Veteran actor Gary Graham, best known for his work on Star Trek and Alien Nation, has died “suddenly” aged 73.
His ex-wife Susan Lavelle, with whom he was married for almost 25 years, shared the news on Facebook, calling Graham an “amazing actor and father” to their daughter, Haylee.
Ms Lavelle said his wife Becky Hopkins was “by his side” when he died.
“It is with deep profound sadness to say that Gary Graham, my ex-husband, amazing actor and father of our beautiful only child together, Haylee Graham, has passed away today,” she said.
“Gary was funny, sarcastic sense of humour but kind, fought for what he believed in, a devout Christian and was so proud of his daughter, Haylee,” Ms Lavelle continued.
“Fly high into the heavens Gar! Thank you for our journey and thank you for the gifts you left me in acting, my love of horses and most importantly, our daughter.”
Graham was beloved by the Star Trek fan community, having first appeared in the long running sci-fi franchise in the mid 90s, with a guest part on Star Trek: Voyager.
He was later drafted in as a recurring star in Star Trek: Enterprise, playing Soval, a Vulcan ambassador to Earth, alongside series-lead Scott Bakula from 2001 to 2005.
He eventually returned to his earlier Voyager role for two fan films, Star Trek: Of Gods and Men and Star Trek: Renegades.
Renegades, an unofficial production which featured actors from across the franchise’s history, was described by the producers as a “40th-anniversary gift” to Trek fans.
He would also reprise his role as Soval in the acclaimed fan-funded short film Star Trek: Anaxar in 2015.
Anaxar gained such popularity among Trek fans that it led franchise owners Paramount and CBS to issue the controversial “Guidelines for Fan Films,” which seriously restricted what such future productions could do.
Before his time with Star Trek, Graham was known for his lead role of Detective Matthew Sikes in the cult sci-fi series Alien Nation, a show about extra-terrestrial refugees who land in the USA, exploring issues of integration and multiculturalism.
He reprised his role in five Alien Nation TV films from 1994 to 1997.
Haylee Graham also shared a tribute to her father on social media: “Gary Graham was a star to so many but mostly, he was a star to me. The world loved him, but mostly, we loved him. Thank you for everything you were for me.
“You were the best example of what a man should strive to be – for his child, for his family, and for the whole world. And yes, you were one heck of an actor, and you may have known that, too.”
Graham’s Star Trek: Voyager co-star Robert Beltran wrote on social media: “I was saddened to hear of the passing of Gary Graham. He was a terrific actor and a great guy to hang out with on the set. We loved talking about baseball and the heroes of our younger days. My condolences go out to his wife and daughter.”
Outside of his acting work, Graham was a gifted musician. He was a multi-instrumentalist and toured with the Star Trek themed band “Sons of Kirk,” with whom he wrote the original lyrics.
Ever the creative, he also published a book called “Acting and Other Flying Lessons.”
Other notable acting credits across his five-decade career included the 1983 film All the Right Moves alongside Tom Cruise and roles on Ally McBeal, Nip/Tuck, Walker Texas Ranger, Nash Bridges and superhero series M.A.N.T.I.S.
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