Andreas Katsulas (G'Kar) 1946-2006 by cljohnston108

OTHER SCIENCE FICTION SERIES

Andreas Katsulas (G'Kar) 1946-2006

POSTED BY: CLJOHNSTON108
UPDATED: Friday, April 7, 2006 20:10
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VIEWED: 11700
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Thursday, February 16, 2006 3:51 PM

JMSNews | Andreas Katsulas is gone
http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-17526

Quote:
From: jmsatb5@aol.com
Subject: Andreas Katsulas is gone
To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
Date: 2/15/2006 6:52:01 AM

Just over a year ago, Andreas Katsulas -- who loved smoking with a passion that cannot be described -- was diagnosed with lung cancer, which by then had already spread to other areas. He quit smoking at once and went on a healthy diet and vitamin program, but there was little hope of a good resolution even though the new regimen was very good for him. When we spoke about it, he laughed, and said, "Now that I'm dying I've never felt better!"

His spirits were always up and positive, putting everyone at ease about his condition, because... well, that's the kind of person he was.

A couple of months ago, he and his wife convened a dinner with me, Doug, and Peter Jurasik, which was filled with laughter and stories and good food. He wanted to know all the stories we never told him
because, as he said, "Who am I going to tell?" So we did. Because we knew we were saying goodbye, and there would not be a second chance.

Last night, in the company of his wife and family, Andreas closed his eyes and went away.

He lived an amazing life...full of travel and wonder and good work...was part of the world renowned Peter Brook company...he saw the planet, loved and was loved, ate at great restaurants, smoked too many cigarettes... he lived a life some people would die for.

And, sadly, due to the last part of that equation... he did.

Memorial arrangements are still being worked out, but will doubtless be private.

Andreas is gone...and G'Kar with him, because no one else can ever play that role, or ever will.

I will miss him terribly.

J. Michael Straczynski

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Thursday, February 16, 2006 4:37 PM

ZORAXE

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

Oron

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Friday, February 17, 2006 2:39 PM

CHRISTHECYNIC

I know nothing about the man, but I know G'Kar, and I know that the man who brought him to life must have been great.

G'Kar was a character worthy of our crew, had he shown up we would have forgiven him for being a lizard from a non-terrestrial background. The evolution of G'Kar was amazing, and the end result was even better than seeing the journey, someone who could be grave and humorous at the same time, a personality that would make you accept the fact he was an alien because what he said and did, and how he said and did it, made you know he was real.

To play a character like that ... I don't know what to say. An artist has been lost.

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Saturday, February 18, 2006 7:31 AM

CHRISTHECYNIC

This guy deserves more recognition than what is here, I don't think a lot of people come to this forum so I'm hoping if I bump it into the top five more people will notice, trouble is it won't stay long.

Think maybe I should start a thread in General discussion? There are things a lot more off topic than this there and people should know Andreas is gone?

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Saturday, February 18, 2006 7:36 AM

CHRISISALL

Quote:
Originally posted by christhecynic:

Think maybe I should start a thread in General discussion?

There are so many threads in GD, I think it won't get lost in OSFS- threads last longer here.

Chrisisall, paying respects

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Thursday, February 23, 2006 5:17 AM

CLJOHNSTON108

Still no obit in LA Times, NY Times or CNN.

That's just not right.

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Thursday, February 23, 2006 5:40 AM

BISHOP76

Nothing but the best - classy guy. He'll be missed.

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Thursday, February 23, 2006 5:56 AM

CBY

Quote:
Originally posted by christhecynic:
This guy deserves more recognition than what is here

Thousands of people are dying everyday who not happen to be actors - do they get any recognition from you? Do you think this actor is worth more recognition than those people?

This is one thing I'll never understand: When a single actor dies everyone talks about it. When a child dies of hunger in the third world people obviously couldn't care less.

°°°°°°°°°°°°
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Thursday, February 23, 2006 6:04 AM

BISHOP76

Yes, he is worth more recognition - he entertained us. While we didn't know him personally, we still enjoyed his work and knew him through that. I'm certainly not going to throw myself off a cliff because of it, but it's worth knowing that someone whose works we enjoyed passed away.

What I'll never understand is people who feel the need to troll actor death forums to impart their "wisdom" on us about how thousands of people die daily. Yeah, I got that - thanks for the info.

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Thursday, February 23, 2006 6:08 AM

CBY

Quote:
Originally posted by Bishop76:
Yes, he is worth more recognition - he entertained us.

I leave this statement uncommented. It speaks for itself.

°°°°°°°°°°°°
http://www.byond-trax.com - my selfmade ambient/lounge/chillout music
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Thursday, February 23, 2006 6:44 AM

BISHOP76

How so? Please, comment away. I await more of your wisdom.

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Thursday, February 23, 2006 6:54 AM

CBY

Quote:
Originally posted by Bishop76:
How so? Please, comment away. I await more of your wisdom.

Luckily the poor children don't entertain you before they step on landmines so you can save all your compassion for actors.

°°°°°°°°°°°°
http://www.byond-trax.com - my selfmade ambient/lounge/chillout music
www.botttos.de/mphillips/mphillips_vol1.exe - mphillips 100 in 1 pack Vol.1

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Thursday, February 23, 2006 6:59 AM

BISHOP76

You know, I *DO* in fact know that bad things happen in the world (as I believe I previously pointed out). If I had all the time in the world to mourn for every death that happened in the world I would. I think everyone would.

Instead, we mourn for those that we knew, that which we were familiar with.

Do you think that I'm sitting here in my room wailing and pounding the walls because Mr. Katsulas died? Not so much. I (and a few others) just posted a "too bad" message on an internet message board. This somehow makes us bad people apparently.

Do you go to funerals and tell the bereaved that they have no right to mourn the loss of their loved one because so many children die all the time? Now I'm not trying to liken Mr. Katsulas to a loved one, but it's the same principle. By your rationale, we'd never mourn anyone because so many people die.

Your point is ridiculous, sir.

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Thursday, February 23, 2006 7:09 AM

CBY

Quote:
Originally posted by Bishop76:
By your rationale, we'd never mourn anyone because so many people die.

That's beneath the point. You said, this guy is worth more to you than a dying child because he entertained you. All I did was questioning that logic.

°°°°°°°°°°°°
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Thursday, February 23, 2006 7:29 AM

BISHOP76

I would like to point out that the part of your original post mentioning the children wasn't in there when I first responded - that was edited in there after I had responded. Nice editing job.

What I said in that last message was not "beneath" the point. The point was that you have to pick and choose who you mourn over or you'll be mourning every second of every day for the rest of your life because PEOPLE DIE ALL THE TIME.

That said, I stand by my point - he was something I was familiar with, something I enjoyed so I will mourn his passing more than I would mourn any complete stranger. Doesn't matter if it was a 90 year old man who had a great life or a 3 year old child who lives in 3rd world squalor.

I can sit here and wail about the injustices in the world all I want to and how we should be sad every second for every child who dies, but like the rest of the world, I'm not.

You're making a completely ridiculous point, here.

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Thursday, February 23, 2006 7:51 AM

CAPERCAILLIE

I remember someone once remarking on a B5 site that they could sit in a room and listen to Andreas Katsulas and Peter Jurasik read the telephone book to one another.

A remarkably talented man - rest in peace

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Thursday, February 23, 2006 9:48 AM

CHRISTHECYNIC

When a child I had never met in another state got hit by the mirror of a truck legally traveling the speed limit in a place with no sidewalk she got my recognition and mourning when I found out that her brains littered the roadway and I was angry because only died because her town was too lazy to move a bus stop they knew would one day be deadly.

On that same day former President of the US Reagan died, and he got more recognition. Why is that, do you think?

Certainly he was no more worthy as a person than that girl, so why did so many people think he deserved their recognition in place of the masses they have never met or heard of?

It's because Reagan touched peoples lives, whether it was good or bad is a matter of opinion, that girl didn't touch many lives, she didn't have the chance. As such while she was just as worthy as a person she was not worthy of PERSONAL recognition from as many people as the president because she did not touch as many people.

-

This man has touched many people, as such he deserves the recognition of those people, he also deserves the recognition of all sci-fi fans, TV fans, or people who simply appreciate good acting for his contributions to the things that those people care about.

If you want to say that the thousands who are dying deserve my personal recognition then show me what they have done to me personally.

-

Recognition is not the same as caring, when people die I care, no matter what, but if they are to receive personal recognition from anyone they must somehow personally effect that person.

I wish I didn't care about people, I wish that when thousands of people I don't know died (as they do every day) it was as if thousands of people who I don't know either went on living or had never existed at all. I wish it didn't weigh on me. But just because I care doesn’t mean I have any obligation to give any one of them any more recognition than any other one of them.

When someone has had an effect on me I have an obligation to that person. And just because you might want to ignore your obligations doesn't mean I will ignore mine. When someone who has touched me (be he, she or it a family member, a friend, an acquaintance, a pet, a leader, an actor, or even an enemy) dies I have an obligation to recognize whatever that person has done for me, and part of that recognition is making sure everyone who should know what happened does know.

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Thursday, February 23, 2006 11:44 AM

REYNOLDSFAN34

I was a huge Babylon 5 fan and I met him and he was wonderful, I loved G'Kar and he deserves all the attention anyone could get. He should have had an Emmy award among his belongings, and oh please, it is a shame about all the children dying, but that is up to the world leaders, who are basically jerks, to do something about it. As for me, I am in great mourning, and nothing can change that. B5 was to me, the finest show ever on the air and G'Kar it's most amazing character, and I have loved many alien characters in my time,, Spock, George Francisco of Alien Nation and others,, and man, G'Kar was first among all of them. He was wonderful, and so was the guy who played him.

I stand between the candle and the star.

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Thursday, February 23, 2006 12:38 PM

CHRONICLURKER

Quote:
Originally posted by christhecynic:

Recognition is not the same as caring, when people die I care, no matter what, but if they are to receive personal recognition from anyone they must somehow personally effect that person.

CHRISTHECYNCI, thank you for your wonderful response to that interchange above. Very well-said!

And I certainly want to say 'Thank You' to Mr. Katsulas for his incredible work. I loved Babylon 5 - it was one of those great shows that could make you think, laugh and cry, somtimes all within the same scene. And the character of G'Kar played so passionately by Andreas, did so on many occasions.

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Thursday, February 23, 2006 5:10 PM

CLJOHNSTON108

For those like CBY, who are wondering why we're paying so much attention to this one actor, and who've never seen or heard of Babylon 5, it might help to listen to some of the audio clips on the sites I've listed below.
(The writing of J. Michael Straczynski might've also had a little something to do with it.

)

Down Below Sound Archive for Babylon 5
http://b5.cs.uwyo.edu/bab5/
(Search by Name: G'Kar)

This one's my favorite...
http://b5.cs.uwyo.edu/bab5/snds/ab-talon.zip

Babylonsounds.com - The Babylon 5 music archive
http://www.babylonsounds.com/en/index.html

And my favorites from that site...
http://www.babylonsounds.com/media/staffel3/narn_god.mp3
http://www.babylonsounds.com/media/staffel3/zhadum.mp3

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Thursday, February 23, 2006 8:12 PM

SAMUELK

CBY, not everything everyone does can involve the crises in the world.

Do you not mourn the loss of someone you know, even if only in passing?

How would you feel if, during a relative's funeral, someone said to you, "Why are you spending your time here at one person's funeral when children are dying all over the world? Does this person deserve more flowers than them?"

No one said that other people DON'T deserve more recognition. You're jumping to conclusions and making rash judgements about people you don't know.

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Thursday, February 23, 2006 8:46 PM

ROCKETJOCK

Until Firefly, Babylon 5 was my all-time favorite SF TV show -- and it's still a damn close second. Andreas Katsulas' wonderfully subtle and sustained performance as G'Kar was a large part of that.

The Babylon 5 Universe, like the Firefly 'Verse, resonates because it was filled with people and societies that were incredibly real, multi-sided, full of flaws and magnificence at the same time.

We celebrate the memory of Andreas Katsulas not because he happened to die -- that happens to everyone sooner or later, one to a customer -- but because he lived -- and used his talent to communicate some small wisdom about the human condition to his audience.

(And yes, I weep for the lost children too -- but only God is large enough to properly mourn all who fall.)

"There are things in the Universe billions of years older than either of our races. They are vast, timeless, and if they are aware of us at all, it is as little more than ants and we have as much chance of communicating with them as an ant has with us. We know. We've tried and we've learned that we can either stay out from underfoot or be stepped on. They are a mystery and I am both terrified and reassured to know that there are still wonders in the Universe, that we have not explained everything." -- G'kar

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Saturday, February 25, 2006 1:57 PM

GINOBIFFARONI

This is sad, just read a mini-bio on IMDB and thought some might be interested...

Biography for
Andreas Katsulas

Birth name
Andrew C. Katsulas
Mini biography

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Andreas was a cross between apple pie and baklava, coming from a working-class Greek-American family. Attracted from early childhood to being on stage when at 4 his mother took him to see a community theater performance, he took theatre as an extra-curricular activity in high school. He then majored in it at St. Louis University, where he worked his way through school doing things like waiting on tables. Next, after earning a drama fellowship, Katsulas received a Master's Degree in Theater Arts from one of the nation's top schools for the genre, Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.

With never a doubt or hesitation, Andreas jumped right into the professional theater world, performing in plays in his native St. Louis with the Loretto-Hilton Repertory Theater. This was followed by work with the Theatre Company of Boston. After that, Katsulas moved to New York to some challenging off-off-Broadway theater at La Mama. This was followed by a fifteen-year heart and soul involvement with Peter Brook's International Theatre Company in Paris, performing around the world with a challenging combination of improvisational theater in every imaginable circumstance and space, and "prepared" theater pieces in traditional, as well as unconventional, theatrical spaces. Katsulas trod the boards from Lincoln Center in New York and The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., to the "mean streets" of Brooklyn and marketplaces in remote African Villages. There were performances from elite Theater Festivals in Iran, Avignon and Belgrade: in prisons & mental institutions; at rock quarries in Australia; on barrios in Venezuela; in sewage plants in Switzerland; winding through the streets of Venice, Italy; in the fields with farm workers in California, near the lakes of Minnesota with Native Americans, in sometimes extreme conditions like snow, rain, and intensive heat.

Diring a hiatus from the stage, a part in Michael Cimino's "The Sicilian" brought Andreas to Los Angeles, after which he was immediately cast as Joey Venza in Ridley Scott's "Someone To Watch Over Me", then as Arthur, the chauffeur, in Blake Edward's "Sunset".

In early 2005, Andreas was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer; he passed away a year later, in Los Angeles. He had lived there since 1986, and had hoped to return to working in the theater before his far-too-early death, just over three months shy of his 60th birthday.
IMDb mini-biography by
ILuvFlix
Trivia

He did not own a computer.

Graduated from Indiana University (Bloomington, Indiana) with an MA, 1969. (Source: Page 22, "The College", Winter 2003, Vol. 26 No. 1. Published by Indiana University Alumni Association.)

A guy who lived his dreams.... something to be admired.

" Over and in, last call for sin
While everyone's lost, the battle is won
With all these things that I've done "

The Killers

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/killers/allthesethingsthativedone.html

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Sunday, February 26, 2006 10:03 AM

J6NGO1977

Oh man that is sad. G'Kar was always my fave B5 chracter. I just spotted this thread now and I am genuinely saddened by this. He maybe someone a never knew personaly however B5 and his character G'Kar meant alot to me. So in my eyes the actor and the person Andreas meant something to me as well.

R.I.P. Andreas. I will always remember B5 for G'Kar. It wouldn't have been the series it was without you :(

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 5:20 AM

FEENIX

G'Kar was one of the most fascinating characters on B5, although they all were very interesting, but I remember at the beginning of the show, I thought he was a evil dirt bag, and by the end, I thought he was an enlightened person, who saw things from such a wide perspective no one else could match him. While the writing was JMS, it takes an actor to bring life to words on the page, he did a phenominal job. I do not know of any of his other endevours, but he...was the power behind one of the most amazingly deep characters I have ever seen on screen. I am deeply saddened by his passing, G'kar, Andreas Katsulas, I salute you. He has achieved a degree of immortality, because he lives on in the minds of his fans.

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 9:39 AM

BLUESUNWORSHIPPER

In the immortal words usually ascribed to Ace Rimmer, Andreas Katsulas...what a guy.

The only reason I even gave Babylon 5 a chance during its abysmal pilot film and so-so first season was Andreas Katsulas. I loved how his character made this almost seamless transition from one-dimensional bad guy to fully-fleshed-out spiritual good guy. It was a refreshing change from the ordinary and, I think, paved the way for similar characters in the genre. I, like others on this board, never knew the man personally, but what I knew of him from his portrayal of G'Kar made me think this was quite a guy to have a beer with.

This is one geek who will toast the memory of Andreas Katsulas. He was quite a guy.

- T

:(

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 1:45 PM

DC4BS

G'Kar was my favorite character on B5 as well.

I remember getting very excited watching "The Fugitive" the first time when I recognized the voice of the one armed man and realized who the actor was...

------------------------------------------
dc4bs

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 2:08 PM

CORNCOBB

This is such sad news. I loved Babylon 5 and Andreas put in an incredible performance as G'kar. He will be missed

"Gorramit Mal... I've forgotten my line."

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Friday, April 7, 2006 8:10 PM

JAYNEZTOWN

What a great man he was, his talents will be dearly missed

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