William Windom R.I.P....

[Warped9]

Thanks, Warped 9 for posting. I just posted your link on Facebook and an image of Decker from "The Doomsday Machine" as well.

You're welcome. Facebook is where I first saw this posted by SF author Robert Sawyer. I saw it there because we're friends (because previously we've actually met and spoken a number of times through the old Toronto Trek conventions---he's a huge TOS fan).

 

[Esteban]

One of the best iconic Trek "villains" ever, and a great guy. I got to meet him time a couple of times over the years and it turns out, he didn't live too far away.

He had a pretty low opinion of "Doomsday" while he was doing it, and for years after, before he realized that his opinion meant nothing next to the Tsunami of fan adoration. He was gracious in admitting he was wrong, and that he had provided the world with years of entertainment from a 5 day gig.

Boy, did he.

 

[TOSalltheway]

One of the best iconic Trek "villains" ever, and a great guy.

Thats the beauty of Decker he was not a villian. He was a starship captain, just like Kirk. He had the right goal but his experiences affected his judgement

 

[The Wormhole]

The Doomsday Machine is easily one of my favourite TOS episodes, and Decker easily one of my favourite guest characters. RIP.

 

[CoveTom]

I'd just like to jump in and add that I really liked his performances in "Muder, She Wrote" as well. Thought he did an excellent job there too.

 

[Shatinator]

One of the best iconic Trek "villains" ever, and a great guy. I got to meet him time a couple of times over the years and it turns out, he didn't live too far away.

He had a pretty low opinion of "Doomsday" while he was doing it, and for years after, before he realized that his opinion meant nothing next to the Tsunami of fan adoration. He was gracious in admitting he was wrong, and that he had provided the world with years of entertainment from a 5 day gig.

Boy, did he.

The community has loss a great man and actor

But.. he was not a "villain", the devilish machine was the villian.

Decker and the man that portrayed him was a hero!

 

[Esteban]

I put "villain" in quotes on purpose. One of my beefs with the Movies, post-Khan, was the insistence on having a "villain".

Was Decker a villain? No. Was Charlie Evans? No. Nor, IMO, was Trelane, Tristan Adams, Karidian, Mudd, Apollo, Daystrom...and the list goes on.

That's back in the day when there was such a thing as nuance.

 

[Galileo7]

W.Windom R.I.P.

I will always remember him from the original Twilight Zone, TOS"Doomsday Machine", President of the United States in Escape From The Planet Of The Apes(1972) and Murder She Wrote.

 

[E-DUB]

Night Gallery: "They're tearing down Tim Riley's Bar".

 

[TOSalltheway]

MUDD was a villian, just an incompetent one.

 

[DarthPipes]

RIP, William Windom.

Always enjoyed his performance in The Doomsday Machine. He was also in two episodes of The Twilight Zone, including Five Characters in Search of an Exit.

 

[MANT!]

Excellent character actor..active all over television from the 50s to the 90's ..
from Twilight Zone, to The Invaders, to Star Trek to Murder She Wrote..

a class by himself..
Requiescat in pace Mr. Windom..

 

[Ssosmcin]

One of my favorite performances of his was from the Night Gallery episode "They're Tearing Down Tim Riley's Bar." Amazingly gut-wrenching. Hell of an actor.

 

[MarsWeeps]

I thought he was brilliant in The Doomsday Machine, one of my favorite episodes. His performance was very believable as a person who blamed himself for the loss of his crew.

"They say there's no devil, Jim, but there is. Right out of hell, I saw it!"

 

[cbspock]

One of my favorite of all time Star Trek episodes.


-Chris

 

[Wingsley]

Didn't Windom also play a whacked-out politician in HAWAII FIVE-O over 35 years ago?

Every time I think of Windom I think of the signature "Doomsday Machine" musical score, especially the part when Spock is in command and he tells Kirk about first spotting the "Commodore Decker's planet killer".

I also love the scene (and equally memorable music) when Decker decided to go rogue and attack Mongomery outside the elevator. That fight scene rocked!

 

[TrickyDickie]

'The Doomsday Machine' has always been my favorite episode and William Windom was perfect in his role.

Another very memorable character that he played was in 'Barney Miller'....as a man who strapped sticks of dynamite to himself and threatened to blow up the 12th Precinct because

"I'm tired of being lied to and cheated and poisoned!"

Farewell, Mr Windom. We will miss you a lot.

 

[Maurice]

He won an Emmy for his starring role on the short-lived sitcom "My World and Welcome To It", loosely based on the life and work of James Thurber. Several episodes are on YouTube.

Rally Round the Flag (15 Dec. 1969) Christmas Episode

Part 1
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1P9-BtHj60[/yt]

Part 2
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7t4XXdJ_Qw[/yt]

Part 3
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qca2z6bf9EI[/yt]
​

Episode 20 The Middle Years (26 Jan. 1970) with Lee Meriwether (Losira from Trek's "That Which Survives)

Part 1
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmYZb6PdAf4[/yt]

Part 2
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1lXMdV56C4[/yt]

Part 3
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPKbReV3rl4[/yt]
​

 

[PKerr]

sad news.

I really need to update my Star trek memorial page.

Rest In Peace Mr. Windom.

 

[alpha_leonis]

I met Mr. Windom in person once. He came to my town "on tour" with a retrospective performance about the work of the author James Thurber. I regret I never asked for an autograph.