John Colicos
Encyclopedia
John Colicos was a Greek-Canadian actor. He was a distinguished stage actor in the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada.
who took over a stage performance as King Lear
, when the aging, alcoholic star who was supposed to play the role was unable to perform. (Colicos is identified in the index, not in Williams' actual diary entry).
In 1957 he appeared in Mary Stuart at the Phoenix Theatre in New York City and in 1963 he appeared in Troilus and Cressida at the Stratford Festival in Stratford, Ontario, Canada.
He appeared as Monks
in an early televisione DuPont Show of the Month
, in 1959. He also gave a memorable performance as the unscrupulous Thomas Cromwell in the 1969 film version of Anne of the Thousand Days
.
In 1982 he ventured into educational TV with TVOntario's award-winning production of Prophecy with John Colicos. The writer/director, Dr. Robert Gardner, recalled his initial meeting with the famous 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 prestigeous Gold Medal at the Atlanta International Film Festival."
On TV, he is perhaps best remembered for playing the Klingon
Commander
Kor in Star Trek
, as well as playing Count Baltar
in the original Battlestar Galactica
movie and television series
.
He has the distinction of being the first Klingon commander seen in the Star Trek
franchise. He also appeared countless times in episodic television throughout the 1960s, most notably portraying the villain on no less than three episodes of Mission: Impossible
. He appeared in four episodes of the eight-episode CBC
docu-drama The National Dream
, as the "railway general", William Cornelius Van Horne
. Several years after his Battlestar Galactica
tenure, Colicos again ventured into science fiction. He portrayed power-mad Mikkos Cassadine, a demented scientist bent on freezing the world on the ABC soap opera General Hospital
during the height of the "Luke and Laura" frenzy. He also was the voice of the X-Men
villain Apocalypse/En Sabah Nur
(1993–95) in the Fox Kids
animated X-Men
TV series in the nineties, and twice played rogue alien Quinn in the first season (1988–89) of War of the Worlds
.
About 30 years after his initial appearance in Star Trek, Colicos reprised his role as the 140-year-old Kor for three episodes in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
. He also appeared in TV commercials in the 1990s for America's Best
Contacts & Eyeglasses. Colicos' final acting appearance was his reprise of Count Baltar in the concept demonstration trailer
Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming
, aired at many science fiction convention
s in 1999.
The last person shot and killed on Gunsmoke
(TV series 1955 to 1975) was John Colicos as Judge Flood in episode 631, Hard Labor.
Colicos was born in Montreal
, Quebec and died on March 6, 2000, at the age of 71, after a series of heart attacks.
Career
He is mentioned in The Kenneth Williams Diaries, where the acerbic British actor/comedian mentions how impressed he was by the performance of the young understudyUnderstudy
In theater, an understudy is a performer who learns the lines and blocking/choreography of a regular actor or actress in a play. Should the regular actor or actress be unable to appear on stage because of illness or emergencies, the understudy takes over the part...
who took over a stage performance as King Lear
King Lear
King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...
, when the aging, alcoholic star who was supposed to play the role was unable to perform. (Colicos is identified in the index, not in Williams' actual diary entry).
In 1957 he appeared in Mary Stuart at the Phoenix Theatre in New York City and in 1963 he appeared in Troilus and Cressida at the Stratford Festival in Stratford, Ontario, Canada.
He appeared as Monks
Monks (Oliver Twist)
Edward "Monks" Leeford is a character in the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. He is actually the criminally-inclined half-brother of Oliver Twist, but he hides his identity. Monks's parents separated when he was a child, and his father had a sexual and romantic relationship with a young...
in an early televisione DuPont Show of the Month
DuPont Show of the Month
DuPont Show of the Month, an acclaimed 90-minute television anthology series, aired monthly on CBS from 1957 to 1961. The DuPont Company also sponsored a weekly half-hour anthology drama series hosted by June Allyson, The DuPont Show with June Allyson .During the Golden Age of Television, DuPont...
, in 1959. He also gave a memorable performance as the unscrupulous Thomas Cromwell in the 1969 film version of Anne of the Thousand Days
Anne of the Thousand Days
Anne of the Thousand Days is a 1969 costume drama made by Hal Wallis Productions and distributed by Universal Pictures. It was directed by Charles Jarrott and produced by Hal B. Wallis. The film tells the story of Anne Boleyn...
.
In 1982 he ventured into educational TV with TVOntario's award-winning production of Prophecy with John Colicos. The writer/director, Dr. Robert Gardner, recalled his initial meeting with the famous 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 prestigeous Gold Medal at the Atlanta International Film Festival."
On TV, he is perhaps best remembered for playing the Klingon
Klingon
Klingons are a fictional warrior race in the Star Trek universe.Klingons are recurring villains in the 1960s television show Star Trek: The Original Series, and have appeared in all five spin-off series and eight feature films...
Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
Kor in Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
, as well as playing Count Baltar
Count Baltar
In the original 1978 Battlestar Galactica television series, Count Baltar was a leading antagonist character who betrayed the human race to its enemy, the robot race of Cylons...
in the original Battlestar Galactica
Saga of a Star World
"Saga of a Star World" is the pilot for the American science fiction television series of Battlestar Galactica which was produced in 1978 by Glen A. Larson...
movie and television series
Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)
Battlestar Galactica is an American science fiction television series, created by Glen A. Larson. It starred Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict and ran for one season in 1978–79. After cancellation, its story was continued in 1980 as Galactica 1980 with Adama, Lieutenant Boomer and...
.
He has the distinction of being the first Klingon commander seen in the Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
franchise. He also appeared countless times in episodic television throughout the 1960s, most notably portraying the villain on no less than three episodes of Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible is an American television series which was created and initially produced by Bruce Geller. It chronicled the missions of a team of secret American government agents known as the Impossible Missions Force . The leader of the team was Jim Phelps, played by Peter Graves, except in...
. He appeared in four episodes of the eight-episode CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
docu-drama The National Dream
The National Dream (TV miniseries)
The National Dream was a 1974 Canadian television docudrama miniseries based on Pierre Berton's 1970 book of the same name, plus Berton's 1971 follow-up book The Last Spike....
, as the "railway general", William Cornelius Van Horne
William Cornelius Van Horne
Sir William Cornelius Van Horne, KCMG was a pioneering Canadian railway executive.-Life and career:Born in 1843 in rural Illinois, he moved with his family to Joliet, Illinois when he was eight years old...
. Several years after his Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)
Battlestar Galactica is an American science fiction television series, created by Glen A. Larson. It starred Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict and ran for one season in 1978–79. After cancellation, its story was continued in 1980 as Galactica 1980 with Adama, Lieutenant Boomer and...
tenure, Colicos again ventured into science fiction. He portrayed power-mad Mikkos Cassadine, a demented scientist bent on freezing the world on the ABC soap opera General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
during the height of the "Luke and Laura" frenzy. He also was the voice of the X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
villain Apocalypse/En Sabah Nur
Apocalypse (comics)
Apocalypse is a fictional character who is an ancient mutant that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Factor #5 , created by writer Louise Simonson and designed by artist Walter Simonson...
(1993–95) in the Fox Kids
Fox Kids
Fox Kids was the Fox Broadcasting Company's American children's programming division and brand name from September 8, 1990 until September 7, 2002. It was owned by Fox Television Entertainment airing programming on Monday–Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings.Depending on the show, the...
animated X-Men
X-Men (TV series)
X-Men, also known as X-Men: The Animated Series, is an American animated television series which debuted on October 31, 1992, in the United States on the Fox Network as part of its Fox Kids Saturday morning lineup...
TV series in the nineties, and twice played rogue alien Quinn in the first season (1988–89) of War of the Worlds
War of the Worlds (TV series)
War of the Worlds is a television program that ran for two seasons, from 1988 to 1990. The series is an extension of the original 1953 film The War of the Worlds, using the same War Machine, often incorporating aspects from the film, radio adaptation, and original novel into its mythology.Though...
.
About 30 years after his initial appearance in Star Trek, Colicos reprised his role as the 140-year-old Kor for three episodes in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
. He also appeared in TV commercials in the 1990s for America's Best
America's Best
America's Best Contacts & Eyeglasses is a discount provider of eye examinations, eyeglasses and contact lenses, with over 300 locations in the United States as of 2011...
Contacts & Eyeglasses. Colicos' final acting appearance was his reprise of Count Baltar in the concept demonstration trailer
Trailer (film)
A trailer or preview is an advertisement or a commercial for a feature film that will be exhibited in the future at a cinema. The term "trailer" comes from their having originally been shown at the end of a feature film screening. That practice did not last long, because patrons tended to leave the...
Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming
Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming
Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming is a 1999 science-fiction action film. It was a project to create a pilot film for a proposed new Battlestar Galactica television series that would pick up where the original 1978 series left off...
, aired at many science fiction convention
Science fiction convention
Science fiction conventions are gatherings of fans of various forms of speculative fiction including science fiction and fantasy. Historically, science fiction conventions had focused primarily on literature, but the purview of many extends to such other avenues of expression as movies and...
s in 1999.
The last person shot and killed on Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West....
(TV series 1955 to 1975) was John Colicos as Judge Flood in episode 631, Hard Labor.
Colicos was born in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec and died on March 6, 2000, at the age of 71, after a series of heart attacks.
Filmography
- 1950 - Forbidden JourneyForbidden JourneyForbidden Journey was a political thriller film situated in post-World War II Canada. A communist spy attempts to pass information to his uncle in Canada while spies try to hunt him down. It starred Jan Rubes and his future wife Susan Douglas. The film premiered at the Princess Theater in...
- 1969 - Anne of the Thousand DaysAnne of the Thousand DaysAnne of the Thousand Days is a 1969 costume drama made by Hal Wallis Productions and distributed by Universal Pictures. It was directed by Charles Jarrott and produced by Hal B. Wallis. The film tells the story of Anne Boleyn...
- 1971 - Raid on RommelRaid on RommelRaid on Rommel is an American B movie from 1971, set in North Africa during the Second World War. It stars Richard Burton as a British commando attempting to destroy German gun emplacements in Tobruk...
- 1971 - Red Sky at MorningRed Sky at Morning (1971 film)Red Sky at Morning is a 1971 American drama film based on the 1968 Richard Bradford novel of the same name, and starring Richard Thomas, Catherine Burns, and Desi Arnaz, Jr....
- 1971 - Doctor's WivesDoctors' Wives (1971 film)Doctors' Wives is a 1971 American drama film directed by George Schaefer and starring Dyan Cannon, Gene Hackman, Carroll O'Connor, Richard Crenna, Janice Rule, John Colicos, and Rachel Roberts. It was based on a novel by Frank G. Slaughter.-Plot:...
- 1972 - The Wrath of God
- 1973 - ScorpioScorpio (film)Scorpio is a 1973 spy film directed by Michael Winner.It is about a Central Intelligence Agency agent named Cross , a successful but retiring assassin, who is training "Scorpio" to replace him...
- 1976 - DrumDrum (1976 film)Drum is the 1976 sequel to the film Mandingo, and released by United Artists. Starring Warren Oates, Pam Grier , and Ken Norton and directed by Steve Carver, it parodies nineteenth century American slavery like its predecessor...
- 1976 - Breaking Point
- 1980 - Phobia
- 1980 - The ChangelingThe Changeling (film)The Changeling is a 1980 horror film directed by Peter Medak and starring George C. Scott and Trish Van Devere . The story is based upon events that writer Russell Hunter said he experienced while he was living in the Henry Treat Rogers Mansion of Denver, Colorado.-Plot:Scott stars as Dr...
- 1981 - The Postman Always Rings TwiceThe Postman Always Rings Twice (1981 film)The Postman Always Rings Twice is a 1981 film adaptation of the 1934 novel by the same name by James M. Cain. The film was produced by Lorimar and originally released theatrically in North America by Paramount Pictures. This version, based on a screenplay by David Mamet and directed by Bob...
- 1982 - CreepshowCreepshowCreepshow is a 1982 American horror anthology film directed by George A. Romero and written by Stephen King. The film's ensemble cast included Ted Danson, Leslie Nielsen, Hal Holbrook, E.G...
- 1982 - Prophecy with John Colicos. Produced by TVOntario
- 1987 - Nowhere to HideNowhere to Hide (1987 film)Nowhere to Hide is a 1987 thriller directed by Mario Azzopardi. It stars Amy Madigan, Daniel Hugh Kelly and Robin MacEachern, as a family on the run from corrupt Marine officers...
- 1988 - Shadow DancingShadow Dancing (1988 film)Shadow Dancing Also Known As La bailarina Venezuelais is a 1988 thriller shot in Toronto Canada.-Plot:Jess is a struggling dancer trying to land a dream role in musical about Medusa. As she practices, the director, who has been haunted for decades by the memory of his former dancer and lover,...