Mark Lenard

Mark Lenard
Born	October 15 1924
Died	November 22 1996
Gender	Male
Roles	Chief of Security Urko
Appearances
First Appearance: Escape from Tomorrow Last Appearance: Up Above the World So High

Mark Lenard was an American actor noted for playing the role of Chief of Security Urko on the 1974 television series, Planet of the Apes. However, in addition to playing bit parts on various programs, Lenard is most widely recognized for his contributions to the Star Trek mythos. He played the character of Ambassador Sarek, the father to the Vulcan, Spock, as well as the Romulan Commander from the 1967-68 season’s classic episode, 'Balance of Terror'. Lenard seemed to be a man blessed - or cursed - with a career that involved him with physical appliances: first, the Vulcan ears; then, the full simian/gorilla application of Urko, chief law officer of the Ape Council.

Mark Lenard was born in Chicago and was raised in South Haven, Michigan. Being a professional writer, Lenard was interestingly terse and concise in summing up his life and career: "Beginning with aspirations for the Foreign Service, gravitating gradually through writing, and arriving at an acting career has given my creative energies ample outlet. I joined the paratroops and served in Europe during World War II in the 82nd Airborne Divn. in a Pathfinder crew as a radar specialist. After 21 jumps, one more than my age at the time, I was discharged. With the aid of the Government I enrolled in a university in Southern France. There I joined the company of a play intended for local production. It was chosen to tour Europe and I left school and went along. The plays were Ben Jonson's Volpone and Noel Coward's Hayfever. In one I was an heroic but somewhat square sea captain and in the other a boxer. When the tour ended after six months a theatrical career had become inevitable. After returning home I attended the University of Michigan, the New School in New York and the Carnegie Institute of Technology. In New York I studied with Lee Strasberg, Uta Hagen, Mira Rostova, et al."

"If I were to categorize myself, I suppose I am a method actor who can play the classics. Good fortune gave me the opportunity to work with such diverse talents as John Gielgud, Margaret Leighton and Laurence Olivier, and Americans like Ruth Gordon, Julie Harris and Walter Matthau. In the theatre I have played everything from 'Oedipus' to 'Three Men on a Horse'. During my 'stock period' of six years I appeared in some 60 plays running the gamut from classical drama to modern realism to farce. I have done eight Broadway shows and innumerable off-Broadway, stock and touring plays. Three of the off-Broadway plays won 'Best Production of the Year' awards. I have personally won distinguished acting awards and special mention for outstanding performance in Theatre World."

Offering a few feature and television credits, Lenard made his first feature film, The Greatest Story Ever Told. Other films include Hang 'Em High and Noon Sunday. He also co-starred in the Here Come the Brides TV series and was a frequent guest on Mission Impossible, Gunsmoke, It Takes a Thief, Hawaii Five-O and Mannix. He made two appearances on Star Trek as Sarek, Mr. Spock's father, and had his own fan club and was invited to the annual Star Trek national conventions. Lenard continued his stage work whenever possible. He toured extensively, in A Far Country and appeared in regional productions of The Rainmaker, Posmersolm, Old Times and The Devils. He also narrated the television special QB VII. Lenard enjoyed reading, tennis, swimming, hiking and photography. His favourite writing medium was fiction. He was also interested in stage directing.^[1]

VITAL STATISTICS
Height: 6' 1"
Weight: 180 lbs
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown

Mark passed away in New York City at the age of seventy-two.

[edit] External links

• Mark Lenard article at Wikipedia
• Mark Lenard profile at the Internet Movie Database (IMDB)
• Mark Lenard profile at Memory Alpha
• Mark Lenard page at TV.com

[edit] References