Joseph Ruskin (born Joseph Richard Schlafman; April 14, 1924 – December 28, 2013) was an American character actor.

Early life

Ruskin was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts. After graduating high school in Cleveland, he served in the U.S. Navy and studied drama at Carnegie Mellon University, and began acting at the Pittsburgh Playhouse. Although he gained his greatest recognition in television and film, he continued to appear on stage throughout his career. He was Jewish.

Career

Ruskin appeared in an episode of The Outer Limits, called "Production and Decay of Strange Particles". He played in The Time Tunnel episode, "Revenge of the Gods", as well as two separate, two-part Mission: Impossible episodes: "Old Man Out" and "The Slave". He had a non-credited role as the voice of the Kanamits in The Twilight Zone episode, "To Serve Man", a season after playing the genie in another episode, "The Man in the Bottle". Ruskin also appeared in the Hogan's Heroes episode "The Gestapo Takeover". He played the gun-slinging troublemaker Gus Vogel in Wanted: Dead or Alive S2 E10 "Reckless" which aired 11/6/1959. In 1960, Ruskin appeared as Reed Benton in the TV western series Lawman in the episode titled "The Escape of Joe Killmer". In 1964, he appeared in an episode of the comedy-drama Kentucky Jones. His film appearances include The Magnificent Seven (1960), Prizzi's Honor (1985), Indecent Proposal (1993) and Smokin' Aces (2006).

Star Trek

In Star Trek: The Original Series, Ruskin played the part of Galt in "The Gamesters of Triskelion", an episode of the second season, originally aired on January 5, 1968. He appeared in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, portraying the Klingon Tumek in two episodes, "The House of Quark" and "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places", which aired in October 1994 and October 1996 respectively. In between these episodes, he was cast as a Cardassian informant in the third-season episode "Improbable Cause". Following this, Ruskin appeared in his only Star Trek film role, cast as a Son'a officer in Star Trek: Insurrection. He made an appearance in Star Trek: Voyager in the episode "Gravity", first airing on February 3, 1999, in which he played a Vulcan master. Ruskin's final Star Trek appearance was in Star Trek: Enterprise. He appeared as a Suliban doctor in the pilot episode "Broken Bow", which aired on September 26, 2001. Along with Majel Barrett, Clint Howard , Jack Donner and Vince Deadrick Sr, Ruskin was one of only five actors to appear in both Star Trek (1966) and Star Trek Enterprise (2001). (Source IMDB).

Union activity

Ruskin became a board member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) in 1976, and served on its board until 1999. He also became the first Western Regional Vice President of Actors' Equity Association in 1979. For his dedication and service, Actors Equity gave him its Lucy Jordan Award in 2003, and Patrick Quinn Award in 2013. SAG bestowed on him its Ralph Morgan Award in 2011.

Spouses

Barbara Greene (May 24, 1992 - December 28, 2013) and Patricia Herd (September 9, 1968 - November 28, 1979) (divorced, one child)

Death

Ruskin died on December 28, 2013, at a hospital in Santa Monica, California.

Partial filmography