Bruce Watson

Bruce Watson was the American actor who played and the M-113 creature's assumed form of Green in the first season episode . The majority of Watson's acting roles were "expendables" – characters who were killed off within an episode.
He filmed his scenes on Friday and Monday at Desilu Stage 9, and on Wednesday at Stage 10.
Watson made his television debut in 1961 with an appearance on . This was followed in 1962 with an episode of for which he was directed by director Robert Gist. Gist later directed Watson and actress Karen Steele in the first of a two-part episode of The Long, Hot Summer. The second part, directed by , also featured Watson and Steele, as well as Alfred Ryder and James B. Sikking.
In 1963, Watson appeared on with K.L. Smith. In 1966, he worked with fellow Original Series guest actors Charles Maxwell and William O'Connell on an episode of . In 1968, Watson guest-starred on in an episode with Original Series guests William Bramley, John Crawford, and Sandra Smith.
In January 1969, Watson was seen in Dragnet 1966, the pilot to the Dragnet 1967 series that was already airing (and on which Watson appeared in 1967). Original Series guest performers Vic Perrin and Elizabeth Rogers also had roles in the pilot. Later in 1969, Watson guest-starred on the western series , which had him working with Bart La Rue.
In addition to the above, Watson made two separate guest appearances on at least three programs: Adam-12 (one episode with Joan Swift, another with William Boyett and Walker Edmiston), (with series regulars Tige Andrews and Clarence Williams III and fellow guest stars Lou Antonio, Rex Holman, Paul Sorensen, and Garry Walberg), and Mission: Impossible (1971 & 1972, former with Anthony Zerbe, latter with William Boyett). Watson also appeared on (1972, with John McLiam) and (1981, directed by Kim Manners). The latter was his last television appearance.
Watson also has a number of films to his credit. His first was Paramount Pictures' (1966), . Watson then appeared in (1971, featuring Robert Easton, Byron Morrow, and David Soul). In 1975 Watson appeared in (starring Thalmus Rasulala and Fred Williamson), and , in which Watson played the lead role. In 1977, Watson appeared in the made-for-TV movie Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid, in which s LeVar Burton played the lead role.
In addition, Watson did some voice-over work for children's shows. He voiced D'Artagnan in the animated Three Musketeers segments on The Banana Splits Adventure Hour during its first season (1968-69). He then also provided the voice for Phineas Fogg, Jr. on the Hanna-Barbera cartoon Cattanooga Cats (1969-71). When his acting career faltered, Watson continued doing voice-work, becoming a professional reader for audiobooks.
Watson struggled with bipolar disorder throughout his life, a condition which degenerated in his final years. On 11 June 2009, at the age of 68, Watson committed suicide in his unfinished home on the foothills of the Manzano Mountains in New Mexico, just south of Albuquerque. He died exactly ten years after his Star Trek co-star, DeForest Kelley. On his blog, Watson's nephew, Randy, described his suicide as "an impulsive act in a fit of pain and rage." In describing his uncle's talents, Randy said the following:
:"Acting was Bruce's soul. That is what he was. He could have been a success in any thing he wanted to. Even acting, in some other venue. In Hollywood, Bruce was expendable. Bruce's dream was expendable. It's the kind of dream you pull up when the plot line requires a dreamer and a tragedy." 
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Category:Performers
Category:TOS performers