Mark Lenard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mark Lenard
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Lenard (left) as Sarek
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| Born |
Leonard Rosenson
October 15, 1924 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
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| Died | November 22, 1996 (aged 72) New York City, New York
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| Alma mater | University of Michigan |
| Occupation | Film, television actor |
| Years active | 1951–1993 |
| Spouse(s) |
Ann Amouri
(m. 1960) |
| Children | 2 |
Mark Lenard (born Leonard Rosenson, October 15, 1924 – November 22, 1996) was an American actor. He was best known for his roles on television. His most famous part was playing Sarek in the Star Trek universe. Sarek was the father of Spock, a very famous character. Mark Lenard played Sarek in the original Star Trek TV show. He also played him in the animated series and in three Star Trek movies. Later, he appeared as Sarek in two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation. He also played a Klingon in Star Trek The Motion Picture. Plus, he was a Romulan in an episode of the original Star Trek series.
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Early Life and Career Beginnings
Mark Lenard was born in Chicago, Illinois. His father, Abraham, was an immigrant from Russia. His mother was Bessie. Mark grew up in a small town called South Haven, Michigan. This town is on Lake Michigan, and his family owned a place for tourists there.
In 1943, he joined the United States Army. He trained to be a paratrooper during World War II. He did not fight in battles. He left the army in 1946 as a technical sergeant.
Mark started acting while he was in the army. After the war, he went to the University of Michigan. He earned a master's degree in theater and speech. He became known in New York City for serious plays. These included works by famous writers like Ibsen and Chekhov. One of his first important roles was Conrad in a play called Much Ado About Nothing.
Becoming a Star: Star Trek and Other Roles
In the mid-1960s, Mark Lenard moved his family to Los Angeles. There, he played Dr. Ernest Gregory in the TV show Another World. He also appeared as one of the Three Wise Men in the movie The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965).
Mark Lenard is most famous for his roles in the Star Trek series. He played three different alien races! His first Star Trek role was in 1966. He played the first Romulan ever seen in the original series. This was in an episode called "Balance of Terror".
He then created the character of Sarek in 1967. Sarek was the father of Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy. Mark Lenard also voiced Sarek in Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973). Later, he played a Klingon Captain in Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979). This made him the only actor to play a Romulan, a Vulcan (Sarek's race), and a Klingon in Star Trek.
He played Sarek again in three Star Trek movies:
- Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)
- Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
- Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
He also voiced a younger Sarek in a short scene in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989). Mark Lenard returned as an older Sarek in Star Trek: The Next Generation. He appeared in the episodes "Sarek" (1990) and "Unification: Part 1" (1991).
Other Television and Film Work
Mark Lenard started acting in TV shows and movies in 1955. He played Nathan Walsh in the soap opera Search for Tomorrow. He was also Dr. Ernest Gregory in Another World. For two seasons, he played Aaron Stempel in the TV series Here Come the Brides (1968-1970).
He guest-starred in several episodes of Mission: Impossible. He also appeared in a two-part episode of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. In the movie Hang 'Em High (1968), he played a lawyer. He was the gorilla Urko in the TV series Planet of the Apes.
Mark Lenard also appeared on Little House on the Prairie. He played Peter Ingalls, the older brother of Charles Ingalls. He had roles in Gunsmoke several times too.
In 1990, he acted in a film called The Radicals. He played a character named Eberhard Hoffman. In 1993, Mark Lenard toured in a play with fellow Star Trek actor Walter Koenig. Mark played an older Huck Finn, and Walter played Tom Sawyer.
Mark Lenard passed away in New York City in 1996. He was 72 years old.
Selected Filmography
Film
- The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) - Balthazar
- Hang 'Em High (1968) - Prosecuting Attorney
- Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) - Klingon Captain
- Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) - Ambassador Sarek
- Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) - Ambassador Sarek
- Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) - Ambassador Sarek
Television
- Search for Tomorrow (1959-1960) - Nathan Walsh
- Another World (1964-1965) - Dr. Ernest Gregory
- Mission: Impossible (1966-1970) - various roles
- Star Trek: "Balance of Terror" (1966) - Romulan Commander
- Star Trek: "Journey to Babel" (1967) - Sarek
- Here Come the Brides (1968–1970) - Aaron Stempel
- Star Trek: The Animated Series: "Yesteryear" (1973) - Sarek (voice)
- Planet of the Apes (1974) - General Urko
- Little House on the Prairie: "Journey in the Spring" (1976) - Peter Ingalls
- Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: "Journey to Oasis" (1981) - Ambassador Duvoe
- Star Trek: The Next Generation: "Sarek" (1990) - Sarek
- Star Trek: The Next Generation: "Unification: Part 1" (1991) - Sarek
