Beyond The Rim

[filkertom]

Ohhhhh, this one hurts.

Andreas Katsulas, one of the finest and most underrated actors in America, passed away yesterday from cancer. He was 59. He was excellent in everything he did... but we, fandom, know him best as G'Kar on Babylon 5. He was superb, one of the two best actors (along with Peter Jurasik) in a cast filled with excellent actors, on a show with scripts like nothing we'd ever seen before. G'Kar's evolution from frustrated politician to angry rebel to spiritual leader was one of the most memorable characterizations in TV history... and Katsulas pulled it off while wearing ten pounds of latex.

I weep for a future without him.

If you have any cool memories of him, either from B5, other shows or movies he was in, or at conventions, feel free to share them. My own would be the entire episodes "The Coming of Shadows" and "... And The Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place", and in "The Long Night", when he became a Biblical hero in the midst of Londo's plot against Cartagia.

Update: Confirmation on SciFi Wire.

Comments

[wookiee71.livejournal.com]

One of my favorite bits of G'Kar was the episode with Michael York playing "Arthur".

"...and they make a satisfying thump when they hit the ground!"

I'll carry that line with me and think of Andreas fondly.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

And the callback: "... And they made a very agreeable thump."

[pyrephox.livejournal.com]

No! ...DAMN.

[sarekofvulcan.livejournal.com]

Dammit, why does this have to be RealVirus only?

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

I didn't even know that existed. Thank you.

[trdsf.livejournal.com]

Whoa. Listening to it right now. It's wonderful!

[knitmeapony.livejournal.com]

Oh man, where did you hear this? I'd love to read a full obit about him.

[knitmeapony.livejournal.com]

Nevermind, finally saw the notice. Will keep an eye out for obits in other media soon.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Haven't got a full obit yet. allisona posted it, and that thread referred me to babylon5. Nothing on the news feeds yet.

[jss]

Damn.

[sarekofvulcan.livejournal.com]

G'Kar's evolution from frustrated politician to angry rebel to spiritual leader was one of the most memorable characterizations in TV history

And the incredible thing about B5 is that this isn't the main point of the story: Londo's journey is. Hope Peter's going to be with us for a good long while...

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

I always saw those two as being intertwined. Both start out frustrated and powerless, both undergo journies that take them to what they thought they wanted (power for Londo and a free Narn for G'kar) and find that the price is just too high.

He will so be missed.

[bizarra.livejournal.com]

OMG! I didn't even know he was sick. :-( *tears* I don't have any words right now. We'll miss you Andreas. :-(

[shadowriderhope.livejournal.com]

Oh no. :-( This is sad. Too many 'greats' are passing before their time -- John Spencer just a few weeks ago, at a similar age, and now this.

Very, very sad. Rest in peace, Andreas.

[allandaros.livejournal.com]

Oh, damn.

I've just started my trip down B5's years. I missed the show when it aired, and am currently making my progress through the second season. And G'kar has been my favorite character, ever since the subplot of "Mind War." His speech about the ant is what made me fall in love with the show.

A wonderful actor.

[singlemaltsilk.livejournal.com]

I posted this earlier over in allisona's journal, but...

I met Andreas Katsulas at Archon a couple of years ago. I was running my first-ever dealer's table, and on Saturday someone from Archon's guest liason staff showed him the kimono she'd just bought from me. Mr. Katsulas wanted to buy one as a gift, but was scheduled for events all afternoon, so the staffer took my photo books out to him. About 45 minutes later, said staffer returned with my books and a wad of cash, saying "Andreas would like this one -- AND this one." He bought one for his daughter's upcoming birthday, and one for his sweetheart. I was, of course, thrilled.

But that's not all. On Sunday, he took the time to seek me out at my table and introduce himself -- along with his daughter and about half a dozen other members of his family (he's originally from St. Louis).

Lovely man. He'll be missed.

[scifantasy.livejournal.com]

So many good scenes, so little time. But what I liked about G'Kar's portrayal even more than the big stuff was the lighter stuff, such as "The Parliament Of Dreams" or, even better, from "No Compromises":

"Do you want to be President?"
"Yes."
"Put your hand on the book and say 'I do.'"
"I do."
"Fine. Done. Let's eat."

[foenix.livejournal.com]

I...Gods.

I'm too much in shock to even focus enough to pick one good memory.

Everything he did in Babylon 5 was simply gold, but especially the moments you mention. I would add to that, though, his scenes in "Dust" inside Londo's head, when he met 'god'. Or Kosh's interpretation thereof.

J

[ladypoetess.livejournal.com]

;_; I have this sudden urge to go dig out my B5 tapes and watch all my favorite G'Kar episodes. He was one of my favorite characters, overall - I hated him in the pilot, but dearly loved him by the end of the series.

I first saw Andreas in ST: TNG, as the Romulan commander, Tomalak (sp?) - and I loved him even then. Andreas was always superb in everything he did, that I have seen.

You're right... this one hurts.

[andamaroo.livejournal.com]

I remember seeing him at Toronto Trek (I think 2002)and for his panel he came out carrying a large cooler. And the first thing he said was, "I brought peter with me."

[liddle-oldman.livejournal.com]

Ow. I knew it was coming, but, ow.

Oddly, some of my best memories of him from B5 involve other people's lines -- and his reaction.

"G'Kar -- where is your eye?"

"Some time ago, you asked me what my threshold of pleasure was?"
"Mmmm?"
"Well, I just found out that I don't have one."

[daundelyon.livejournal.com]

Some of my favorite B5 moments:

[Returning from the wedding of Sheriden & Delenn]
Ambassador Londo Mollari: Stop eating that! You don't even know what it is.
Citizen G'Kar: Something called..."rice."
Ambassador Londo Mollari: Yes. And if it was any good, do you think they would have been standing there, throwing it at people?

And:
Citizen G'Kar: As the humans say, up yours!

And:
No dictator, no invader can hold an imprisoned population by force of arms forever. There is no greater power in the universe than the need for freedom. Against that power tyrants and dictators cannot stand. The Centauri learned that lesson once. We will teach it to them again. Although it take a thousand years, we will be free.

*hat off, holds over heart*

[denali1.livejournal.com]

The Freedom speech... Nothing, and I mean nothing, can beat that man's delivery of it. He felt it.

Damn, Tom's right... This one hurts.

[desert-dragon42.livejournal.com]

It is very sad. We (the moderators of rastb5m) were asked to not spread the news of his illness. He was very private and wanted to keep his condition private (his friends/fellow actors weren't quite so thoughtful as several of them announced it at several conventions).

He was my favorite actor on B5. He took Joe's words and breathed life into them like no one else.

[eleri.livejournal.com]

Ahhh, fuck.

Great Sadness.

[ludzu-alus.livejournal.com]

My sentiments exactly.

We are one.

[ladypoetess.livejournal.com]

My memory of Andreas Katsulas (as posted in my LJ).

I've had a .wav file sitting in my mIRC sounds folder for years - I loved it long before I had any idea it was from Babylon 5. Not only the words, which are incredibly moving and powerful in and of themselves, but the voice that spoke those words with such passion, such conviction that I could feel the emotion behind them.

I couldn't find a way to post the actual .wav file, so I recorded it into a voice post here, so everyone else can listen to it. (It's a bit crackle-y in places and there is a small bit of feedback at the end, but you can get the idea, anyway.)

< begin text of voice post (http://ladypoetess.livejournal.com/271236.html) >
Sheridan:
The universe speaks in many languages, but only one voice. The language is not Narn or Human or Centuri or Gaim or Minbari. It speaks in the language of hope. Sheridan's voice fades, G'Kar's voice rises. It speaks in the language of trust.

G'Kar:
It speaks in the language of strength and the language of compassion. It is the language of the heart and the language of the soul. But always it is the same voice - 'tis the voice of our ancestors speaking through us, and the voice of our inheritors, waiting to be born. It is the small, still voice that says, "We are one. No matter the blood, no matter the skin, no matter the world, no matter the star - we are one. No matter the pain, no matter the darkness, no matter the loss, no matter the fear - we are one." Here, gathered together in common cause, we agree to recognize this singular truth and this singular rule - that we must be kind to one another.

Sheridan:
Because each voice enriches us and enobles us, and each voice lost diminishes us. We are the voice of the universe, the soul of creation, the fire that will light the way to a better future. We are one.

Both:
We are one.

Re: We are one.

[sarekofvulcan.livejournal.com]

You can find that, and many others, at the Down Below Sound Archive.

http://b5.cs.uwyo.edu/bab5/snds/decprinc.zip

Re: We are one.

[ladypoetess.livejournal.com]

Ah, thank you. *smiles*

I believe I got the file that's been languishing in my mIRC folder for so long as a DCC transfer while in an IRC channel - amidst various Powerpuff Girls soundbites and other, less PG-rated files.

[markbernstein.livejournal.com]

Heh. How oddly (in)appropriate. The first line that comes to mind is the first time G'Kar and Na'Toth made me laugh out loud, in "The Parliament of Dreams":

"With luck, they may never find you, but if they do, you will know pain.."
"..and you will know fear.."
"..and then you will die. Have a pleasant flight."

[sylverwolfe.livejournal.com]

*keens*
g'kar was one of my favorite characters, and a good part of that was because there was such depth to him that he was believable, utterly and totally convincing. katsulas was truly a talent to be reckoned with, and he will be sorely missed.

[ororo.livejournal.com]

The sheer nobility of G'Kar touched me in a lot of ways.

"Mr. Garibaldi, please do not thump the book of Th'won (?) it is disrespectful."

Looking at a picture of Daffy Duck, "Is that one of your household gods?"

doffing coat and hat to go hunt for Garibaldi with no hesitation even though that led to his capture.

Breaking the chains that had been replaced on him in front of Emperor Cartagia.

[ladypoetess.livejournal.com]

I think it is spelled G'Quan, or mabye G'Quon.

[skemono.livejournal.com]

The subtitles on the DVDs spell it G'Quan, I believe.

[drzarron.livejournal.com]

The Gods take...

Its a very sad thing, but we're all better for his time with us.

I got to work with him briefly at Toronto Trek, a fine gentleman, funny and charming.

He brought a soul to every character he played, whether is was a lizardish politian, a surly romulan, a one armed man or a comical arab being shot by a chicken shot from a bow.

[origamilady.livejournal.com]

=(
Katsulas was such a wonderful actor, He made G'kar grow as a character and did such memorable scenes both funny and very profound. He will be missed

[poltr1]

I knew this day was coming, mostly through con reports posted to the babylon5 community and later excised by the group moderators. But that still doesn't take away the sadness.

I still need to find a copy of The Fugitive movie (1993); if I remember correctly, Andreas was the One-Armed Man.

[popefelix.livejournal.com]

That's correct; Andreas Katsulas was the One-Armed Man.

[stellabambino.livejournal.com]

My favorite bit was an outtake - where He and Peter Jurasik or plugging a calander (except they are in character) and he had the great line of 'On Tuesday I'm going out with girls .'

I only met the guy once, but from what I can remember he was a very nice and easily approachable individual - and he'll be missed by fans everywhere.

[danceswithlife]

In addition to B5 I watched "Executive Decision" several times so I could enjoy him without makeup. He was a wonderful in that.

[trdsf.livejournal.com]

Just... dammit.

[silveradept]

That's unfortunate. I remember G'Kar fondly, both when he was verbally duelling with Londo and when he was making profound statements in that wonderfully melodic voice of his. I also find that his views on life and philosophy are as applicable in our time as they were in his. This hurts.

[foenix.livejournal.com]

An addendum...

I've been watching my way through some classic G'Kar eps of B5, and some of the best stuff not mentioned, must be the scenes in "Convictions" with him and Londo trapped in the lift together. His laughter, his pleasure at watching Londo die, his 'Fishies' song...

Damn damn damn.

[daundelyon.livejournal.com]

At that moment, I truly thought the man was insane...and I loved every second.

[shinymarigold.livejournal.com]

Oh. Oh, this sucks. ::goes off to cry in a corner::

[skemono.livejournal.com]

I think... one of my favorite G'Kar moments was when he and Londo were stuck in the elevator together.

Londo: "I wish I was dead."
G'Kar: "So do I."
Londo: "Shut UP!"

That, and the palpable scene where he and Londo meet in the Zocalo after overthrowing Cartagia. The look he gave Londo... that he could evoke so much hatred, with just his body language, and underneath his Narn costume.

This is a sad day.

[jmthane.livejournal.com]

I never saw him in person, at a convention or otherwise, but my former roommate, when she worked for the Orthotics/Prosthetics Department at Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, got to meet him when he came in to be fitted for his prosthetic arm for his role of the One-Armed Man for "The Fugitive" movie. We'd seen him in ST:TNG as a Romulan, and we'd heard about the Babylon 5 pilot (although it hadn't aired yet), so she got his autograph for each of us (I have it in one of my Trek books with his picture). She said how much we were looking forward to B5. He was stunned. "You know about that? That doesn't air for another six months, and you already know about that?" He was very pleased we were looking forward to it, and he had really enjoyed it, but still, he just couldn't believe that we already knew about it.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

A backstage memory, from one of the local cons:

He liked to bring a prop onstage, because he never quite knew what to say, and seemed bemused by the audience full of people hanging on his every word. This time the prop was a blank page on an easel - every time he dried up, he pointed to it and made jokes about it, like "This is what was really going on in so-and-so's head at the time."

And he liked lemon bars. He asked for them special and we made up a little bundle of them so he could have them all.

[omimouse.livejournal.com]

Damnit, no.

He was part of what made that show live and breathe; part of what made it a world, not 'just' a TV show. Like allandaros, his speech about the ant was what hooked me into the show.

Damnit.