Such a shame to see David go! Another great Shakespeare-trained actor who went on to have an incredible Sci-Fi resume: two Star Trek movies (V and VI – Klingon Chancellor Gorkon is the most memorable), Star Trek: the Next Generation (Gul Madrid), Babylon 5 (the guy looking for the Holy Grail), Time After Time (Jack the Ripper!), TRON (Sark, Dillenger and MCP) and my personal favorite…he played Evil (or the Devil) in Terry Gilliam’s crazy comedy Time Bandits. Then there was him being the scumbag Pinkerton in Titanic or the Pirate King in The Island. Outside of Time Bandits, I didn’t know he did straightforward comedy as he was in The Man with Two Brains, a Steve Martin flick I never got around to seeing. It was cool that he loaned his voice to at least a pair of cartoons: The Amazing World of Gumball and Billy & Mandy. The Guardian said his career really got rolling after appearing in the original version of The Omen which I had forgotten, David was the photographer who had figured out the next victims of the Devil or Anti-Christ via the pictures he took.
David also had another special place in my heart and mind…we have the same birthday! I’m saddened to know he wouldn’t be seeing yet another this upcoming Friday. A fact enjoyed during my one-on-one time with fellow July 29er Wil Wheaton over ten years ago.
Thanks for everything David. You often played villains and you gave it your all which is probably why many kept hiring you back. However, you were well liked by many of your contemporaries; Patrick Stewart looked forward to their time together in ST:NG even if it was a pretty dark chapter in a rather optimistic show. You will be missed but we’re all grateful for the legacy you left behind.