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William Morgan SheppardBritish actor
Date of Birth: 24.08.1932
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
- William Morgan Sheppard: A Legacy in Film, Television, and Gaming
- Star Trek Legacy and Memorable Roles
- "Babylon 5" and "Doctor Who" Connections
- Voiceover Work and Disney Christmas Specials
- Later Career and Legacy
- Impact in Video Games
William Morgan Sheppard: A Legacy in Film, Television, and Gaming
Shakespearean Foundations and Broadway SuccessWilliam Morgan Sheppard was born on August 24, 1932, in London, England. He graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1958 and spent 12 years with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Sheppard made his Broadway debut in "Marat/Sade" in 1966 and "Sherlock Holmes" in 1975. He won the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award (LADCC) for his role in the 1995 stage production of "The Homecoming."
Star Trek Legacy and Memorable Roles
Sheppard's television credits include episodes of "The Schizoid Man" and "Bliss" and a recurring role as Commander Ed Sulu in the long-running science fiction series "Star Trek." In "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country," he played a Klingon commander. In 2009, Sheppard appeared in J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" reboot as the Vulcan Minister of Science.
Beyond "Star Trek," Sheppard is best known for his portrayal of Blank Reg in "Max Headroom," a series about a synthesized computer being in a post-apocalyptic future. He also had a notable role as Confederate General Isaac Trimble in the films "Gettysburg" and "Gods and Generals."
"Babylon 5" and "Doctor Who" Connections
Sheppard played two characters in the science fiction series "Babylon 5": Soul Hunter in the episode of the same name and Narn war leader G'Sten, the uncle of the protagonist G'Kar, in the episode "The Long Twilight Struggle." The latter role was later assumed by Andreas Katsulas.
Sheppard and his son, Mark Sheppard, starred together in the "NCIS" episode "Broken Bird," with William portraying Mark's character as an adult. William appeared in the first episode of the sixth season of "Doctor Who," "The Impossible Astronaut," as Canton Everett Delaware III, another adult version of Mark's character.
Voiceover Work and Disney Christmas Specials
Sheppard provided voiceovers for the animated series "Gargoyles" as David Xanatos's father, voiced by Jonathan Frakes, and the Norse god Odin. He also voiced Santa Claus in the Disney animated short films "Prep & Landing," "Prep & Landing: Operation: Secret Santa," and "Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice."
Later Career and Legacy
In his later career, Sheppard appeared in films such as "The Devil's Dozen" and "April Apocalypse." He voiced a character in the animated film "Free Birds" and played Teddy Chislington in the television series "The Librarians."
Sheppard passed away on August 24, 2019, at the age of 87, in Los Angeles, California. His son thanked William's fans for their "love and prayers" but did not disclose the cause of death.
Impact in Video Games
A prolific voice actor, Sheppard was also well known to video game enthusiasts. He narrated mission briefings and introductions in the first four installments of the "Medal of Honor" series.
Sheppard provided the voice of Francois Malveaux, one of four alchemists central to the plot of the 1996 adventure game "Zork Nemesis." He later voiced Ignatius Cheese in the quest game "Escape from Monkey Island" and John Adams in the Wii shooter "The Conduit." In 2010, Sheppard was announced as a voice actor for the turn-based strategy game "Civilization V."
