Star Trek actor René Auberjonois who appeared at North Wales comic con dies after cancer battle

An actor best known for his roles in Star Trek and M*A*S*H* has died after a lengthy battle with cancer.

René Auberjonois, who met fans at the Pwllheli comic con in 2014, died of metastatic lung cancer at his Los Angeles home on Sunday, according to his son Rèmy-Luc Auberjonois.

The 79-year-old was remembered on social media by his Star Trek: Deep Space Nine co-stars.

William Shatner tweeted: "I have just heard about the death of my friend and fellow actor.

"To sum up his life in a tweet is nearly impossible. To Judith, Tessa & Remy, I send you my love & strength.

"I will keep you in my thoughts and remember a wonderful friendship with René."

George Takei tweeted: "This is a terrible loss. Star Trak fans knew him as Odo from Deep Space Nine. We knew him as René. He was a wonderful, caring, and intelligent man.

"He shall be missed. When I look out to the stars, I shall think of you, friend."

Armin Shimerman posted: "His last message to me was entitled 'Don't forget...' I know that I, Killy and all that knew him will never forget.

"The world seems noticeably emptier now. I loved him."

Auberjonois also played Father John Mulcahy, the military chaplain in M.A.S.H., while sitcom fans knew his as Clayton Runnymede Endicott III in Benson.

He was also known for his voice roles, particularly in the Disney film The Little Mermaid, in which he voiced Chef Louis.

He was born in New York in 1940, the son of a Swiss-born foreign correspondent for US newspapers, and the grandson of a post-impressionist painter also named René Auberjonois.

He was raised in New York, Paris and London before graduating from college at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Institute of Technology, now Carnegie Mellon.

He started his career in theatre before moving into television and films, and on November 15 he received a lifetime achievement award at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival.

In a 2011 interview, when speaking about his roles, he said: "I am all of those characters, and I love that. I also run into people, and they think I'm their cousin or their dry cleaner. I love that, too."

Source: www.dailypost.co.uk