René Auberjonois

Emmy award-nominated actor, former resident[19]

What is René Auberjonois known for?

René Murat Auberjonois, a renowned American actor and director, was born on June 1, 1940, in New York City. He's best known for his transformative performances both on stage and in television series.

Auberjonois first rose to prominence as a stage actor, earning the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Sebastian Baye in the musical 'Coco' in 1970. He also received three more Tony nominations for performances in 'The Good Doctor' (1973), 'Big River' (1985), and 'City of Angels' (1989); he won the Drama Desk Award for 'Big River'.

As a screen actor, Auberjonois had an extensive filmography with over 200 credits. He was most famous for portraying characters like Clayton Endicott III on 'Benson' (1980–1986), Odo on 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine' (1993–1999), and Paul Lewiston on 'Boston Legal' (2004–2008). He was also an Emmy Award nominee for his role on 'Benson'. Apart from his role in TV series, he appeared in several films including the film version of 'M*A*S*H' (1970), 'King Kong' (1976), 'The Little Mermaid' (1989), and 'The Patriot' (2000). He also lent his voice to the character Flanagan in the animated musical comedy film 'Cats Don't Dance' (1997) and several other video games, animated series, and productions.

Auberjonois was born to Swiss-born Fernand Auberjonois, a Cold War-era foreign correspondent and Pulitzer Prize-nominated writer, and Laure Louise Napoléone Eugénie Caroline Murat, a descendant of one of Napoleon's marshals and King of Naples during the First French Empire. His family moved to Paris after World War II, and after a few years in France, they moved back to the United States, joining the South Mountain Road artists' colony in Rockland County, New York. He was an alumnus of Anderson Valley High School, California.

Throughout his career and life, René Auberjonois proved himself to be a diverse and dedicated actor who left a lasting legacy on American film and television. He passed away on December 8, 2019, in Los Angeles, California.