Wallace Shawn Wallace Shawn is the American actor and playwright who played Zek , the Grand Nagus of the Ferengi Alliance , on . Outside of " Star Trek " , Shawn is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Vizzini in , the acclaimed 1987 comedy / fantasy film co - starring Chris Sarandon . He is also known for his work in Woody Allen films , for his role in the 1995 film " Clueless " , and for voicing Rex the toy dinosaur in the " Toy Story " films produced by Pixar . Early life and aspirations . A native of New York City , New York , Shawn graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in history from Harvard University . He then studied economics and philosophy at Oxford University in England , with the intention of becoming a diplomat . He began to involve himself with theater in 1970 . He wrote his first play in that year , entitled " The Hotel Play " . He began acting on stage , as well , though mostly in his own plays or in projects with theater director . Acting career . Woody Allen films . He made his feature film debut in 1979 ' s " Manhattan " , directed by . Shawn has since appeared in several of Woody Allen ' s subsequent films , including " Radio Days " ( 1987 , with Kenneth Mars and Mike Starr ) , " Shadows and Fog " ( 1992 , with David Ogden Stiers , Camille Saviola , Kurtwood Smith , Kenneth Mars , and Richard Riehle ) , and " The Curse of the Jade Scorpion " ( 2001 , again with David Ogden Stiers , as well as John Schuck ) . Film work , 1979 - 1989 . After " Manhattan " , Shawn had small roles in films such as " All That Jazz " ( 1979 ) , with Ben Vereen and Cathie Shirriff , and " Atlantic City " ( 1980 ) , co - starring Robert Joy , both of which were nominated as Best Picture by the Academy Awards . Shawn then acquired recognition for " playing " himself in the unique 1981 film " My Dinner with Andre " , in which Shawn and his long - time friend , Andre Gregory , discuss their life experiences and philosophical views during a meal in a restaurant . Shawn also co - wrote this film with Gregory , and both won a Boston Society of Film Critics award for their work . Shawn ' s other film credits throughout the ' 80s include " Strange Invaders " ( 1983 , with Louise Fletcher , Kenneth Tobey , Dey Young , and Thomas Kopache ) , " Deal of the Century " ( 1983 , with Richard Herd , Graham Jarvis , Richard Libertini , and Tony Plana ) , " Head Office " ( 1985 , with Merritt Butrick ) , " The Bedroom Window " ( 1987 , with Brad Greenquist , Mark Margolis and Leon Rippy ) , " The Princess Bride " ( 1987 ) , " She ' s Out of Control " ( 1989 , with Catherine Hicks and Derek McGrath ) , and " Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills " ( 1989 , with Robert Beltran and Ed Begley , Jr . ) . Film work , 1990s - present . In the early 1990s , Shawn appeared in such films as " Mom and Dad Save the World " ( with Teri Garr and Thalmus Rasulala ) , " The Cemetery Club " ( with Bernie Casey and Robert Costanzo ) , and " The Meteor Man " ( with Frank Gorshin and Tommy " Tiny " Lister , Jr . ) . He also played the title role in the 1994 film adaptation of David Mamet ' s translation of Anton Chekhov ' s play " Vanya on 42nd Street " . In 1995 , Shawn co - starred as debate teacher Wendell Hall in the hit comedy film " Clueless " . In 1996 , he and guest actors Ray Walston , Christopher McDonald , and Daniel Roebuck appeared in the comedy " House Arrest " . In 1997 , he and Mimi Craven appeared in " Just Write " . In 1999 , he co - starred with aforementioned actor Christopher Lloyd in " My Favorite Martian " , based on the classic series which starred Ray Walston ( who also has a cameo in the film adaptation ) . His more recent films include Disney ' s " The Haunted Mansion " ( 2003 , with Rachael Harris , Derek Mears , and Michael McAdam ) and the 2006 science fiction black comic drama " Southland Tales " . The latter also starred Dwayne Johnson , John Larroquette and Holmes Osborne . Shawn more recently appeared in the family films " Kit Kittredge : An American Girl " and " Furry Vengeance " . In 2009 , he was featured in the film " Capitalism : A Love Story " . Television work . On television , Shawn appeared in two episodes of Paramount Television ' s hit comedy series , " Taxi " , which starred Christopher Lloyd . He later had a recurring role on the Emmy Award - winning NBC comedy series " The Cosby Show " , appearing in four episodes ( and voicing in one other ) from 1987 through 1991 . One - time TNG guest star Sabrina LeBeauf was a regular on this series . From 1994 through 1998 , Shawn made recurring appearances on the CBS series " Murphy Brown " . Also in 1994 , Shawn guest - starred on the CBS comedy series " The Nanny " , starring TNG guest actor Daniel Davis . Shawn ' s episode , " Pinske Business " , also featured another TNG alum , the aforementioned Ben Vereen . Shawn also reprised his role from the film " Clueless " in the short - lived television spin - off series that followed . More recently , Shawn has guest - starred on such series as " Sex and the City " ( starring Kim Cattrall ) , " Fat Actress " ( starring Kirstie Alley ) , Sci - Fi Channel ' s " " ( with Bruce Gray ) , " Desperate Housewives " ( with Teri Hatcher , Mark Moses , and Alfre Woodard ) , and " " ( developed by Rene Balcer ) . He also had a recurring role as Dr . Howard Stiles on the NBC series " Crossing Jordan " , starring Miguel Ferrer . Since 2008 , Shawn has been playing wealthy attorney Cyrus Rose on " Gossip Girl " . His early episodes were shared with Madchen Amick . From 2008 through 2009 , Shawn played the recurring role of William Halsey on the Showtime Network series " The L Word " , co - starring with Kristanna Loken , Brian Markinson , and Lucia Rijker . In 2009 , Shawn guest - starred in the final season of the NBC medical drama " ER " , on which Scott Grimes was a regular . Voice - over work . Shawn ' s distinct , high - pitched voice has been used in several animated films , most notably as Rex the Dinosaur in Disney / Pixar ' s " Toy Story " films ( 1995 ' s " Toy Story " , 1999 ' s " Toy Story 2 " , and 2010 ' s " Toy Story 3 " ) . He also supplied voices for the Emmy - winning TV series " Teacher ' s Pet " and its 2004 film adaptation ( also voicing David Ogden Stiers and Kelsey Grammer ) . In addition , he voiced Insuricare boss Gilbert Huph in another Disney / Pixar hit , " The Incredibles " . Shawn also lent his voice to the 2005 Disney film " Chicken Little " , as did TNG star Patrick Stewart . In addition , Shawn voiced Bertram in the " Emission Impossible " , " Sibling Rivalry " and " The Big Bang Theory " episodes of " Family Guy " , the popular animated series created by " Star Trek " fan Seth MacFarlane . Majel Barrett also had a voice role in the first episode . Playwrighting . As a playwright , Shawn ' s works are typically politically charged and controversial . His more well - known plays include " Aunt Dan and Lemon " ( 1985 , which earned Shawn Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding New Play ) and " The Designated Mourner " ( 1997 ) . The latter and two other plays ( " Marie and Bruce " and " The Fever " ) have been made into films , all of which were adapted for the screen by Shawn himself . Shawn also created a new translation of Bertolt Brecht ' s play " The Threepenny Opera " which ran on Broadway in 2006 .