RIP Turhan Bey

[Jonas]

Turhan Bey, who played the Centauri Emperor and Sech Turval, has died at the age of 90.

JMS wrote:

Turhan Bey was a lovely man who played a Centuari emperor and charmed the hell out of everyone in the cast and crew. He shall be missed.

Sad to hear of this. I thought he was lovely and charming as both characters, and everything I've read suggests he was equally delightful in real life.

[KoshN]

Turhan Bey, who played the Centauri Emperor and Sech Turval, has died at the age of 90[/URL].

Well, he certainly lived to a ripe old age. RIP, dear emperor.

I sent in an update to his IMDb page.

[Jan]

Aw, CRUD! I loved the characters he played on B5. Chances are he was really great as a person, too 'cause I remember JMS saying how the cast and crew were upset with him when the Centauri Emperor died and they thought the actor couldn't be invited back.

Sad now...

ETA: Found the post where JMS talks about Turhan Bey back in 1995.

From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Subject: ATTN JMS: Q on the casting of
To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
Date: 2/9/1995 3:43:00 PM << Newer : List : Older >>

No Thread


Turhan originally came in to audition for Elric in "Geometry;" we
wanted someone with more menace (Ansara), but we were all just blown away
by how wonderful and sweet and nice a person he was, and as he left, I
told John Copeland, "I'm gonna write a part just for him."

So I did, and we cast him, and everyone on the set loved him...to
the point that, at the end of the shoot, they were saying, "You BASTARD,
how could you bring this WONDERFUL man in here and then KILL HIM OFF SO
WE CAN'T HAVE HIM BACK?!"

jms

Jan

[OmahaStar]

He was such a charming man. I'm glad they brought him back for more.

Rest in peace, old friend.

[DaveNarn]

High praise by JMS, thanks for passing it along.

Seems that a long career in Hollywood had not jaded him at all - nice man.

[Dan Dassow]

Aw, CRUD! I loved the characters he played on B5. Chances are he was really great as a person, too 'cause I remember JMS saying how the cast and crew were upset with him when the Centauri Emperor died and they thought the actor couldn't be invited back.

Sad now...

ETA: Found the post where JMS talks about Turhan Bey back in 1995.

Jan

I distinctly remember this post from JMS and thought of it upon reading Turhan Bey's passing. This is truly as sad day, but at least we have this memory of Mr. Bey.

[DGTWoodward]

The ultimate sign of respect from a writer, I think.

The character was,

a) ...written specially for Mr. Bey.
b) ...given his name.
c) ...killed and so could no longer be played by anyone else.
d) ...killed in such a way that it moved the story forward fantastically.

[Dr Maturin]

I wonder if he ever got to see a Vorlon...

[Garibaldi's Hair]

I wonder if he ever got to see a Vorlon...

He has gone beyond the rim.

Of course he did.