Tony Todd as Jake/Kurn

[Photon]

While TT was the uber Klingon, his portrayal as Jake took down the house, IMO.
The Visitor is one of those Trek shows I just can't sit down and watch it willy-nilly. Wayyyy too powerful.
This is the kind of Trek that any new Trek should gravitate towards, (not every show,mind you) powerful shows w/raw emotions and limted Treknobabbe.

Todd's role in this episode MIGHT be the best job any actor has done on any Trek. Feel free to disagree, but its too good.

And dad gum, Sisko tells him, "Jake, my sweet boy" as he dies-can tear up anyone.
Apologies for the rambling.

 

[Kegek]

It's one of the best on DS9, no question. Todd is very powerful in that episode... and in all honesty, back when these things were aired it didn't even occur to me Old Jake and Kurn were the same guy. The make-up guys and Tony's performances were just that good.

 

[PKTrekGirl]

^ I thought he was great too. When I think of great Trek performances, maybe the only one to match it might be Harris Yulin's performance in Duet.

But other than that....Tony Todd in The Visitor would top my list.

 

[Kegek]

Interesting comparison, considering in both episodes a key moment is when Yulin and Todd respectively tear up... in the end, they're two men very troubled by something that happened in the past, so troubled they're willing to commit suicide for it.

And Kurn has a suicidal streak as well. And yet, while Old Jake is touching in his understanding of his young self's need for his father, Kurn seems cynical, self-absorbed and nihilistic in his quest for death... another testatement to the very different ways they played ideas that might have seemed very similar.

 

[JM1776]

I was never much impressed before or after by Brooks' performance as Sisko, but ... in that "my sweet boy" instant, he had me utterly mesmerized, and quite choked up.

Todd's work throughtout "The Visitor" was beyond reproach. Frankly, he'd have made a better Sisko than did Brooks.

I still consider "Duet" DS9's finest hour, but ... "The Visitor" is in the top five.

 

[Kegek]

^
He was considered for the role, if memory serves. It certainly makes an interesting hypothetical casting - on the one hand, I think he'd make a damn fine Sisko, but on the other, Kurn would never appear and he never would have played old Jake... and the Sisko we would have got would have been far different to the Brooks Sisko we did get (and I liked Brooks' Sisko, the last Trek lead I have no significant reservations about). Still, it's interesting to ponder...

 

[sbk1234]

It's a shame that nobody outside of sci-fi circles ever seems to be able to recognize the incredible talent of these fine actors.

 

[M'rk son of Mogh]

^^^
Very much agreed. Tony Todd seems to me to be one of the single most under-rated actors that I've ever seen onscreen.

TNG is my favourite series, bar none, but "The Visitor" is my favourite Trek episode period. So powerful, and Todd deserves much of the thanks for that.

Semi-related story, Worf is my favourite character, and by extension, I love the Klingons and Kurn. At a convention, Tony Todd was doing his autograph thing, and I couldn't decide between a Kurn or Old Jake picture for him to sign (could only afford one). So I asked him which would he recommend, and he pointed at Old Jake and said "I'm prouder of this one".

And that picture sits proudly on my shelf right in front of me.

 

[TGTheodore]

Spike just reran "The Visitor" the night before last.

The emotional pain that Todd can express without even speaking is amazing.

--Ted

 

[od0_ital]

M'rk, son of Mogh said:
... Semi-related story, Worf is my favourite character, and by extension, I love the Klingons and Kurn. At a convention, Tony Todd was doing his autograph thing, and I couldn't decide between a Kurn or Old Jake picture for him to sign (could only afford one). So I asked him which would he recommend, and he pointed at Old Jake and said "I'm prouder of this one".

And that picture sits proudly on my shelf right in front of me.

That is so cool. :thumbsup:

 

[Mojochi]

Tony Todd is definitely one of the top five Trek tv guest actors of all time, along with Mark Lenard (Sarek), David Warner, (Chain of Command) & Bob Gunton,(The Wounded)

I can never decide who the other one should be, between Jeffery Combs, & Marc Alaimo

Ok, top 6

 

[od0_ital]

^

What about J.G. Hertzler?

 

[BigFoot]

I'd have to go with Andrew Robinson as the best recurring/guest actor.

 

[DanCPA]

BigFoot said:
I'd have to go with Andrew Robinson as the best recurring/guest actor.

seconded

 

[Apogeal Alpha01]

I think of them as main characters they recurred so often. You could count on Garak being in nearly EVERY episode.

 

[Jack Bauer]

I've always wondered why Tony Todd never got a regular gig on a tv show. He's such a good actor.

 

[anti-matter]

Yeah...I pretty much think what Photon thinks. Usually I'm not too keen on time travel but because of TT I don't put the Visitor in that category. Good story and good acting...just say'en it was sad to see the way TT left the series after all his fine work.

 

[Mojochi]

Apogeal Alpha01 said:
I think of them as main characters they recurred so often. You could count on Garak being in nearly EVERY episode.

That's exactly what I was thinking. Robinson only played one character, & though it was an awesome character, I consider it more a supporting character, than a guest actor. The same goes for Martok, though I will give credit to Hertzler for showing up in multiple other guest appearances

Edit: Honorable mention goes to Daniel Davis for Moriarty too

 

[od0_ital]

^

Hertzler did play two different versions of Martok, ya know.

As for Tony Todd, after a recurrin' role on TNG, two guest spots on DS9 (one as Kurn, the other as Jake), he did go on to guest star in an episode of VOY as a Hirogen. So, it ain't like he left the franchise behind after he "died."

 

[Apogeal Alpha01]

He's also done a lot of the slasher type movies. He starred in the original "Night of the Living Dead," and got great reviews. He had a one season recurring role in Stargate SG1, and a bunch of movies, so he's been a "working" actor for a while both before and after DS9.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0865302/