James Sloyan, a character actor best known for his work in the film The Sting and across the Star Trek television franchise, has died. He was 85.
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Sloyan died on July 22, with his family only recently releasing his obituary. According to the obituary, he died in his Sherman Oaks, California home.
“Friends and colleagues remember him always present, always curious, courageous, inventive, loyal, as well as brash, mouthy and very urban,” the obituary read. “He was one-of-a-kind.”
James Sloyan was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on February 24,1941. He was the youngest of four kids. After his father’s death, the family moved to Albany, New York. Eventually, Sloyan graduated from The American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
After a three year stint in Arizona while serving in the Army, he started acting upon returning to New York.
In 1973’s The Sting, Sloyan played Mottola, the numbers runner who works for racketeer Doyle Lonnegan and falls victim to a “pigeon drop scam” carried out by Johnny Hooker and Luther Coleman.
Proving further his character actor skills, Sloyan co-starred alongside Olivia Newton-John in 1980’s Xanadu. He played Simpson, the tyrannical boss of artist Sonny Malone, played by Michael Beck.
On television, he spent one season starring opposite Madeline Kahn on her sitcom Oh Madeline. He played Charlie Wayne, husband of Kahn’s character and a writer of steamy romance novels under the name Crystal Love.
He is likely most commonly known for his Star Trek work.
Sloyan made five appearances as a member of four species on popular 90s Star Trek shows The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager. On The Next Generation, he played a Romulan admiral before playing the son of Klingon Worf.
He played Bajoran scientist Dr. Mora on Deep Space Nine and Haakonian scientist Ma’bor Jetrel on Voyager.
For 18 years, Sloyan was the voice heard in Lexus car commercials.