

(written from a Production point of view Real World article

George Coe (10 May 1929 – 18 July 2015; age 86) was the actor who played Chancellor Avel Durken in the Star Trek: The Next Generation fourth season episode "First Contact". Coe filmed his scenes for "First Contact" between Friday 30 November 1990 and Thursday 6 December 1990 on Paramount Stage 8 and 9.

Coe was one of the original cast members on Saturday Night Live, appearing in the series' first three episodes in 1975. One of his more recognizable roles was as ad agency boss Jim O'Connor in the 1979 film in 1979. He starred in The Doctors with future Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and TNG cast members Nana Visitor and Jonathan Frakes. He also starred in the television series from 1971 to 1972.

Coe appeared with Marc Alaimo and Chris Sarandon in in 1981. The same year he starred with Christopher Plummer in The Amateur. In 1983 he could be seen with John Glover in Rage of Angels. A year later he starred with James Cromwell, Patricia McNulty and Joe Piscopo in The House of God. The same year he acted with John Glover once again, this time in A Flash of Green, and with Wallace Shawn in Micki + Maude.

In 1982, Coe co-starred with Mariette Hartley, William Daniels, Monte Markham, Bruce Gray, Bill Erwin, Richard Penn, and William Lithgow in the made-for-TV movie Drop-Out Father. In 1985 Coe appeared with Denise Crosby and Duncan Regehr in the television movie . The same year he starred in with Kate Mulgrew, and acted with Scott Thompson, Wallace Shawn and Merritt Butrick in Head Office. In 1987 Coe had supporting parts in Blind Date with Armin Shimerman and John Larroquette, Uncle Tom's Cabin with Avery Brooks, and as the network president in the science fiction television series , along with Matt Frewer, Rosalind Chao, Robert O'Reilly, Concetta Tomei, W. Morgan Sheppard, and the late Andreas Katsulas and Charles Rocket.

In 1988 he acted in with Robin Curtis and Molly Hagan. His voice was used in 1989 for along with Andrea Martin. The same year he acted in Columbo: Murder, A Self Portrait with Fionnula Flanagan.

In 1990 he starred with Randy Oglesby in , and acted in with James Avery. Two years later he appeared in Mighty Ducks with Jacqueline Kim. In 2000 he starred with Louise Fletcher in Big Eden. In 2002, he guest starred on the Superman television series , playing Clark Kent's grandfather.

On 28 June 2009, Coe received the SAG's Ralph Morgan Award at the Annual Hollywood Division Annual Membership Meeting. He served on the Screen Actors Guild National Board between 1967 and 1973 and between 2000 and 2009 and has been a member of SAG's National Agents Relations Committee and the National Executive Committee. (Screen Actors Guild Magazine, Vol. 50, No.3, page 10 ) After the SAG-AFTRA merger, he was elected Convention Delegate for the inaugural convention.

On 18 July 2015, Coe passed away after battling a long illness. [1]