Wallace Shawn

Wallace Shawn is the American actor and playwright who played Zek 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 and Carol Kane. 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 Animation Studios.
== 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), directed by . Shawn has since appeared in several of Woody Allen's subsequent films, including (1987, with Kenneth Mars and Mike Starr), Shadows and Fog (1992, with David Ogden Stiers, Camille Saviola, Kurtwood Smith, Kenneth Mars, and Richard Riehle), The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001, again with David Ogden Stiers, as well as John Schuck), and Rifkin's Festival (2021, with Isabel Lorca).
=== Film work, 1979-1989 ===
After Manhattan, Shawn had small roles in films such as (1979, with Ben Vereen and Cathie Shirriff), and (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. Also that year he had an uncredited role in the film Strong Medicine with Carol Kane.
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), (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 Terri 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 (1994).
In 1995, Shawn co-starred as debate teacher Wendell Hall in . 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 s Christopher Lloyd in , with Ray Walston.
His other film credits include (2003, starring Eddie Murphy, with Rachael Harris, Derek Mears, and Michael McAdam) and (2006, starring Dwayne Johnson, John Larroquette and Holmes R. Osborne) Shawn also appeared in (2008) and (2010). In 2009, he was featured in the film Capitalism: A Love Story.
More recently, Shawn had roles in (2012, with Malcolm McDowell), (2012), (2017), (2018, with Ed Begley, Jr.), and (2019, with Mary Wiseman, Rich Fulcher, and Bill Blair).
=== Television work ===
On television, Shawn appeared in two episodes of Paramount Television's , which starred Christopher Lloyd. He later had a recurring role on NBC's , appearing in four episodes (and voicing in one other) from 1987 through 1991. Next Generation guest star Sabrina LeBeauf was a regular on this series. 
From 1994 through 1998, Shawn made recurring appearances on . Also in 1994, Shawn guest-starred on CBS' , starring Next Generation guest actor Daniel Davis. Shawn's episode, "Pinske Business", also featured Next Generation guest Ben Vereen. Shawn also reprised his role from the film Clueless in the short-lived television spin-off series that followed. 
Shawn also has guest-starred on such series as Sex and the City (starring Kim Cattrall), (starring Kirstie Alley), Sci-Fi Channel's Stargate SG-1 (2005, starring Michael Shanks, with Bruce Gray), (with Teri Hatcher, Mark Moses, and Alfre Woodard), and (developed by Rene Balcer). He also had a recurring role as Dr. Howard Stiles on , starring Miguel Ferrer and Jerry O'Connell. Roxann Dawson served as a producer and frequent director on the latter series.
Between 2008 and 2012, Shawn played wealthy attorney Cyrus Rose on Gossip Girl. His early episodes were shared with Mädchen Amick. From 2008 through 2009, Shawn played the recurring role of William Halsey on , co-starring with Kristanna Loken, Brian Markinson, and Lucia Rijker. In 2009, Shawn guest starred in the final season of , on which Scott Grimes was a regular.
Between 2013 and 2015, Shawn guest starred as "fixer" lawyer Charles Lester in three episodes of , and later carried over the role to five episodes of (2018-22). From 2014 to 2016, Shawn played the recurring role of Winslow Elliott in , which co-starred Malcolm McDowell.
From 2018, Shawn starred as Dr. John Sturgis on , the prequel spinoff of The Big Bang Theory, often alongside Ed Begley, Jr. as Sturgis’s rival Dr. Linkletter or Wendie Malick as university president Dr. Hagemeyer.
=== 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 Animation Studios'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 (2003, with Next Generation 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.
==Star Trek appearances==
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** (Season One) 
** (Season Two) 
** (Season Three) 
** (Season Five) 
** (Season Six) 
** (Season Seven) 
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== External links ==
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