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Jeff Corey is dead.

M

Morden

Regular
Jeff Corey, the actor that played the unforgettable Justin in the episode "Z'Ha'Dum" died on Friday. Justin, the camameal drinking 'middle man', using his constant hand motions tempted Sheridan by asking him to join the Shadows in scenes that were similar to the temptation of Jesus in the desert.

Jeff Corey had been acting since the late 1930s and has appeared in several movies, television shows, did some directing, and became an acting teacher whom taught some very big names (James Dean, Robin Williams, Carol Burnett, Leonard Nimoy...) Jeff died at the age of 88 on Friday, August 16th.

/forums/images/icons/frown.gif
 
As soon as I saw him the first time on B5 I thought "I have seen this actor before". I just can't remember where.

88 is not a bad age to live to. Especially if he was active and relatively healthy for most of that time. I hope he didn't have to suffer too much.

And I never knew he was an acting teacher. Can you imagine trying to instruct Robin Williams?
 
Mr Corey was quite the character actor in his day. His career was hurt after he was blacklisted in the 1950's and he was relegated to several television appearances in the decades that followed. He had a face made for westerns. /forums/images/icons/tongue.gif

Sci-fi fans might remember as the Governor of Stratus in the Star Trek (TOS) episode "The Cloud Minders".
 
That's sad to hear. I recognized the name, but didn't realize who he was until you mentioned what episode he was in.
 
I so remember seeing "The Cloud Miners" as a kid, with Jeff Corey as Plasus. It was a fascinating episode about class struggle. It stuck with me to this day. I'm sorry to hear of his passing.
 
He will now walk with the others that have gone before. May he be in peace and always remembered. /forums/images/icons/frown.gif
 
Jeff Corey also played Wild Bill Hickock in The Little Big Man, starring Dustin Hoffman, one of my favorite films, and books. He also played a very Faustian character, similar to Justin, in John Frankenheimer's film "Seconds," in which he offers Rock Hudson a new body and a new life, for a price. He was also in the original Outer Limits, and scads of other TV shows, and films.

And who more appropriate to announce his passing to B5 fans than Morden!
 
It's very nice to see so many people know some of Jeff Corey's work and to see you here.

Glad you see the irony, Jade. We Agents of Chaos must stick up for one another I guess. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif
 
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
He was also in the original Outer Limits

[/quote]
Do you happen to remember which episode off hand? I must have seen him in the Star Trek episode and the outer limits episode. Since (other than Voyager) I think I've seen all of the episodes of Star Trek by now.

I do think I've seen him in multiple shows, too. I just remember seeing him but have this annoying thing going on where I can't quite remember where. Except for the B5 episode, I mean.

EDIT:
o.k. I just found his website which summarizes a lot of his career:
Jeff Corey


I think the role I was trying to remember was actually Barney Miller. But I'm still curious about his roles on Star Trek and the Outer Limits.

Anyhow, he did a wide variety of work, didn't he?
 
He played the O.B.I.T. man in the Outer Limits? That MUST be the first time I ever saw him act.

"The machines are everywhere..."

"...enjoy what time you have left..."
 
Sad to know. /forums/images/icons/frown.gif May his essence, if possible, continue its search for meaning... and hopefully good performances, of which his performance as Justin is a good reminder.
 
Yes, Hypatia, he was in the O.B.I.T. ep of the original Outer Limits. Unfortunately, although I've seen them all several times, I can't remember that ep, so if anyone knows it, and wants to jog my memory, please do. Jeff Corey has 136 entries for film roles on the IMDb, with the earliest in 1939. He has 66 TV role entries, and he directed 6 TV shows. He was in the 1946 film noir, The Killers, a great film, and played the crypt keeper in 1941's Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman. A pretty varied career!
 
Don't ever ask me something like that. I tend to ramble.

Anyhow: O.B.I.T.

HUGE SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE OUTER LIMITS EPISODE O.B.I.T. PLEASE SKIP THIS MESSAGE IF YOU DON'T WANT THE SPOILERS.








I cannot admit to remembering the plot exactly. /forums/images/icons/frown.gif But basically, a kind of senate investigation is going on. Why, I don't remember. /forums/images/icons/frown.gif (Again, sorry.)

But it is eventually discovered that a machine exists that can isolate a person's "personal frequency" or something like that. You can literally use this to spy on every action someone takes, if you know their "frequency" so to speak.

Much misdirection is used in the espisode. But eventually a supposedly "mad" scientist is brought to the court who testifies that he saw a "monster" while using the obit machine.

Anyhow, to make a long story short (and to butcher a very nice episode of Outer Limits) it turns out taht Jeff Corey's character is either linked to this "monster" or (I think) more likely IS this monster. (But then why would he have to send vocal messages to his killer? No, I take it back, he cannot really be the same alien that actually killed those people.)

Anyhow, there is an interesting scene where Jeff Corey is supposed to be waving his arms and declaring to the committee (or whatever it was) that "the machines are everywhere" . These are spying machines. And the assumption is that humanity cannot control it's desire to spy on it's neighbor even if it KNOWS that aliens are planting this device to cause society chaos an confusion.

Jeff Corey's character ends up "beaming up" or something like that while glee-fully declaring that it is just a matter of time before humanity destroys itself with this spy machine "obit".

Enjoy what time you have left, or something like that is his gleeful exclamation.

Anyhow, it was great O.L. ep as far as I am concerned. O.L. had even more budget problems than JMS had, I'd bet.

And yet they made a GREAT show. /forums/images/icons/grin.gif
 
The idea of teaching actors is kind of a sick nightmare to me. /forums/images/icons/shocked.gif I know, I've been there. As an actor, I mean. I was into drama in highschool and college. You'll never meet a more unruly bunch! /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

He certainly did have a lot of famous students. He must have been doing something right there! But can you imagine what it would be like to have the likes of Robin Williams in your class? /forums/images/icons/shocked.gif /forums/images/icons/devil.gif

Mellissa Gilbert is one of the (few?) child stars who didn't self-destruct, isn't she?

And married a fine hubby, too. /forums/images/icons/grin.gif
 
Well, hyapatia, if you saw Melissa Gilbert on Jeopardy... that was a self destruct. Not the sharpest tool in the shed... Robyn from Howard Stern (I forget her last name) kicked her butt.

I don't think I've seen Mr. Corey in anything else, but as Justin, he really creeped me out. As a one-episode guest on B5, he's at the top of my list. JMS's writing had a lot to do with it, but having a frail, friendly old man as the ambassador to the Shadows was such a paradox to Morden's character - the "healthy, verile young man" - that it really hit home. When he lost his temper, it was quite effective. So I don't include spoilers, all I'll say is I felt like I was being spanked when I heard the line, "But you DO WHAT YOU'RE TOLD! And so will YOU!"

On an unrelated topic, I just finished watching a TiVo's DS9 episode... and realize now just how much I miss Bab.

-Tim
 
Flipper, I meant "self-destruct" in the Elvis/Judy Garland kind of way.

Mellisa Gilbert has not descended into extreme drug abuse and/or alcoholism. She has not married and divorced a million times.

I'd probably look like a complete idiot on any game show. I'm not much of a trivia buff, I guess. But I'd say she seems to be happy and well-adjusted.

For a "child star" that seems to be a bit of a rare gift. ESPECIALLY if that child star continued to work in the acting profession.

Go get 'em, girl! /forums/images/icons/grin.gif
 
<font color="orange">And married a fine hubby, too.</font color>
Noooo, noooo she should have been mine!...

Oh.

Mellissa Gilbert, I thought you meant Sara for a moment there. The Gilbert name got my hormones a-jumpin' /forums/images/icons/devil.gif
 
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Mellissa Gilbert, I thought you meant Sara for a moment there. The Gilbert name got my hormones a-jumpin'

[/quote]
Understandable, since Sara is Melissa's younger sister. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif
 
I'll always remember him in True Grit as Tom Chaney- when shot by Kim Darby (Mattie Ross) using a Colt Dragoon remarked - "Everything happens to me! Now I'm shot by a child!" - Another of his many great performances.
 
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