Laurence Luckinbill

Laurence Luckinbill
Born Laurence George Luckinbill
(1934-11-21) November 21, 1934
Fort Smith, Arkansas, U.S.
Alma mater University of Arkansas
Catholic University of America
Occupation Actor, playwright, director
Years active 1968–present
Religion Roman Catholic[1]
Spouse(s) Robin Strasser
(m. 1965; div. 1976)
Lucie Arnaz
(m. 1980)
Children 5

Laurence George Luckinbill (born November 21, 1934) is an American actor, playwright and director. He has worked in television, film and theatre, doing triple duty in the latter by writing, directing and starring in stage productions. He is probably best known for penning and starring in one-man shows based upon the lives of United States President Theodore Roosevelt, author Ernest Hemingway, and famous American defense attorney Clarence Darrow, starring in a one-man show based upon the life of United States President Lyndon Baines Johnson, and for his portrayal of Mr. Spock's half-brother Sybok in the film Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.

Personal life

Luckinbill was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas, the son of Agnes (née Nulph) and Laurence Benedict Luckinbill.[2] He is the uncle of film directors Lana (formerly Larry) and Lilly Wachowski (formerly Andy), the children of his sister, Lynne. He is Roman Catholic.[1]

He attended Fort Smith Junior College from 1951–52, received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Arkansas in 1956, received a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Catholic University of America in 1958, attended New York University in 1980, and studied acting at HB Studio in New York City.[3]

He is married to actress Lucie Arnaz, daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. They have three children together, Simon, Joseph and Katharine. Arnaz and Luckinbill have toured together in theatrical productions such as They're Playing Our Song.[3] He also has two sons from his previous marriage to actress Robin Strasser, Nicholas and Benjamin.[4]

Career

On television, he started out with roles on the now-defunct American soap operas Where the Heart Is and The Secret Storm.[5] He starred as espionage agent Glenn Garth Gregory in the 1972-73 ABC dramatic television series, The Delphi Bureau.[6] He has performed in numerous episodes of television series, including Law & Order, Barnaby Jones, Columbo (episode "Make Me a Perfect Murder") and Murder, She Wrote.

His 1961 Broadway debut was in A Man for All Seasons.[7] He starred in Pavel Kohout's 1976 Broadway play Poor Murderer at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, and in Thomas Babe's A Prayer for My Daughter (1978) at the Public Theater. His theater career has included writing and directing. Luckinbill has written and performed in several one-man shows, including, Hemingway, Teddy, and An Evening with Clarence Darrow. He has also starred in numerous productions of Lyndon, which he did not write. One production was at the LBJ Museum in Austin, Texas, where Lady Bird Johnson was among attendees.

He appeared in the drama film The Boys in the Band (1970), reprising the role of Hank,[8] which he originated on stage. He portrayed Mr. Spock's half-brother Sybok in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989). Sean Connery was originally contacted to star in the role, but was busy with Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.[9] William Shatner discovered Luckinbill by chance; channel surfing late one night, he saw him perform as Lyndon Baines Johnson.[10] When Shatner called to offer him the role, Luckinbill accepted immediately [11] Other film appearances include Such Good Friends (1971), The Promise (1979) and Cocktail (1988). He also narrated the documentary Moonwalk One.[12]

References

  1. 1 2 "The Only Home Robin Strasser Hasn't Wrecked Is Her Real One with Actor Larry Luckinbill". people.com.
  2. ↑ "Laurence Luckinbill Biography (1934-)". filmreference.com.
  3. 1 2 "Laurence Luckinbill profile at NYT". Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Robin Strasser biodata". Archived from the original on December 21, 2010. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Laurence Luckinbill NY Times Biography". Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Laurence Luckinbill NY Times Biography". Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Laurence Luckinbill NY Times Biography". Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  8. ↑ Canby, Vincent (18 March 1970). "The Boys in the Band (1970)". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
  9. ↑ Dillard, J.M. Star Trek: Where No One Has Gone Before - A History in Pictures (1994). pp. 87–89.
  10. ↑ Shatner, William; Chris Kreski. Star Trek Movie Memories (1994). pp. 238–239.
  11. ↑ Shatner, William; Chris Kreski. Star Trek Movie Memories (1994). p. 240.
  12. ↑ "Moonwalk One Overview". Retrieved August 15, 2015.
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