(written from a Production point of view)
John Cothran, Jr. (born 31 October 1947; age 73) has played three roles in episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Enterprise and two roles in the Simon and Schuster interactive games. Three of his characters were Klingons including his appearance in Star Trek: Klingon. He also played a Human character, Lieutenant Commander/Counselor Doctor Bennington Biraka, in the video game Star Trek: Borg.
Film work
Cothran made his acting debut in 1979's A Pleasure Doing Business (with Alan Oppenheimer). He then played a gypsy in the dystopian Escape From New York (1981, with Adrienne Barbeau, Billy Van Zandt, and Tony Papenfuss). However, nearly a decade passed before Cothran was seen on film again and that was 1989's The Kill Reflex (with James Otis and Fred Williamson). Cothran was cast in his first television film role in the holiday-themed The Kid Who Loved Christmas (1990, with Ben Vereen and Vanessa Williams). The same year he was seen on the big screen in the comedy Opportunity Knocks (with Lorna Raver).
1990s
1991 was a busy year for Cothran, beginning with the television film Aftermath: A Test of Love (with Raye Birk, Scott Jaeck, Jeanne Mori, and Biff Yeager). Next was the John Singleton-directed inner-city drama Boyz n the Hood (with Jessie Lawrence Ferguson) and then the thriller Ricochet (alongside Tim de Zarn, Victoria Dillard, Sherman Howard, Carlos LaCamara, and Albie Selznick).
In 1992, Cothran appeared in the television film Secrets (with Brenda Bakke, Stephanie Beacham, Paul Collins, and Christopher Plummer). He performed in 1993's Poetic Justice (with film lead Clifton Collins, Jr.). He had a little more work in 1994 first in the comedy Jimmy Hollywood (with Christian Slater) and then the television film Where Are My Children? (with Corbin Bernsen, William Frankfather, Jerry Hardin, Angela Paton, David Sage, David Spielberg, and Harvey Vernon). In 1996, Cothran was cast in the romantic comedy Mr. Wrong (with Brad William Henke, Camille Saviola, Dean Stockwell, and Peter White). He also appeared in the television film Her Last Chance (directed by Richard Colla and co-starring William Lucking). Cothran won a role in the 1997 short film Platform Six (with Michael Shamus Wiles). That same year he appeared in Spawn based upon the hit comic-book series of the same name (with Laura Interval, Michael Papajohn, and Frank Welker). Finally in 1997, Cothran was seen in the thriller Kiss the Girls (with Larry Cedar, Ashley Judd, Gina Ravarra, and Tracey Walter). He rounded out the decade first in the 1998 television film Always Outnumbered (with Bill Cobbs and Danny Goldring), then concluding the '90s in the 1999 independent comedy film The Limey (reuniting with William Lucking and also working with Randy Lowell and Wayne Péré).
2000s
Cothran began the 21st century in the 2000 psychological thriller The Cell (with Vanessa Branch, Nicholas Cascone, and Musetta Vander). For his next role, he dove into 2001's The Gene Pool (with Tony Jay). Cothran won his first voice-acting job contributing to the 2005 video game Madagascar (sharing the microphone with Michael Bell, John Kassir, and Keith Szarabajka). In 2008, he appeared in the Jim Carrey-led comedy Yes Man (with Fionnula Flanagan, Spencer Garrett, and Michael Papajohn). A year later in 2009, he rejoined Clifton Collins, Jr. and Tracey Walter in the baseball drama The Perfect Game (which also costarred Bruce McGill). Cothran's most recent film role was his second job as a voice actor, the animated Rango (co-written by John Logan and this time sharing the mic with Ian Abercrombie and Stephen Root).
Television work
- Wiseguy episode "Dead Right" (1990, starring Jonathan Banks with Stephen Root)
- Reasonable Doubts episode "Self Defense" (1992, with Leslie Jordan)
- Black Tie Affair episode "One" (1993, with Bruce McGill)
- Viper episode "Safe as Houses" (1994, with Parley Baer, Jack Shearer, and Don Stark)
- Picket Fences episode "The Bus Stops Here" (1994, starring Kelly Connell, Justin Shenkarow, and Ray Walston, with Roy Brocksmith, Paul Eiding, Gregory Itzin, and Paul Winfield)
- Seinfeld episode "The Diplomat's Club" (1995, starring Jason Alexander, with Ian Abercrombie, Robert Hooks, and Tom Wright)
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air episode "For Whom the Wedding Bells Toll" (1995, starring James Avery)
- Dave's World episode "Leave a Mystery at the Door" (1995, with William Utay)
- ER episode "Post Mortem" (1997, starring Lily Mariye, with Jack Blessing, Paul Collins, Kirsten Dunst, and Deborah May)
- Martin episode "Ain't That About a Ditch?" (1997, with Shelly Desai and Judyann Elder)
- Sparks starring James Avery episode "Hoop Schemes" (1997)
- Suddenly Susan episode "What a Card" (1997, with Bill Erwin and Nan Martin)
- Almost Perfect episode "Gimme Shelter" (1997, starring David Clennon)
- Mercy Point episode "Last Resort" (1998, starring Jordan Lund and Brian McNamara, with Melanie Shatner and Salli Elise Richardson-Whitfield)
- Felicity episode "Thanksgiving" (1998, created by J.J. Abrams and starring Greg Grunberg, with Robert Clendenin)
- Becker episode "Physician, Heal Thyself" (1999, starring Terry Farrell)
- The Pretender episode "Pool" (1999, starring Harve Presnell, with Jason Brooks)
- The Practice episode "Lawyers, Reporters & Cockroaches" (1999, with Joseph Campanella, Len Cariou, and Jeff Yagher)
- Norm episode "Laurie Runs for Office" (1999, starring Nikki Cox)
- The Last Ship (2017, with Mark Moses)
