Armin Shimerman
Armin Shimerman (born November 5, 1949) is an American actor and voice actor. He is known for his work as the Ferengi bartender Quark on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Principal Snyder on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, voicing Doctor Nefarious in the Ratchet & Clank series and Andrew Ryan from BioShock.
Armin Shimerman | |
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Shimerman at GalaxyCon Richmond in 2020 | |
Born | Lakewood, New Jersey, U.S. | November 5, 1949
Occupation | Actor, voice actor |
Years active | 1979–present |
Spouse(s) |
Early life
Shimerman was born to a Jewish family[1][2] in Lakewood, New Jersey, the son of Susan, an accountant, and Herbert Shimerman, a house painter.[3] When Shimerman was 15, his family moved to Los Angeles, where his mother enrolled him in a drama group in an effort to expand his social circle. Shimerman attended Santa Monica High School and was active in drama.[4] As a senior, he played leading roles in school productions of Hamlet, The Crucible and The Skin of Our Teeth before graduating in 1967.[5][6] After graduating from UCLA, Shimerman was selected to apprentice at the Old Globe Theater in San Diego. Shimerman began pursuing a dramatic career in theater, eventually moving to New York, where he was a member of the Impossible Ragtime Theater.[7] Returning to Los Angeles, Shimerman received roles in two CBS series, launching his television acting career.
Career
Acting
Television
Shimerman is known for his work as the Ferengi bar owner Quark in the long-running television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, though his involvement with the Star Trek franchise began with appearances as other Ferengi characters in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes "The Last Outpost" and "Peak Performance". As the character Quark, Shimerman became one of Star Trek's most widely known characters, and he appeared several times on the cover of TV Guide, either with other actors or alone as part of a collector's series. He says that his favorite episode of Deep Space Nine is "Little Green Men" as it was the only episode where he is shown captaining a ship.
Along with Marina Sirtis, Jonathan Frakes, John de Lancie, Michael Ansara, and Richard Poe, he is one of only a few actors to play the same character on three different Star Trek series. He played Quark in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager.
In addition to Star Trek, Shimerman has had roles as Pascal on Beauty and the Beast and as Principal Snyder in 19 episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He also has starred in Stargate SG-1 as one of the Nox, an evil wizard in Charmed, appeared as Stan the caddy in an episode of Seinfeld and as Dr. Patemkin on Leverage.
Shimerman has appeared as judge Brian Hooper in the third season of Boston Legal, joining fellow Star Trek actors William Shatner, René Auberjonois, and Ethan Phillips. His character even shared a scene with Auberjonois, with the strife between the two characters reminiscent of the conflict between Shimerman's Quark and Auberjonois's Odo.
He made an appearance as "The Terror" in the first The Tick live-action series.
He appeared in the series Numb3rs episode "Provenance" as an art expert. He had a small cameo in the episode "Posse Comitatus" of The West Wing as Richard III and another in the film What the Bleep Do We Know!?.
He has made appearances in television series such as Married... with Children, Warehouse 13, Tremors, Castle and Red Bird.
Voice work
He has voiced several video game villains, including Toad in X-Men Legends, Andrew Ryan in the BioShock series, Razputin's father in Psychonauts, and General Skarr from Evil Con Carne and The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy. He lent his voice talent to BioWare for their games Jade Empire (as Emperor Sun Hai) and Mass Effect (as the original Salarian Councilor). He also voices Emil Narud and Mohandar in StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty and the expansion StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm.
In 2008, he voiced the character of Wilmer in an audio dramatization of The Maltese Falcon that also featured Michael Madsen, Sandra Oh, and Edward Herrmann. In addition, he also voiced the character of Mr. Phillips in Focus on the Family Radio Theatre's production of Anne of Green Gables. He also voiced Raanu in the straight-to-DVD animated film Bionicle: The Legend Reborn. He also voices Green Goblin in the video game Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2.
In 2011, he provided additional voices for the MMORPG Star Wars: The Old Republic.
In 2012, he also provided additional voice talent for the MMORPG The Secret World.
His most well known voice work is that of Doctor Nefarious in the Ratchet & Clank franchise, a role he received much praise for.
He reprised his roles as Dr. Nefarious and Andrew Ryan in the crossover fighting game PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale.
Writing
Deep Space Nine
Shimerman co-authored a Star Trek: Deep Space Nine novel, The 34th Rule, with David R. George III, published January 1, 1999. It focuses on his character Quark, who loses his bar and is imprisoned as a result of a diplomatic crisis between the Bajoran and Ferengi governments. The novel is an allegory for the internment of Japanese Americans during the Second World War.[8]
The Merchant Prince series
Shimerman has co-written a series of books in which he provides a science fictional basis for the life of Dr. John Dee. The first novel in the series, The Merchant Prince, was co-written with Irish author Michael Scott, known for his Nicholas Flamel series. Published in 2000, it features the historical figure John Dee being placed in suspended animation in 1575 by an alien race known as the Roc and awakening in 2099. The cover features Shimerman in Elizabethan garb. Shimerman commented: "John Dee really did exist. We're pretty sure he was a member of Queen Elizabeth's secret service, which put it in his purview to kill if he needed to. The Elizabethan period was a much more perilous time; you had to be quick with a dagger and nefarious in order to survive".[9] Shimerman thought there were aspects of both himself and his Star Trek: Deep Space Nine character, Quark, in the novel's interpretation of John Dee. Shimerman commented: "There are aspects of Quark similar to Dr. Dee, and undoubtedly there are aspects of Dr. Dee similar to Armin Shimerman, which would make him seem like Quark as well".[9]
The other novels in the series are Outrageous Fortune (2002), co-written with Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, known for her historical horror novels, and Capital Offense (2003).
Personal life
Shimerman is married to actress Kitty Swink.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1980 | Stardust Memories | Eulogy Audience Member | |
1986 | The Hitcher | Interrogation Sergeant | |
1986 | Stoogemania | Larry II | |
1987 | Blind Date | French Waiter | |
1987 | Like Father Like Son | Trigger's Dad | |
1988 | Dangerous Curves | Boggs | |
1989 | Big Man on Campus | Dr. Oberlander | |
1989 | Arena | Weezil | |
1990 | Death Warrant | Dr. Gottesman | |
1991 | And You Thought Your Parents Were Weird | Contest Judge | |
1993 | Slaughter of the Innocents | Dr. Mort Seger | |
1996 | Eye for an Eye | Judge Arthur Younger | |
1997 | Snide and Prejudice | Eckart | |
1997 | Looking for Lola | Maitre'd | |
1998 | Star Trek: Insurrection | Quark | Deleted scenes |
1999 | The Auteur Theory | Detective Blank | |
2001 | Breathing Hard | Conrad | |
2004 | What the Bleep Do We Know!? | Man | Cameo |
2005 | The Works | Gerald | |
2005 | Geppetto's Secret | Leonardo the Paintbrush (voice) | |
2006 | What the Bleep!?: Down the Rabbit Hole | Old Man | |
2008 | The Urn | Fiester | |
2008 | Delgo | Nohrin Merchant (voice) | |
2008 | Insanitarium | Hawthorne | Direct-to-video |
2009 | Bionicle: The Legend Reborn | Raanu (voice) | Direct-to-video |
2010 | For Christ's Sake | The Pope | |
2011 | Atlas Shrugged: Part I | Dr. Potter | |
2012 | Dropping Evil | CEO / "Boss Man" | |
2014 | The Sublime and Beautiful | Lee Westin | |
2016 | Ratchet & Clank | Doctor Nefarious (voice) | |
2016 | Diani & Devine Meet the Apocalypse | Thomas | |
2017 | 5th Passenger | Myers | |
2018 | Porthole | Dr. Hans Meeker | |
2019 | Golden Boy | Cagan | |
2020 | Unbelievable!!!!! | Male Moesha | |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1982 | Hill Street Blues | Phone Man | Episode: "Heat Rash" |
1983 | Oh Madeline | Norman | Episode: "Chances Are" |
1984 | Cagney & Lacey | Officer Green | Episode: "Matinee" |
1984 | The Paper Chase | Asphalt Expert Witness | Episode: "Tempest in a Pothole" |
1984 | Remington Steele | Nestor Bartholomew | Episode: "Lofty Steele" |
1985 | Alice | Man at Auction | Episode: "Kiss the Grill Goodbye" |
1985 | I Had Three Wives | Herb | Episode: "You and I Know" |
1985 | The Facts of Life | Mr. Smith | Episode: "Out of the Fire" |
1986 | It's Garry Shandling's Show | The Doctor | Episode: "Garry Throws a Surprise Party" |
1986 | You Again? | Jim | Episode: "The Grad" |
1987 | What's Happening Now!! | Frank | Episode: "Mad Money" |
1987 | Easy Street | Mr. Klinestabber | Episode: "Frames and Dames" |
1987 | Crime Story | Treasurer | Episode: "The Pinnacle" |
1987 | Sledge Hammer! | Malcolm Dench | Episode: "Hammeroid" |
1987–90 | Beauty and the Beast | Pascal | 16 episodes |
1987–94 | Star Trek: The Next Generation | Quark, DaiMon Bractor, Gift-Box Face, Letek | 4 episodes |
1989 | Hooperman | Dr. Wexler | Episode: "Nightmare in Apartment One" |
1989 | Duet | Dr. Jordan | Episode: "The New and Improved Linda" |
1989, 1994 | L.A. Law | Timothy Wiseboro, Ernie Frye | 2 episodes |
1990 | Miracle Landing | Rick | Television film |
1990 | Grand | Dr. Kasmurski, Man at Funeral | 2 episodes |
1990 | Who's the Boss? | Mr. Warner | Episode: "Road Scholar" |
1990 | Alien Nation | Cyril Roman | Episode: "Gimme, Gimme" |
1990 | Cop Rock | Mersky | Episode: "Pilot" |
1990 | Good Grief | Stinky | Episode: "Cub Scouts and Horses & Whiskers on Kittens" |
1991 | Married... with Children | Mr. Lovejoy | Episode: "Buck the Stud" |
1991 | Pros and Cons | Harvey | Episode: "Fire and Ice" |
1991–92 | Brooklyn Bridge | Bernard | 4 episodes |
1992 | Civil Wars | Victor Sofransky | Episode: "Mob Psychology" |
1993–99 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Quark, Herbert Rossoff, Audrid Dax | 172 episodes |
1995 | Star Trek: Voyager | Quark | Episode: "Caretaker" |
1996 | Seinfeld | Stan | Episode: "The Caddy" |
1996 | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno | Quark | 1 episode |
1996 | The Lazarus Man | Henry Munroe | Episode: "Jehovah and Son, Inc." |
1997 | Stargate SG-1 | Anteaus | Episode: "The Nox" |
1997 | Ally McBeal | Judge Walworth | Episode: "Boy to the World" |
1997–98 | The Practice | Judge Garth Moskin | 2 episodes |
1997–2000 | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Principal Snyder | 19 episodes |
1998 | The Lost World | Professor George Edward Challenger | Television film |
1999 | Martial Law | Daniel Darius | Episode: "Slammo Blammo" |
1999–2000 | Rocket Power | Ben Robbins, Shopkeeper (voices) | 2 episodes |
2001 | Judging Amy | Anthony Cara | Episode: "The Undertow" |
2001 | The Invisible Man | Tommy Walker / Augustin Gaither | 3 episodes |
2001 | The Guardian | Judge Smitrovich | Episode: "The Men from the Boys" |
2001 | Citizen Baines | Robert Udelwitz | Episode: "The Appraisal" |
2001 | The Agency | Dr. Oliver | Episode: "Nocturne" |
2001–07 | The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy | General Skarr, Stomach, Skarr's Mom, Janitor, Baby Spider, Mann (voices) | 23 episodes |
2002 | The Tick | The Terror | Episode: "The Terror" |
2002 | Charmed | The Wizard | Episode: "We're Off to See the Wizard" |
2002 | Boston Public | Judge Semel | Episode: "Chapter Forty-Four" |
2002 | The West Wing | Richard III | Episode: "Posse Comitatus" |
2002 | For the People | Dr. O'Neill | 2 episodes |
2002 | Thieves | Professor Conrad Haglar | Episode: "Home Is Where the Heist Is" |
2002 | Girls Club | Edmund Graves | 3 episodes |
2003 | Tremors | Cecil Carr | Episode: "A Little Paranoia Among Friends" |
2003 | The Handler | Maxwell Rosenheim | 2 episodes |
2003–04 | Evil Con Carne | General Skarr, Stomach, Dude #1, Skarrbot (voices) | 9 episodes |
2004 | Single Santa Seeks Mrs. Claus | Ernest | Television film |
2004 | Crossing Jordan | Dr. McCain | Episode: "Slam Dunk" |
2004 | ER | Levine | Episode: "Where There's Smoke" |
2004 | Nip/Tuck | Ocularist | Episode: "Natasha Charles" |
2005 | Committed | Super | Episode: "The Snow Episode" |
2005 | Justice League Unlimited | Dr. Achilles Milo (voice) | Episode: "The Doomsday Sanction" |
2005 | Joan of Arcadia | Ronald Harbison | Episode: "Trial and Error" |
2005 | Invasion | Josh Breims | 2 episodes |
2005 | Meet the Santas | Ernest | Television film |
2006 | Ben 10 | Slix Vigma (voice) | Episode: "Grudge Match" |
2006 | Dr. Vegas | Clown | Episode: "Heal thyself" |
2006 | Numbers | The Art-Authentication Board Member | Episode: "Provenance" |
2006 | Boston Legal | Judge Brian Hooper | 7 episodes |
2006 | South of Nowhere | Dr. Crawford | Episode: "That's the Way the World Crumbles" |
2006 | Dead and Deader | Coroner Flutie | Television film |
2007 | Billy & Mandy's Big Boogey Adventure | General Skarr, Pirate #7 (voices) | Television film |
2007 | The Young and the Restless | Judge Graham Roberts | 1 episode |
2008 | Underfist: Halloween Bash | General Skarr, Candy Skeleton, Rat, Creepy Gnome (voices) | Television special |
2009 | Leverage | Dr. Patemkin | Episode: "The Juror #6 Job" |
2009–10 | Batman: The Brave and the Bold | Calculator, Psycho-Pirate, Walter Mark "Prof" Haley (voices) | 3 episodes |
2010 | Warehouse 13 | Charlie Martin | Episode: "Where and When" |
2012 | Perception | Dr. Cutler | Episode: "86'd" |
2012 | Castle | Benjamin Donnelly | Episode: "The Final Frontier" |
2012–16 | Regular Show | Dr. Henry, Nightmare Alien, Waiter, Gopher Person, Guy, Guy 1, Zingo 3, Mr. Murphy, Buttonwillow McButtonwillow (voices) | 8 episodes |
2013 | Bad Samaritans | Judge | 2 episodes |
2013 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Oscar | Episode: "Check In and Check Out" |
2014 | Franklin & Bash | Stu Weston | Episode: "Falcon's Nest" |
2016 | Red Bird | Max | 2 episodes |
2016 | Timeless | David Rittenhouse | Episode: "The Capture of Benedict Arnold" |
2016 | Uncle Grandpa | Additional Voices | Episode: "The Phone Call" |
2017 | Justice League Action | Zilius Zox (voice) | Episode: "Rage of the Red Lanterns" |
2018 | We Bare Bears | Additional Voices | Episode: "Best Bears" |
Video games
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
1996 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Harbinger | Quark |
2000 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Fallen | |
2004 | Onimusha 3: Demon Siege | Hideyoshi Hashiba |
2004 | X-Men Legends | Toad, Male Prisoner #5 |
2004 | Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal | Doctor Nefarious |
2005 | Jade Empire | Emperor Sun Hai, Abbot Song, The Keeper |
2005 | Psychonauts | Raz's Father |
2005 | X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse | Toad, Zealot |
2005 | Ratchet: Deadlocked | Doctor Nefarious |
2006 | The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy | General Skarr |
2006 | Gothic 3 | Additional Voices |
2006 | Resistance: Fall of Man | |
2007 | God of War II | Translator |
2007 | BioShock | Andrew Ryan |
2007 | Mass Effect | Fai Dan, Salarian Councilor |
2008 | Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath | Additional Voices |
2008 | Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty | Doctor Nefarious |
2009 | Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 | Green Goblin |
2009 | Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time | Doctor Nefarious |
2010 | Mass Effect 2 | Salarian Councilor |
2010 | BioShock 2 | Andrew Ryan |
2010 | StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty | Dr. Narud, Mohandar |
2010 | BioShock 2: Minerva's Den | Andrew Ryan |
2010 | Star Trek Online | Quark |
2011 | Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One | Doctor Nefarious |
2011 | Star Wars: The Old Republic | Archduke Kailur, Councillor Belos, Councillor Delquis, Dal-Rin, Darshyn, General Uchang, Governor Chornarov, Jorr-Da, Scientist, Trader |
2012 | Mass Effect 3 | Councilor Valern |
2012 | Diablo III | Additional Voices |
2012 | The Secret World | Chief Garcia Hansson, Old Joseph Cajiais |
2012 | World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria | Additional Voices |
2012 | PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale | Doctor Nefarious, Andrew Ryan, Vox Populi |
2013 | StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm | Dr. Emil Narud (Human Form) |
2014 | Diablo III: Reaper of Souls | Additional Voices |
2014 | BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea | Andrew Ryan |
2016 | Ratchet & Clank | Doctor Nefarious |
2018 | Lego DC Super-Villains | Psycho-Pirate, Condiment King |
2019 | Death Stranding | Elder |
Bibliography
Deep Space Nine
- The 34th Rule (1998), a novel centering on his character Quark (with David R. George III)
Merchant Prince series
- The Merchant Prince (2000) (with Michael Scott)
- Outrageous Fortune (2002) (with Chelsea Quinn Yarbro)
- Capital Offense (2003)
References
- Jewish Journal: "Top 5 Jewish moments in ‘Trek’" by Adam Wills May 7, 2009
- Jewish Journal: "Jews Get Geek on at Comic-Con" by Adam Wills July 22, 2009
- "Armin Shimerman Biography (1949–)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
- "Classmates - Find your school, yearbooks and alumni online". Retrieved June 10, 2019.
- "Classmates - Find your school, yearbooks and alumni online". Retrieved June 10, 2019.
- http://www.classmates.com/siteui/yearbooks/352?page=75
- "Quark from Deep Space Nine - Part 2". www.startrek.com. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
- "Recalling "Yesterday's Enterprise" with Eric Stillwell - Part 2". Star Trek.com. February 18, 2011. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
- Dilmore, Kevin (2001). "Star Trek Communicator issue 130". Fantastic Media. Denver Colorado: 59.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Armin Shimerman. |
- Armin Shimerman on IMDb
- Armin Shimerman at the Internet Broadway Database
- Bio @ Starfleetlibrary.com
- QUARK'S RENAISSANCE: Armin Shimerman Pens Novel About Philosopher John Dee
- An Interview with Armin Shimerman by Buffering the Vampire Slayer, A Buffy the Vampire Slayer Podcast, 19 November 2016.