Malachi Throne Dies At Age 84 March 14, 2013
by Jeff Bond , Filed under: Celebrity,TNG,TOS , trackback
Veteran character actor Malachi Throne’s death was announced on March 14, 2013. Throne was well-known to Star Trek fans for his role as Commodore Mendez in the two-part episode “The Menagerie,” but he had more connections to Trek and other high-profile genre productions over the course of his lengthy career.
Malachi Throne dies at age 84
Malachi Throne was born in 1928 and began acting in theater productions at a young age, building up an impressive resume of stage work in New York before relocating to Los Angeles, where he became a familiar face in dozens of network television appearances. He appeared with William Shatner in the Outer Limits episode “Cold Hands, Warm Heart” and made an appearance on the spy series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. before providing the voice of the Talosian leader in the first Star Trek pilot, “The Cage.” When the series was picked up by NBC, Gene Roddenberry approached Throne for the role of Dr. McCoy—but Throne was only interested in the role of Spock, which was already cast. Not wanting to play the number three role in the series, Throne turned down the job. He was later cast as Commodore Mendez for “The Menagerie.” .
Malachi Throne as Mendez in "Star Trek" and Pardek in "Star Trek: The Next Generation"
Throne earned himself some major publicity by playing the role of Falseface, one of the villains in the ABC hit Batman, in 1966. He initially refused credit for the character (whose face is never seen) after finding out an actress cast in the episode was earning more money than him. When the identity of Falseface became an overnight watercooler discussion (Batman episodes aired in two parts on successive prime time evenings), Throne agreed to take credit for playing Falseface in the second episode. He had an even meatier role in the Lost in Space episode “The Thief from Outer Space,” playing an Arabian Nights-style, interstellar con man opposite Ted Cassidy (who also made several Star Trek appearances), who befriends Will Robinson but ultimately loses the boy’s trust. Throne also made appearances in The Wild Wild West, The Time Tunnel (once playing Machiavelli) and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (where he once played the ghost of Blackbeard the
pirate). He was probably best known to television audiences for his regular role of Noah Bain, Robert Wagner’s superior, on the action series It Takes A Thief, but he also appeared in Mission: Impossible, Land of the Giants, a 1975 Superman TV movie, The Six Million Dollar Man, the Saturday morning sic-fi series Ark II (as War Lord Brack), Project U.F.O., Babylon 5 (as the Centauri Prime Minister), as the voice of God in Animaniacs, and played Romulan Senator Pardek in the two-part Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Unification,” making him one of a select few of actors who appeared both in the original Star Trek series and one of its spin-offs.
Throne as False Face in "Batman" and as Noah Bain with Robert Wagner in "It Takes A Thief"
Malachi Throne’s distinctively low, authoritative voice made him a natural for voiceover work and he did one job that certainly lurks in the memories of anyone old enough to remember seeing the original Star Wars in theaters: Throne narrated the first trailer for Star Wars, before John Williams’ familiar music had been recorded. “It’s a tale of heroes…and villains…” Throne’s sepulchral voice intoned, giving the impression that the upcoming space fantasy might be more scary than thrilling.
Original 1977 "Star Wars" trailer narrated by Throne
Throne made a final Star Trek appearance in the fan-produced Star Trek: New Voyages episode “In Harms Way.” I was on the set the day Throne was filming his segment and got to spend a highly enjoyable afternoon speaking with the actor and watching him work. He was a charming, highly intelligent and enormously talented man with a sly, sometimes cutting sense of humor—he didn’t suffer fools gladly but he was gracious and generous to those he worked with. I doubt anyone who grew up on genre television between the sixties and the eighties didn’t watch and enjoy a performance by Throne at least a couple of times.
Throne in fan series "Star Trek: New Voyages"
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“The Menagerie” still remains the best two hours of Trek ever committed to film, and Jose Mendez one of its most indelible characters. Going back into Trek history almost as far as anyone, Throne also provided the original voice for The Keeper in “The Cage,” and was a regular fixture on American television during the Sixties and after. He will be missed.
A great character actor who entertained us for many years.
RIP, Commodore.
Thank you Jeff for another well-written remembrance, and for a great character actor for Star Trek and beyond. RIP Mr. Throne
I thought Vic Perrin did the voice-over for The Keeper in “The Menagerie”.
I remember him fondly from The Menagerie. Somehow, I had missed the fact that he also played Senator Pardek.
I had the pleasure to meet him a few years ago at a convention. He was very approachable and handled his own money at the autograph table. And the man was the sheer definition of “character actor”. What a great career and all those incredible connections to Trek is just pure gravy…he will be missed.
The picture directly above the comments is not of Malachi Throne as ‘Mendes ‘but as the Klingon Korogh “IN HARMS WAY” STAR TREK NEW VOYAGES.
Outstanding character actor.
Dang. Had hoped to get the chance to meet him at a Star Trek convention sometime. I think this also brings us down to about 7 surviving “Batman” villains.
Not sure about one piece of the info presented here regarding the back-story about the credit on the False Face role in “Batman”, though. I’ve read in one of the histories someplace that — back at the time when everybody was seeking an opportunity to get cast as the show’s special guest villain — Malachi didn’t like the fact that his name got replaced with the gimmicky “?” that was put there. His name only appears during the ending credit on the 2nd of the 2 parts.
There’s also a logistical question regarding the claim that “water cooler talk” would’ve caused his name would’ve been added there between the time the 1st part was aired on a Wednesday night and the time the 2nd part came on the following evening. Back in 1966, TV episodes would’ve been cut together on film in Los Angeles, then sent by plane for broadcast from New York (no digital editing, or beaming-it-to-NY-by-satellite back then). Not impossible, but it seems like a little bit of a stretch that the ending credits on part 2 would’ve been changed so quickly.
Interesting how many “Trek” people later showed up on “6 Million Dollar Man” … even with Harve Bennett creating the Lee Majors show and later on taking the helm of the “Trek” movies.
Fantastic work, Jeff. A great remembrance of a great actor. He always brought a level of gravitas to his work that I really enjoyed. RIP.
#6 Jonboc
Yes I too met him at a convention in the UK. A very warm, Friendly, Genuine person, who actually spent a lot of time talking with me.
will be missed.
Oh no! Sad to hear.
A Class Act.
R.I.P. Malachi Throne.
“He was later cast as Commodore Mendez for ‘The Menagerie’, and in order to prevent confusion his vocal work for the Talosian leader played by Meg Wylie was redubbed (most likely by James Doohan).”
Are we sure about this? I thought the Keeper’s voice remained Throne’s voice… It was electronically treated to sound different in the TOS two-parter, a mix of his original voice-over and that in 1987′s reconstruction of “The Cage” and retrospectively corrected to all match for the DVD and Blu-rays.
11. that was my reaction too.
A Great Character Actor .
He will be missed .
Wow! I just finished watching the batman episode with false face not 10 minutes ago on You Tube. Now I come here and read that the actor died. I am having a Twilight Zone moment!
An amazing talent, and to all accounts a genuinely great person to meet. I regret that I never had the opportunity.
13. Yep. Compare Throne’s work as the Keeper from the B&W footage from the 1986-ish VHS to the remastered Blu-Ray – same exact inflection, timbre, and dialect – just electronicly enhanced and sped up. But it’s definitely Throne’s performance.
How interesting it is that the TNG episode he appeared in also included Nimoy!
RIP Mr. Throne.
Bon voyage, Mr. Throne.
Wow, I remember a lot of the roles that he did that were listed there. I’ve seen him all over the place through my years of watching reruns. I’m sorry to hear of his passing.
Sad to read this. My hat is off to you, Mr. Throne!
Throne’s voice as the Talosian Keeper was not redubbed by another actor, nor was it “sped up”; technically speaking, for the two-part “Menagerie” episode. The pitch of his voice was altered using an analog reel-to-reel tape device known as an Eltro Information Rate Changer. Even back in the 1960s, audio engineers had some neat tricks up their sleeves.
Watched “The Menagerie” endlessly throughout high school in the mid-eighties. My all-time favorite Trek episode, with Mendez being one of the finest-drawn secondary characters of the entire series, maybe the franchise; Throne actualized a realistic, stressed-out bureaucrat long before such a role had become over-stereotyped on television.
“The fact remains that your first officer’s former captain is hospitalized, horribly injured at this base, and that same first officer seems to be the only one who heard that message!”
He will be dearly missed.
RIP, Sir.
A great actor and contributor to Star Trek.
Great actor. Just saw him in a “High Chaparral” repeat. Repeat, great actor. Sad to hear this.
Love Malachi Throne, his voice is unmistakable. He did a lot of voice acting in cartoons in the ’70s through early ’2000s as well. RIP.
I’ll change the part about redubbing the Talosian; the new voice is similar to some of the ones Doohand did for the series (and the Animated Series) but if people know otherwise that should be noted.
What a wonderful character actor. I’ve been a fan of his for close to 50 years. I can’t think of him ever giving a bad performance. RIP, Mr. Throne, you leave behind a great legacy.
I’ve seen that Star Wars trailer a few times and always thought it was Orson Welles narrating.
A superb actor with a great voice, he was a unique link between TOS and TNG. Few can claim they were there from the very beginning.
Thanks for the great job you did in those Trek episodes (especially the Menagerie) Mr. Throne! And although I havent seen a great deal of your other work I’m sure its top notch as well.
well done.
I send my condolences to the family and friends of Malachi Throne. May he rest in peace.
It scares me that all of these TOS actors are dying in their 80s! Why wont JJ include them while he still can honor their legacy? Please honor Shatter and Nimoy together in new Trek while you still
can!
Godspeed, and thank you, Mr. Throne.
Now instead of Malachi Throne, he’s Malachi BONES!
RIP Mr. Throne, loved your work!!
Where are you Bob Orci! If you are a true fan you will find a way for Shatter and Nimoy to seal their legacy be
ore its to late!
I will remember him as Commodore Mendez, False Face, and Pardek. He was a staple in television and will be missed by his family, friends, and the show business community.
“Now instead of Malachi Throne, he’s Malachi BONES!”
That was rather tasteless. Why do you come here just to insult the departed?
#39,
How typical that you totally ignored the fact that I also wrote “RIP, a great actor”. Like everything has to be so damn serious 24/7 – come off it. He had a great life, acted brilliantly in a lot of memorable roles, and died in his 80′s – as far as I can see, this is a Win Win for everyone. There’s no insult in declaring him to be bones now, because he kind of is …
I think I might watch Menagerie now, to purge your inane comment from my mind!
I met him at a convention too. I told him how touched I was by his work in “The Menagerie,” and how Star Trek changed my life. I remember being struck by his poignant response: “You, me, and all of us too.” Thank you, Malachi Throne, and RIP.
I’d always hoped to see even more of him in Trek (and in other stuff) — and wished he hadn’t been hidden under makeup in that TNG episode.
Wow. I hadn’t known about the Star Wars trailer. Neat.
A nicely written piece, Jeff. Thanks.
Interesting that he could have been Dr. McCoy. And I did not know he did the head Talosian’s voice! Great voice, great character actor in all those shows, and I always thought ‘Malachi Throne’ was a cool name! Rest In Peace, sir.
@35. RIP, a great actor
Tasteless comment.
@22 – Thanx for the info. Technology is great! [Kyp Dynamite] Yeth, I love technolojee, but not ath much ath you, you see! But thtill I love technology; Alwayth and forever.” [/Kyp]
Wow! I didn’t know. Throne was always one of my favorites. I remember being pleased to see him as a print shop worker in “Catch me if you Can” a few years ago. – pleased he was still around. I always listened for him in commercial voice over work
As I read this article I thought, “wow Anthony’s hitting all the highlights I remember him from too”. Then I looked back up and noticed Jeff Bond had written it. Should have known. I like that historian aspect o you Jeff. Those are the kind of things I both amaze and bore my wife with. Credit where credit is due. That’s a good thing. There needs to be more of that in the world, my opinion.
His false face was always the most intriguing of all the villains to me. And a much better one than the Two Face I’ve heard they shied away from. This was a better substitution anyway. His voice behind an unmovable mask was very effective as a kid. Still is to me.
I had a whole schedule of shows I had to watch in the summer as a kid. I devoured TV . Some I’m not sure why I even watched,…starting with the Flying Nun and That Girl at 8:00 in the morning….leading up to what I really wanted to watch at 11:00 just before lunch – “It Takes a Thief”. Hearing him in the opening credits was such a cool concept to me,…”Oh look Al, I’m not asking you to spy,…I’m just asking you to steal”. I loved that show. Great opening. Great Dave Grusin theme song too.
I’d forgotten he was in that OuterLimits with Shatner. I have that on order just for that episode. Yes, I wax nostalgically for a different time sometimes.
And his Mendez in the Cage. Good stuff. “He can move his chair forward, back a bit,…but that’s all that poor devil can do, Jim” Great!
Malachi Throne was part of my childhood.
I miss this part of the site. This is what it used to be to me. All things Trek. Thanks for this.
And lest we forget, not only was he a great character actor – he just had one of the coolest names in the world. “Malachai Throne” is just a darn great name. And, from what I understand, it’s not even an actor’s stage name – it was his real name.
Great actor. Great voice. Great name.
RIP.
Apologies – Malachi, not Malachai
Can’t say it any better than most of the comments here–in pace requescat.
An era passes.
Thank you and RIP.
Loved It Takes a Thief.
Gee just yesterday I watch the two-part Six Million Dollar Man episode that was the “pilot” for the Bionic Woman, and guess who was in it Malachi Throne. It made me wonder what he was doing today. Low did I know that he died on the same day.
Who shall play Pardek in the Abramsverse?
@35. RIP, a great actor -
“Now instead of Malachi Throne, he’s Malachi BONES!”
He almost WAS Bones decades ago. He was offered the part of McCoy before De Kelley!
Mr. Throne was a fine actor. In the sixties and seventies he was ubiquitous on tv and so a familiar face to all television watchers. And what a great name, Malachi Throne! His real one, not a stage name.
Pardek too?? Sad that he passed.
Here’s an obscure question: was/is he the voice you hear as you ride through Disney World’s Haunted Mansion? I always thought it was him as he had such a great voice.
@54
I know Thurl Ravenscroft (Tony the Tiger – the singing voice on the Grinch) did a lot of voice work for Disney parks.
I guess I missed the “Malachi Bones” thing as being a reference to him being dead. I thought it was because Roddenberry wanted him to play Bones McCoy.
That Star Wars trailer… I have to agree, the temp music, Throne’s voiceover, and the cutting did make it seem like it was going to be more of an uncompromising scifi thriller than the action fantasy it turned out to be. But that’s what was in during the ’70s — coming off of Dirty Harry, several disaster movies, and (for the time) some pretty violent Kung Fu movies, they probably had to sell it to the public like that.
Rest in peace, Malachi Throne.
Cage original voice clip without audio effect:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eB6ZelxXTA
Effect was to differentiate voices of Mendez & Keeper.
-Like it better with eltro info rate changer: more freaky alien sounding.
RIP Malachi
This definitely puts a damper on the morning, what very sad news.
I can only echo what others have already stated. “The Menagerie” was Star Trek at its finest. Brilliantly scripted, brilliantly crafted, but most of all… brilliantly acted. And with it Mr. Throne put a permenant stamp on the Trek legacy.
That he was also in “The Cage” and “Unification” is gravy. Thank you for your wonderful contributions to our beloved franchise, Mr. Throne. You will be missed.
RIP Malachi Throne :(
Sorry to hear of Mr. Throne’s passing. I loved him in “It Takes a Thief” and loved seeing him in “Menagerie.”
A great character actor. He will be missed.
Godspeed, Malachi. I was fortunate enough to meet him at the Hollywood Show in Los Angeles, and he was wonderful. He will be deeply missed.
58 Not only was the Eltro Information Rate Changer used for the ‘Keepers’ voice in the ST TOS classic “The Menagerie pts 1 & 2″ but was used in Kubrick’s classic “2001 A Space Odyssey” for the voice of ‘Hal5000′ when it is deactivated by Bowman.
http://www.wendycarlos.com/other/Eltro-1967/index.html
RIP Mr Throne
Wonderful actor who will be missed. RIP.
I think him for all he contributed to Trek.
Nice piece Jeff!
RIP Malachi Throne :(
He was great in ST: TOS ‘The Menagerie’ episode.
@54 – The haunted mansion VO was an actor names Paul Frees.
“…and a ghost will follow you home! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH”
Huh, I always thought that when Throne got cast in the two-parter, they found the original actress and dubbed her voice in with some electronic altering. I’m kind of amazed that isn’t the case only because it seems to me that the Keeper’s voice and the actress playing the part seemed such a perfect match!!
I always thought it cool that both voices in the Menagerie were done by the same actor because the Keeper created the whole Commodore Mendez presence in Kirk’s mind anyway.
I love how you can read in more to the ST plots than what is actually said. You know, like with “Gary Mitchell didn’t know Kirk’s middle name so he wasn’t omnipodent”.
At some point Spock might have said to Jim “You know Mendez never did exist, don’t you?” Kirk might have said back “But Spock, I dated his daughter!”.
As a huge fan of the 60′s Batman show, I’m surprised and saddened to learn that he was False Face. RIP, sir.
Great Job Jeff, very well done.
I never checked the credits for In Harms Way. Just watched it last mounth for the 100th time.
Rest in peace, and thank you for such great perfomes.
Author, Author
Never once growing up in the 60′s and 70′s and watching TV do I recall ever seeing him in a bad role. He was always great. He was one of the iconic TV character actors of the time. RIP
Huge loss, one of the great TV character actors of our time. We will not see his like again… Thanks Jeff for this great tribute!
I never met him, however, I loved his characters on Trek, Babylon 5, and Mission: Impossible. He will be missed…
Hi,
I say with the utmost respect to the late Mr. Malachi Throne and his many, many great roles, voices and appearances…
You will ALWAYS be Commodore Jose Mendez, in my books Sir! (salutes)
IMO, Mr. Throne’s brilliant performance as this character in Star Trek: TOS ‘The Menagerie: Parts 1 and 2′ resonates for me like a very full flesh and blood character… so much more than just an image or illusion projected from Talos IV! ; )
Dang. Sucks to keep losing all these TOS vets. :(
RIP, Mr. Throne.
I always took the episode of ‘The Cage’ as Roddenberry’s take on the insidiousness of brainwashing.
In any case, this version as well as ‘The Menagerie’ are Trek at its finest.
The way they incorporated the former into the latter so fantastically was genius.
Thanks Mr. Throne, for your contributions to the Trek universe and beyond. RIP
Okay, I did a check: We’re now down to 9 “Batman” TV villains still with us (out of 37 total, according to one site). Among the actual comic book villains, we still have two of the three who played Catwoman (Julie Newmar and Lee Meriwether … both of whom also played on “Star Trek”), the 2nd Riddler (John Astin), and the 3rd person to play Mr. Freeze (Eli Wallach); and Malachi/False Face had been on this list. Then there are five villainesses who were created just for the TV show and all appeared in the “Batgirl” final season: Joan Collins (Siren), Glynis Johns (Lady Penelope Peasoup), Barbara Rush (Nora Clavicle), Dina Merrill (Calamity Jan), and final-episode villain Zsa Zsa Gabor (Minerva).
I saw 84-year-old Adam West at Seattle’s Emerald City Comic Con earlier this month. He came to the stage … and immediately lifted his chair over his head!
I have a very fond memory of him at my first (!) ST convention back in 2001. My wife & I were attending along with our best friends and their then 6 month old baby girl. Well, as we wheeled her stroller into the autograph area of the convention, she was getting a lot of smiles.
At one point, her stroller was near Malachi Throne’s table, and as I watched from offside, Mr. Throne made the most ADORABLE faces at her; and even at 6 months, she giggled excitedly and smiled back at him. This exchange went on for about a minute or so, and it was about the sweetest thing I’d seen.
It remains to this day (and dozens of conventions later) one of my all time favorite convention memories. I sooo wished I had a video camera in those days. He showed such warmth and sweetness towards my friends’ baby that it touched us all.
I later met and talked to him that day (got an autograph too) and again at another convention, and he was as kind (and humorous) a man as you’ll ever hope to meet. He even chuckled at one of my dumb jokes (proof he was a really good actor! ;-P).
RIP, Malachi Throne.
Thanks for Star Trek, and all your memorable performances, but most of all? Thanks for a warm and sweet ‘first convention memory’ that I will cherish and never forget….
;-)
I was a huge fan of Star Trek in my childhood and the death of Malachi Throne was indeed a sad news to hear for all Star Trek fans. this is why I am releasing a domain name in order to commemorate his entire activity . So anyone interested in buying inmemoryofmalachithrone.com domain name can contact me at maxam22001@yahoo.com. Maybe someone with more dedication can develop a website on which Malachi’s history can be described. God bless a great actor
Does anyone know is there any work he was doing yet to be released? RIP Malachi! You were the best.
@78
Yeah, I’ve been saying for years one of the HUGE mistakes WB has made is not putting out Batman on DVD. They would have had golden extras from the likes of Frank Gorshin, Burgess Meredith and the others. The fact that they don’t seem to have even done preparation for that is criminal. I put that up there with Warner Bros. all those years ago never having any existing footage of Mel Blanc in the booth as he recorded all those great Looney Tunes characters. Poor vision and lack of foresight.
I also saw a then 72 year old Adam West 12 years ago. He was like a movie star as he strode in the room. Youthful and heroic. He made a big impression. My wife named our oldest son Adam.
FOX still owns part of the license for the old “Batman” series. Warner Brothers owns the whole property.
If WB were to release the series on dvd, they would have to split the revenues with FOX.
That’s why it’ll never happen.
Damn sad news indeed. RIP.
Always remember him as the fantastic narrator on The Story of The Empire Strikes Back LP. Will play it later in tribute.
Great actor & voice. Where are our moden equivalents of actors with his talents…
One of TV’s great narration men, Malachi’s voice lent gravitas to the immortal “Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp”
A small section of the Outer Limits ep referenced in the article above
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y55l8CV1TAA
R.I.P. Malachi Throne.
Just saw him in an episode of The Fugitive… He always had that dominant presence
…sad to see he just died last month!!