LOS ANGELES, July 21 (UPI) — Theodore Bikel, the actor who originated the role of Captain Georg Von Trapp in the Broadway production of The Sound of Music, died Tuesday in Los Angeles, his publicist said. He was 91.
Bikel died of natural causes at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, publicist Harlan Boll told The Hollywood Reporter.
Most of the prolific actor’s work was on the stage, though he is perhaps most widely known for his television role as the adopted father of Worf on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Variety reported.
On the stage, he starred in thousands of performances of Fiddler on the Roof as the patriarch of the family, Tevye. He played the role more times than any other actor in history.
For his role in The Sound of Music, Bikel was nominated for a Tony Award, and in 1958 he received an Oscar nod for his role in The Defiant Ones.
The Actors Equity Association, of which Bikel was a member, released a statement in reaction to the actor’s death.
“From the time he joined Equity in 1954, Bikel has been an advocate for the members of our union and his extraordinary achievements paved the way for so many. No one loved theater more, his union better or cherished actors like Theo did. He has left an indelible mark on generation of members past and generations of members to come. We thank you, Theo, for all you have done.”
Bikel is survived by his fourth wife, Aimee Ginsburg-Bikel; sons, Rob and Danny; stepsons, Zeev and Noam Ginsburg; and three grandchildren.
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