Jeffrey Combs

Early life

Combs was born in Oxnard, California, the fifth of nine children born to Jean Owens (formerly Sullins; 1921–1986) and Eugene "Gene" Combs (1922–1999), and raised in Lompoc. Both of his parents were from the Ozarks region of Arkansas. A graduate of Lompoc High School, as a senior, Combs played the lead role of Captain Fisby in a stage production of The Teahouse of the August Moon. Combs then attended Santa Maria's Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, and later developed his acting skills in the Professional Actor's Training Program at the University of Washington from which he graduated in the late 1970s.

In 1980, after several years performing in playhouses on the West Coast, Combs moved to Los Angeles. He landed his first role in the film Honky Tonk Freeway (1981), playing an unnamed drive-in teller. His first horror film role came two years later in Frightmare (1983).

Career

Combs's best-known horror role is Herbert West, the main character in the film Re-Animator (1985), and its two sequels.

Combs has had roles in many science fiction television series. He starred as the telepath Harriman Gray in first-season episode "Eyes" (1994) of Babylon 5. In 2001, he played the sinister Dr. Ek in The Attic Expeditions. In August 2005, he appeared for the first time on the science fiction series The 4400 as Dr. Kevin Burkhoff which became a recurring role by 2006. In early 2007, he played a highly fictionalized Edgar Allan Poe in "The Black Cat" episode of Masters of Horror. In the 2012 miniseries Dorothy and the Witches of Oz (sometimes called The Witches of Oz), he had a small role as a highly fictionalized L. Frank Baum.

Combs has also worked as a voiceover artist. His voiceover roles include the Scarecrow in The New Batman Adventures, the Question in Justice League Unlimited, Ratchet in Transformers: Prime, the Leader in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, the Rat King in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Brainiac in Injustice 2. He also narrated the 25th anniversary of Re-Animator at the 2010 FanTasia.

In July 2009, Combs returned to his stage roots and reprised his role as Edgar Allan Poe in a one-man theatrical show, Nevermore...an Evening with Edgar Allan Poe, at The Steve Allen Theater in Hollywood, California. Although it was supposed to run for only a month, it enjoyed much success and sold-out crowds, and was extended four times, until closing in Los Angeles on December 19, 2009. The show had its East Coast debut on January 23 and 24, 2010 at Westminster Hall in Baltimore, Maryland, Poe's final resting place. A tour of the Saturn Award-nominated Nevermore was subsequently planned.

Combs starred with Andrew Divoff in the 2012 Screen Media Films release Night of the Living Dead 3D: Re-Animation, a prequel to the 2006 film Night of the Living Dead 3D directed by Jeff Broadstreet. In 2012, he also played the sadistic Dr. Lambrick in another horror-thriller, Would You Rather.

''Star Trek''

On television, Combs enjoyed popular success playing a number of alien characters on the various modern Star Trek incarnations, beginning with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in 1994, and continuing to Star Trek: Voyager in 2000, Star Trek: Enterprise in 2001 and Star Trek: Lower Decks in 2021. He has played nine onscreen roles in the Star Trek universe. His largest science-fiction role to date was his regular guest role on Deep Space Nine as the Vorta clone Weyoun. Combs has said that Weyoun was his favorite Star Trek role, and that he had considerable input in developing the character.

On the same series, Combs had a recurring role as the Ferengi character Brunt. During the DS9 episode "The Dogs of War", he appeared as both Weyoun and Brunt, becoming one of the few Star Trek actors to play two characters in the same episode (others including Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, and Brian Markinson). Combs wanted the characters to appear in the same scene, but the logistics and expense worked against it.

On Enterprise, Combs had a recurring role as Shran, an Andorian military officer. Enterprise producer Manny Coto once said in an interview that he had hoped to make Combs a regular on Enterprise had the series been renewed for a fifth season.

In addition to his recurring Star Trek roles, Combs had non-recurring roles as human police officer Kevin Mulkahey, alien Tiron on Deep Space Nine, alien Penk on Voyager, and Ferengi pirate Krem on Enterprise. Along with many other actors, writers and creators of the show, Combs also had a cameo appearance as a holographic patron in Vic's Lounge in the final episode of Deep Space Nine. He also voices the character of Romulan Commander Suldok for the Star Trek: Elite Force II video game. In 2021, he had a guest voice role as AGIMUS, an evil computer, in episode 7, season 2 of Star Trek: Lower Decks, which he reprised in seasons 3 and 4.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

References

Bibliography

• Voisin, Scott, Character Kings: Hollywood's Familiar Faces Discuss the Art & Business of Acting BearManor Media, 2009. .

References

1. "- 17th July 1996 Actor Jeffrey Combs and wife Alice Cadogan -". [[Alamy]].
2. "Jeffrey Combs... and wife Alice attend the "Star Trek: Enterprise" Finale Party ...April 13, 2005". [[Getty Images]].
3. (2015). "Jeffrey Combs". [[The New York Times]].
4. (Mar 13, 2022). "Shuttlepod Episode 004: "That's Shrantastic!" with Jeffrey Combs".
5. (Mar 13, 2022). "Shuttlepod Episode 004: "That's Shrantastic!" with Jeffrey Combs".
6. Olson, Christopher J.. (April 12, 2018). "100 Greatest Cult Films". Rowman & Littlefield.
7. Rowan, Terry. (August 16, 2014). "The Book of the Undead A Zombie Film Guide". Lulu.com.
8. Maslin, Janet. (October 18, 1985). "Re Animator (1985) SCREEN: STUART GORDON DIRECTS 'RE-ANIMATOR'". [[The New York Times]].
9. Mcivar, Brice. (August 9, 2011). "Q&A: Jeffrey Combs". [[The New York Times]].
10. [http://www.ugo.com/channels/filmtv/features/mastersofhorror/combs.asp Jeffrey Combs, Star of "The Black Cat"] {{webarchive. link. (June 22, 2008 , [[UGO Networks). UGO]]
11. (July 16, 2010). "Fantasia 2010: Days 5 Through 9".
12. [http://www.steveallentheater.com/nevermore Stebe Allen Theater – Nevermore]
13. [http://www.poebicentennial.com/events.html Baltimore Poe Bicentennial Celebration] {{webarchive. link. (December 28, 2009)
14. (October 18, 2012). "Fantasia 2010: Days 10 and 11".
15. (July 18, 2012). "Nevermore Heading to San Diego for Two Performances".
16. (2004). "StarTrek.com First Person". Paramount Pictures.
17. Peter Durst and Sulan, see [[Brian Markinson#Filmography. the Filmography section]]
18. Jean-Luc Picard and Michael Williams, see ''[[The Defector (Star Trek: The Next Generation). The Defector]]''
19. (April 24, 2018). "Star Trek Online Community Q&A with Jeffrey Combs!".
20. Pascale, Anthony. (August 10, 2009). "VegasCon09: Braga & Coto Talk Enterprise Season 5 + Star Trek 2009 & more". [[TrekMovie.com]].
21. [http://www.startrek.com/database_article/far-beyond-the-stars Startrek.com Deep Space Nine – Far Beyond the Stars]
22. Webb, Andy. (September 9, 2023). "Every Star Trek Character Played by Jeffrey Combs, Ranked".
23. (September 27, 2021). "Catching Up With Jeffrey Combs".
24. "Combs, Jeffrey 1954- (Jeffery Combs)". [[Infonautics]].
25. (October 1990). "Haunters of the Dark - Pulse Pounders". [[Newsfield Publications Ltd]].
26. "Jeffrey Combs (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors.
27. Miska, Brad. (March 22, 2019). "Exclusive Clip: John Carpenter Joins '80s Horror Documentary 'In Search of Darkness'!".
28. Couch, Aaron. (December 6, 2022). "'Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham' Sets Voice Cast (Exclusive)".
29. Jones, Tamera. (February 3, 2023). "'Onyx the Fortuitous Cast & Director on Going From Kickstarter to Sundance".
30. Millican, Josh. (September 3, 2021). "Gallery: New Vacation Horror 'Stream' Coming Soon From the Producers of 'Terrifier 2'".
31. Squires, John. (September 10, 2021). "From the Team Behind 'Terrifier 2' Comes Horror Movie 'Stream' Starring Danielle Harris and Jeffrey Combs!".
32. Gingold, Michael. (September 14, 2021). "Exclusive Interview: Director Michael Leavy on His All-Horror-Star Movie "Stream"".
33. (July 10, 2024). "Watchmen Chapter I: Exclusive Trailer, Voice Cast, Boxart and Release Date".
34. (September 9, 2023). "Every Star Trek Character Played by Jeffrey Combs, Ranked".
35. "Dune: Awakening - Game Credits".