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I confirmed the news with his agent earlier today, and while some of us knew it was coming for a while, it's still a bit numbing now that it's actually happened. Having covered B5 from the original pilot right through the Legend of the Rangers, I had the good fortune of interviewing Andreas on a number of occasions and always found him a fascinating person to talk to. A hugely underrated actor, who left us far too early. Maybe I'll pop back in at some point and share a few of my favorite Andreas stories, but I'm sure there are people out there who will have more to say than me.

He was perhaps the brightest star on B5 for me. I loved watching G'Kar's transformation from cliche alien politician to enlightened holy man more than any other aspect. He'll be missed.

Well, crap. I've never in all my life hoped a bit of news was in error, but between Joe's post here and a couple of other confirmations, it's obviously true.

Goddamn. He was an amazing performer. (Probably a fantastic person as well, but the performer is all I ever got to see.)

Thanks to Peter for passing this along -- but now I'm very, very sad.

TWL

Here's to my favorite B5 character and one of the brightest science fiction stars out there.

Yeah, the news has been spereading...very sad. He did a fantastic job both with the heavy, dramatic material and the lighter stuff, such as "The Parliament Of Dreams."

Babylon 5 became my fave show because of him and him and Peter Jurasik. I passed by the show on several veiwings and then, one lucky day, got sucked into the show by channel surfing into a scene showcasing Londo and G'Kar.

The two fast became the main reason I got hooked on the show (Marcus almost bumping them for a while as my #1 fave cool charecter)and when I now veiw the series from start to end I realize how much the two of them made the show for me. The skill and passion he brought to that and other parts made him a great actor who should have been held in higher regard by the mainstream critics and not just in the eyes of the science fiction fans.

His work will continue to be enjoyed for a long time to come while the work he could have done will be missed each time we see a charecter that just makes you think it was written with him in mind.

I was just watching \i{The Fugitive} two nights ago. He was a very versatile actor. He could play Tomalok as sinister on NextGen, and that guy in that "Cogenitor" episode of Enterprise as friendly and cheerful and helpful. He'll be missed.

Oh, this is so sad. In Babylon 5, he created one of the great characters of all science-fiction with such talent that anyone could see his work and say, "Man...that's a great actor at work."

I hope he knew just how many folks his talent touched, and that those loved ones he left behind know it too.

[Muttering] Obscenities, obscenities, obscenities...

Only got to meet him once, but ... what a loss.

I especially enjoyed his performance as a hitman in a movie with Lenny Henry ("Chef") and Frank Langella.

Damn it. He was one of the finest of actors. Thank God, we are in the era of dvds where someone of his talents will not be forgotten. My prayers to his family and friends.

Darn.

I really enjoyed B5 while it was on. Andreas' skill as an actor helped catapult B5 from goofy space opera to SF as political allegory.

Well, this just sucks.

It was the gravitas that Andreas brought to the role of G'Kar. I have long said that B5 is the finest written, dirested and acted ensemble piece in the history of television sci fi. With fellow cast members like Mira Furlan, Jason Carter, Peter Jurasik, Stephen Furst and wonderful guest appearances from, among many others, Marshall Teague, Turhan Bey, Louis Turenne,John Schuck, Russ Tamblyn, Carolyn Seymour etc. etc. This program could just pull you in and hold you there transfixed.

Rest in Peace, Andreas

Here are some of my favorite Andreas Katsulas moments, for whatever they're worth.

Meeting the actor for the first time at the crew screening for the original B5 pilot. I had already interviewed him over the phone, so I had no idea what he looked like other than a couple of brief character roles. I remember thinking his face looked like it was carved out of granite, but what a delightful guy.

Watching him shoot the 'pleasure threshhold' scene with Pat Tallman in 'Darkness Ascending.' Yes, it was really Pat's scene, but it was fascinating to watch Andreas reacting differently from take to take, making subtle changes in each one.

Sitting on a couple of old lawn chairs behind the B5 complex watching the sunset together, Andreas still in full makeup and costume because they hadn't released him yet.

Getting him all worked up during an interview, because I asked him what it was going to be like, playing a younger G'Kar for 'In the Beginning.' Having spent four seasons developing the character, he suddenly had to strip it all away to basically play the character from before the pilot. 'Here, my life was peaceful Joe, until you called,' he complained, 'and you had to mention this? Now I’ve got to sit here and worry for the next few months about it! Go off to England and enjoy yourself Joe, your work here is done!'

Interviewing Andreas and Peter Jurasik together in Blackpool for the official Babylon 5 Magazine, the very first time the two had ever done an interview together. There were two B5 interviews I had always wanted to do; the first was Michael O'Hare and Bruce Boxleitner together, and the other was Katsulas and Jurasik. I got them both that weekend and couldn't have been happier.

This was the last time I saw Andreas: I went up to Vancouver to cover the Legend of the Rangers TV movie, and was delighted to find out that G'Kar was in one of the scenes they were filming that day. I wasn't so delighted when the unit publicist warned me that Andreas Katsulas was an intensely private guy, and under no circumstances should I approach him or try to talk to him. Of course we said hello and shook hands, but I basically left Andreas alone that day, much as it would have been nice to chat again. This was a Friday I think, and the following Monday I was back in New Jersey when I got a call from the publicist. Apparently Andreas was a bit insulted that I had interviewed everybody else on set and hadn't bothered to talk to him at all. Didn't I want to interview him, or was I just interested in the younger actors? The humiliated publicist had no choice but to admit that I was acting on her instruction, and in fact I was just as disappointed. A couple of hours later, I was on the phone to LA where Andreas had just returned too, after finishing his work on Rangers, and we had a good old laugh at the publicist's expense. It was the last time I spoke to him, and looking back I'm so glad I got that chance.

Thanks for indulging me folks. Hope you don't mind my sharing a bit.

Damn it all... Just posted on the B5 newsgroup that I had JUST tracked down an old fave of mine on DVD ('Communion') and totally forgot that Andreas played the Russian friend of Whitley Streiber in the film.

One of my all-time favorite I-Cons will forever be the "Inside the Sci-Fi Actor's Studio" panel with him, Peter Jurasik, Billy Boyd, A gent from 'Lexx' whose name escapes me, and the evil twins Jason Carter and Richard Biggs. (When security could finally corner them and get them to the room, that is) What an amazingly fun and personable group of folks. And Andreas was as gracious and approachable as everyone says he is. He was a true gentleman, of a calibre that most "big stars" should aspire to.

Like many here, I thought he was the most talented memeber of the B5 cast. This is a real tragedy.

RIP, Andreas.

Oh man...this is just not a great way to end the day...

Andreas was just amazing on Babylon 5. G'Kar and Londo were just two of the best characters on B5 and just never knew what would happen next with those guys.

Andreas just created an amazing character with G'Kar. I'll always remember that.

Man...just very unexpected (I didn't even know he was sick..).

*sigh* First Biggs...now Andreas...

DF2506
" Man, not a good day."

Ugh. Jeez.

I remember when I first saw Babylon 5 it was G'Kar and Londo that sucked me in, their journies on the show seemed less like the 'b story' than most 'b stories' are. It was what I watched the show for.

Katsulas also played a mobster and dad to pre-Ben Stiller Show Ben Stiller in Patrick Swayze's hillbilly revenge flick Next Of Kin.

Hey, Liam Neeson's in it, too, don't knock it. Adam Baldwin. Helen Hunt. Bill Paxton. Lots of people who went on to better things.

Swayze's the weakest link.

I'm sorry to say I never really got into B5 or had the chance to meet Mr. Katsulas. My loss, as the many fond rememberances of the posters here can attest. Sounds like we lost yet another good one.

This is just terrible news to wake up to this morning.

Babylon 5 is such a huge thing in my life, it actually pains me to read about the death of cast members.

My condolences to Mr. Katsulas' family and friends.

No one else has mentioned Andreas' appearance on NYPD Blue as a rather crazy barber. Pure Gold.

I can't say that I ever 'met' him, but he was once a guest at Dragoncon, and served as the MC for the costume contest. It was, for me, the first time ever I saw him 'out of makeup' and being himself, and something I will always remember.

For all that it means from a faceless fanboy, my condolences to his family and friends.

That's terrible news!

I never had the privilege of meeting Andreas, which from what I've been reading was my loss, but I am a big fan of his work both in B5 and beyond and will certainly miss the performances he might yet have given.

My deepest condolences to all his family and friends…

Raphy

What a black day. We are getting the Babylon Podcast going, and while I knew Mr. Katsulas was ill, I had always hoped we would get a chance to interview him. I am saddened.

****
Garibaldi (holding out the Book of G'Quan): I thought you might like to have this while you're in here.
G'Kar: No, you keep it. Besides, I'm somewhat closer to the source now...

*****

I came over here from the Sideshow (http://sideshow.me.uk/). G'Kar was one of the best characters in Babylon 5 and Andreas Katsulas's performance made him come alive.

I'm sorry to say I never really got into B5 or had the chance to meet Mr. Katsulas. My loss, as the many fond rememberances of the posters here can attest. Sounds like we lost yet another good one.

We did indeed. I'm hoping that someone in the B5 fan community will put together a video tribute such as the one that came out shortly after Richard Biggs' death. If I find one, I'll post the link. (Assuming I do, Bill, you might want to give it a look -- there's some really good work both from the show and from Andreas in particular.)

TWL

B5 is just one of those shows where I missed the early episodes and heard enough good things about it that I wanted to see it all. Same thing With Buffy but I never managed to catch enough early episodes of B5 to keep it going.

In a variation of "I'll wait for the trade paperback" I plan to order all the episodes off of Netflix some summer and just gorge myself on B5, the Sopranos, and Alias.

Hmmm. While there are some episodes that are turkeys, Babylon5 is the best sf series of all time. Andreas was one of the reasons why it was so good. Bill, I envy you for having the pleasure of discovering how great the show is. Be patient with the first year and in the second year you will get the chance to see Peter's excellent episodes.

Well, don't envy me until I actually do it. I could be hit by a truck on the way home. THAT would surely suck.

These deaths of people at an early age really brings home the fact that one should never assume that there will be time for all of our plans.

Then again, better to have too much on the plate than not enough.

Don't forget he was on Star Trek:The Next Generation as Romulan Comander Tomalak and on Enterprise as well (I don't remember what he did).

That's really sad. I haven't read it on any of the Star Trek sites. Thanks for the heads up. RIP and Godspeed, Mr. Katsulas

Not since Burns and Allen has Death been so cruel as to split apart one of the greatest 'comedic marriages' as Londo and G'Kar, oh too soon.

Here's to seeing Peter playing the Almighty in 50 years. ;)

And here's to Andreas -- we will meet you Beyond the Rim.

It's such a shame to hear that we've lost yet another great talent far too soon.

The character of G'Kar was certainly one of the most enjoyable ones of Babylon 5, and Katsulas was fun to watch in anything he did.

Mr. Katsulas also had another close connection to the sci-fi/comics genre: he played the lieutenant Kasha in the final Incredible Hulk outing, "THe Death of the Incredible Hulk." It's how I recognized him when I first saw "The Fugitive."

While the script itself was pretty hackneyed, you could tell Mr. Katsulas was giving his acting the utmost sincerity.

Prayers go out to Mr. Katsulas's friends and family during this difficult time.

I'm hoping that someone in the B5 fan community will put together a video tribute such as the one that came out shortly after Richard Biggs' death. If I find one, I'll post the link.

That was me that did the Rick Biggs tribute video, Tim... and I'm just now getting this online, as I got the okay from Joe this morning... feel free to share it far and wide...

http://www.zteamproductions.com/b5stuff/Andreas.html

John

I never had the opportunity to meet Mr. Katsulas, but I still feel gut-punched by this news.

The one story I have to offer here is just to show how well-regarded he was. At an ICON held at SUNY Stony Brook, I asked Andrew Robinson, who played the Cardassian Garak on "Deep Space Nine," about the kind of recognition that actors who have to do the much harder job of acting through a few inches of Foam Latex deserve, as opposed to what they get, and I mentioned Andreas Katsulas in passing.

Robinson interrupted me to praise Katsulas' work with real admiration and enthusiasm.

It was good to see him get that kind of recognition and respect from his fellow actors.

It was good to see him get that kind of recognition and respect from his fellow actors.

Indeed -- and from Robinson in particular no less, who I also think is magnificent in that regard.

John -- thanks so much for letting us know so quickly about the tribute. I'm at work, so haven't had a chance to watch it yet, but rest assured that I will.

(And much-belated thanks for the Biggs one in 2004. I still watch it from time to time, and get a lump in my throat pretty much every time.)

TWL

i am still in shock about this
its just so sad
my condolonces to his friends and family
RIP andreas
and thanks for the memories

I live in Sweden where B5 wasn't exactly treated in a prime time way when it came out, so I painstakingly imported it one VHS-cassette at a time and enjoyed it immensely. First I watched new episodes by myself, then the second time with my wife and then a third time at special B5-gatherings with a select group of friends. My favorite characters were always G'Kar an Londo off course.

Time passed. This winter I came into some cash and decided to buy a grand DVD-box called "B5:The whole universe". It contains the five seasons, the movies and Crusade. I just started watching it and have just about rounded season two, ep two. Again, and with older eyes, Londo and G'Kar shine, and shine in a very warm light... So many times while watching the early G'Kar in season one, fully well knowing what is to come, I think to myself after yet another spineshudder: DAMN, Katsulas is good!

And then I hear that it is that he WAS good. I've wept several times and marveled that I do so for an actor I don't know personally. But then again... I watch G'Kar... and tears again.

DAMN, Katsulas was GOOD!

See you beyond the rim...

Since a few of the posters have mentioned I-Con, and Will specifically mentioned Andreas's appearance as part of the "Inside the SF Actors Studio" panel, let me point out, as the host of that panel, that Andreas (and Myriam Sirois)entertained the assmembled crowd for more than 20 minutes prior to the start of the panel, since none of the other actors (other than Herb Jefferson) had arrived. Eventually, the rest of the cast (Billy Boyd, Brian Downey, and Herb, but not Peter Jurasik, who was not at I-Con that year)showed up and the panel began. Richard Biggs and Jason Carter came in (they had allegedly been stuck in traffic) about 20 minutes after the panel had begun.
Strangely, when we got to the part inspired by the real "Inside the Actors Studio," in which the actors were asked the Bernard Pivot Questionnaire, Andreas bolted from the stage without any explanation, and did not return. The next day, at his solo talk, Andreas was asked why he left in such a hurry. He said that he had been on stage for more than 90 minutes, and desperately needed a cigarette.
At that convention, Tony Tellado of "Sci-Fi Talk" and I conducted a press conference with Andreas, that I've never aired. If all goes according to plan, I'll edit that and run it as a tribute to Andreas on the March 3rd broadcast of "Destinies-The Voice of Science Fiction," beginning at 11:30 PM EST on 90.1 FM, WUSB, Stony Brook, NY (netcasting at www.wusb.fm).

It's not often that I watch a show and forget that the the characters are not real people. It was always ironic to me that the one show that I did see as "real" was B5, and that is in large part due to Andreas Katsulas.

I wa a late arrival to the B5 universe. I began watching when TNT began airing the first four seasons nightly prior to the start of the fifth. While I quickly caught up with all of the turmoil within the B5 universe, I felt a close connection to the character of G'Kar. His transformation over the years to a spiritual man helped guide me back to the right path in which I should live mine.

There are so many things that I want to say but the words just won't come. I'll simply end by saying that Andreas will be missed.

Brian

I never had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Katsulas, but I thank both Peter David and Joe Nazzaro for sharing their special moments with this remarkable actor in numerous publications as well as this blog.

I'm deeply envious of your respective professional associations with him and I'm deeply sorry for the loss of your friend, gentlemen.

Such a shame. A great actor from a superlative series.

That was totally awful news.

I did read that jms was quoted as saying that Andreas upon knowing he was dying, claimed he had never felt so full of life... and that he spent as much time as possible siezing the moment.

When Mel Blanc died, Warner Bros issued a card with pictures of all the charactyers he voiced with the word "Speechless" underneath.

That's is what G'Kar is like without Andreas... he just doesn't exist without him. Nobody could pull it off to the same standard.

May he sleep in light.

Since I spend way to much time steerin' and gearin', I'm always a bit behind when news comes along. So here goes.
In 2003, my lovely then fiancee, now wife, indulged me by letting me spend $160.00 od cdn on the entire B5 on dvd. I started watching it in the truck (we were driving team at the time) before racking out. I could never sttle for just one episode, oh no! After 2 or 3 hours, she would yell at me like my mom to get some sleep.
Then, my sweetie started to watch. Another addict facilitated.
Now, on to relevance. To truly appreciate Andreas's talent, not to mention the entire cast, watch the entire show on DVD.
Watch Andreas deftly turn G'Kar from one half of a spaceborn vaudeville act ("Stupid Narrns" "Foul Centauri")into a humbled and purified spiritual leader.
Go. Nuke some of Orville's finest, get comfy, and be amazed.
RIP Andreas.
PS. Q:How many Narns does it take to change a dead light bulb?
A:1. But, I swear on the soul of my pouch brother, when the vile, wretched Centauri who murdered that noble light bulb is found, the stars will burn with Centauri blood!!!!!

I am a Peter David fan but haven't visited this site in a long time - in searching for info about Andreas, I saw and followed this link. At the Megacon in Orlando Florida this past weekend (which I have attended the last 3 to 4 years), I was lucky enough to meet Mira Furlan and Jason Carter who were appearing. My B5 prize is a complete cast photo I bought from Richard Biggs there (which he signed) when he appeared months before he passed. I got a picture taken with him and it still bothers me alot to think that such a great, nice guy and great actor is gone. Since then, I got the cast photo signed by Bill Mumy when he appeared there.

So this year I speak with Mira and show her the picture - she comments about Richard and me getting that from him, and then says 'You know we just lost Andreas....' and my body just LOCKED. I was in shock and disbelief. Andreas was definitely my favorite thing about that show - his acting and his literal BECOMING of the character of G'kar, I still find amazing to this day. {later than day I found Jason Carter and he remarked to me about 'Rick' and what a great guy he was. Someone has the issue of TV guide that had a story about the show and it had a version of the cast photo I have - except in the one Richard was selling at Cons, it was everyone flipping the bird... :-) Jason mentioned how Richard went up the the photographer right afterwards and asked for a copy for himself)

Anyway I just watched both video tributes - Mr Hudgins I am speechless - what amazing work. I admit I practically got misty eyes watching Andreas do some of his most prlific lines. Thanks you so much for putting those together. I have bookmarked your site and will check it out from time to time. But again, thanks so much for the videos.

Someone here already posted it but it is exactly the right sentiment:

Andreas
Richard

Sleep in light gentlemen........

You touched us all......

Having just finished showing the entire 5 year arc of B5 to my appreciative parents I fly out on 13th Feb for a well earned break to a country that has never heard of B5, and what happens? Damn! Thanks for the memories, Mr Katsulas (and Messrs Biggs and Choate too).

News is slow to come here in Australia, so I was deeply saddened to learn of the untimely death of Andreas Katsulas. His performance as G'Kar was superb! I was also very lucky to see him here in Adelaide in 1981 in Peter Brook's "Conference of the Birds" - a great production and another superlative performance from Mr Katsulas. My deepest sympathy and condolences to his family and friends. From the Land Downunder, cheers, Thorne