15 Star Trek Actors Who Died In 2019

7. Seymour Cassel (Hester Dealt)

Seymour Cassel is unquestionably one of the most iconic and immediately recognisable actors to ever appear in Star Trek.

A legend of the '60s and '70s indie filmmaking scene through his work with director John Cassavetes, Cassel received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for his sublime performance in the 1968 drama Faces.

Cassel worked consistently in Hollywood for over 50 years, cast in several Wes Anderson films later in his career, while serving as a regular fixture in not only film but also TV.

In 1988, Cassel appeared as Lieutenant Commander Hester Dealt in The Next Generation's controversial season two episode "The Child," in which Troi (Marina Sirtis) is impregnated by an alien entity.

Cassel's role as the cautious medical trustee Dealt isn't a particularly showy one, especially given his industry esteem, but it's nevertheless neat to see him, an actor who made his name in low-budget indie films, appearing in the biggest sci-fi series on the planet.

Cassel died on April 7, aged 84, of Alzheimer's disease.