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“Star Trek” Actor Gene Dynarski Dies In Rehab At 86

By Michael Bamidele

25 April 2020   |   1:23 pm

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American actor Gene Dynarski, who was best known for his roles in "Seinfield" and "Star Trek" has died. He was 86. According to Hollywood Reporter, Dynarski passed away earlier this year on Feb. 27 at a rehabilitation centre in Studio City, Los Angeles. His death was announced by playwright Ernest Kearney. Born on September 13,…

Gene Dynarski – NBC-Metro UK

American actor Gene Dynarski, who was best known for his roles in “Seinfield” and “Star Trek” has died. He was 86.

According to Hollywood Reporter, Dynarski passed away earlier this year on Feb. 27 at a rehabilitation centre in Studio City, Los Angeles. His death was announced by playwright Ernest Kearney.

Born on September 13, 1933, Dynarski has a long list of onscreen credits but he’s most popular roles were Izzy, the son of Lloyd Bridges’ character, on Seinfeld and Ike in Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

He appeared twice on the original Star Trek, as the miner Ben Childress on the 1966 episode “Mudd’s Women” and as Krodak, who represents a city up for Federation membership, on the 1969 instalment “The Mark of Gideon.” Dynarski was seen as Benedict, one of Egghead’s (Vincent Price) henchmen, on Batman in 1966, and on a 2000 episode of The X-Files, his character fell victim to a monstrous bat creature.

Dynarski’s other film and TV credits included Earthquake (1974), Airport 1975 and All the President’s Men (1976) and Hill Street Blues, The A-Team, Little House on the Prairie, Starsky and Hutch, Kung Fu, Kojak, Bonanza and The Monkees, among other TV series.

Prior to his career as an actor, Dynarski worked at a blowing alley and served in the U.S. Navy.

Dynarski is survived by two daughters.