God Colonel Santilla 1973 Scorpio McLeod 1976 Breaking Point Vincent Karbone 1976 Drum Bernard DeMarigny 1978 Battlestar Galatica Count Baltar 125-minute Theatrical release 1979 King Solomon's Treasure Allan Quatermain 1979 Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack Lord Baltar Theatrical release of a merger of 2 TV episodes 1980 Conquest of the Earth Lord Baltar Theatrical release of a merger of 2 TV episodes 1980 The Changeling Captain DeWitt 1980 Phobia Inspector Larry Barnes 1981 The Postman Always Rings Twice Nick Papadakis 1986 The Last Season Walter Batterinski AKA L'Ultima Stagione 1987 Nowhere to Hide General Clay Howard 1988 Shadow Dancing Anthony Podopolis 1995 No Contest Senator Donald Wilson 1999 Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming Baltar Short film (4-minute promotional for potential sequel film)
Television