Jeffrey Combs | |
|---|---|
 Combs atGalaxyCon Richmond in 2022 | |
| Born | (1954-09-09)September 9, 1954 (age 71) Oxnard, California, U.S. |
| Education | Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts |
| Alma mater | University of Washington |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1971–present |
Jeffrey Alan Combs (born September 9, 1954) is an American actor. He is best known for starring asHerbert West in theH.P. Lovecraft adaptationRe-Animator (1985) and portraying a number of characters in theStar Trek universe, most notablyBrunt and the various Weyouns onStar Trek: Deep Space Nine (1994–1999), and Shran onStar Trek: Enterprise (2001–2005).
Combs has been a prominent figure within thehorror genre through most of his career, acting in eight films directed byRe-Animator directorStuart Gordon such asFrom Beyond (1986),The Pit and the Pendulum (1991), andCastle Freak (1995). Other horror film appearances includeNecronomicon (1993),Peter Jackson'sThe Frighteners (1996),I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998),House on Haunted Hill (1999), andWould You Rather (2012). As a voice actor, he's best known as the voice ofQuestion onJustice League Unlimited (2004–2006) and Ratchet onTransformers: Prime (2010–2013).[1]
Combs was born inOxnard, California, the fifth of nine children[2] born to Jean Owens (formerly Sullins; 1921–1986) and Eugene "Gene" Combs (1922–1999), and raised inLompoc. Both of his parents were from theOzarks region ofArkansas.[3] A graduate ofLompoc High School, as a senior, Combs played the lead role of Captain Fisby in a stage production ofThe Teahouse of the August Moon. Combs then attendedSanta Maria'sPacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, and later developed his acting skills in theProfessional Actor's Training Program at theUniversity of Washington.[4]
In 1980, after several years performing in playhouses on theWest Coast, Combs moved to Los Angeles. He landed his first role in the filmHonky Tonk Freeway (1981), playing an unnamed drive-in teller. His first horror film role came two years later inFrightmare (1983).[5][self-published source?]
Combs's best-known horror role isHerbert West, the main character in the filmRe-Animator (1985),[6] and its two sequels.[1] He portrayed authorH. P. Lovecraft (creator of the Herbert West character) in the filmNecronomicon: Book of the Dead (1993) and has starred in eight adaptations of Lovecraft's works. Other film credits includeThe Attic Expeditions (2001),FeardotCom (2002),House on Haunted Hill (1999),I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998) andThe Frighteners (1996).[7]
Combs has had roles in many science fiction television series. He starred as the telepath Harriman Gray in first-season episode "Eyes" (1994) ofBabylon 5. In 2001, he played the sinister Dr. Ek inThe Attic Expeditions. In August 2005, he appeared for the first time on the science fiction seriesThe 4400 asDr. Kevin Burkhoff which became a recurring role by 2006. In early 2007, he played a highly fictionalizedEdgar Allan Poe in "The Black Cat" episode ofMasters of Horror.[8] In the 2012 miniseriesDorothy and the Witches of Oz (sometimes calledThe Witches of Oz), he had a small role as a highly fictionalizedL. Frank Baum.
Combs has also worked as a voiceover artist. His voiceover roles include theScarecrow inThe New Batman Adventures, theQuestion inJustice League Unlimited, Ratchet inTransformers: Prime, theLeader inThe Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, theRat King inTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, andBrainiac inInjustice 2.[7] He also narrated the 25th anniversary ofRe-Animator at the2010 FanTasia.[9]
In July 2009, Combs returned to his stage roots and reprised his role as Edgar Allan Poe in a one-man theatrical show,Nevermore...an Evening with Edgar Allan Poe, atThe Steve Allen Theater in Hollywood, California.[10] Although it was supposed to run for only a month, it enjoyed much success and sold-out crowds, and was extended four times, until closing in Los Angeles on December 19, 2009. The show had its East Coast debut on January 23 and 24, 2010 at Westminster Hall in Baltimore, Maryland, Poe's final resting place.[11] A tour of the Saturn Award-nominated[12]Nevermore was subsequently planned.[13]
Combs starred withAndrew Divoff in the 2012 Screen Media Films releaseNight of the Living Dead 3D: Re-Animation, a prequel to the 2006 filmNight of the Living Dead 3D directed byJeff Broadstreet. In 2012, he also played the sadistic Dr. Lambrick in another horror-thriller,Would You Rather.[7]
On television, Combs enjoyed popular success playing a number of alien characters on the various modernStar Trek incarnations, beginning withStar Trek: Deep Space Nine in 1994, and continuing toStar Trek: Voyager in 2000,Star Trek: Enterprise in 2001 andStar Trek: Lower Decks in 2021. He has played nine onscreen roles in theStar Trek universe. His largest science-fiction role to date was his regular guest role onDeep Space Nine as theVorta cloneWeyoun. Combs has said that Weyoun was his favoriteStar Trek role, and that he had considerable input in developing the character.[14]
On the same series, Combs had a recurring role as theFerengi characterBrunt. During theDS9 episode "The Dogs of War", he appeared as both Weyoun and Brunt, becoming one of the fewStar Trek actors to play two characters in the same episode (others includingPatrick Stewart andBrian Markinson).[15][16] Combs wanted the characters to appear in the same scene, but the logistics and expense worked against it.[17]
OnEnterprise, Combs had a recurring role asShran, anAndorian military officer.Enterprise producerManny Coto once said in an interview that he had hoped to make Combs a regular onEnterprise had the series been renewed for a fifth season.[18]
In addition to his recurringStar Trek roles, Combs had non-recurring roles as human police officer Kevin Mulkahey,[19] alien Tiron onDeep Space Nine, alienPenk onVoyager, and Ferengi pirate Krem onEnterprise. Along with many other actors, writers and creators of the show, Combs also had a cameo appearance as a holographic patron in Vic's Lounge in the final episode ofDeep Space Nine. He also voices the character of Romulan Commander Suldok for theStar Trek: Elite Force II video game.[20] In 2021, he had a guest voice role as AGIMUS, an evil computer, in episode 7, season 2 ofStar Trek: Lower Decks, which he reprised in seasons 3 and 4.[21]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | The Mississippi | Military Cadet | Episode: "We Remember, We Revere" |
| 1987 | Beauty and the Beast | Python | Episode: "No Way Down" |
| 1988 | Jake and the Fatman | Alan Shuba | Episode: "What is This Thing Called Love" |
| 1989 | Freddy's Nightmares | Ralph | Episode: "Love Stinks" |
| Life Goes On | Burk Clifton | Episode: "Invasion of the Thatcher Snatchers" | |
| Hunter | James Wilkins | Episode: "Fatal Obsession, Part 2" | |
| 1991 | The Flash | Jimmy Swain | Episode: "Captain Cold" |
| Sisters | Derek Cotts | Episode: "Protective Measures" | |
| 1994 | Babylon 5 | Harriman Gray | Episode: "Eyes" |
| 1994–99 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Brunt,Weyoun, Tiron | 33 episodes |
| 1995 | The Single Guy | Klein | Episode: "The Virgin" |
| Ultraman: The Ultimate Hero | Roger "Sheck" Shector | Episode: "A Quartet Of Creatures" | |
| 1996 | Perversions of Science | Prisoner #50557 | Episode: "The Exile" |
| 1997 | The New Batman Adventures | Dr. Jonathan Crane / Scarecrow | Voice Episode: "Never Fear"[22] |
| 1998 | The Net | Max Copernicus | Episode: "Lunatic Fringe" |
| 2000 | Star Trek: Voyager | Penk | Episode: "Tsunkatse" |
| 2001–05 | Star Trek: Enterprise | Shran, Krem | 11 episodes |
| 2002 | The Twilight Zone | Harry Radditch | Episode: "The Placebo Effect" |
| She Spies | Indigo | Episode: "The Replacement" | |
| 2003 | Spider-Man: The New Animated Series | Dr. Zellner, Professor | Voices 2 episodes |
| CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Dr. Dale Sterling | Episode: "Jackpot" | |
| 2004–06 | Justice League Unlimited | Vic Sage / Question, Dr. Moon, Assistant | Voices 5 episodes[22] |
| Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! | Gyrus Krinkle | Voice 2 episodes[22] | |
| 2005 | Hammerhead: Shark Frenzy | Dr. Preston King | Television film |
| 2005–07 | The 4400 | Kevin Burkhoff | 15 episodes |
| 2006 | Voodoo Moon | Frank Taggert | Television film |
| 2006 | Masters of Horror | Edgar Allan Poe | Episode: "The Black Cat" |
| 2008 | Cold Case | Sly Borden | Episode: "Spiders" |
| 2009 | Batman: The Brave and the Bold | Kite Man | Voice Episode: "Long Arm of the Law!"[22] |
| 2010–11 | Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated | Professor Hatecraft | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2010–12 | The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes | Samuel Sterns / Leader | Voice 5 episodes[22] |
| 2010–13 | Transformers: Prime | Ratchet, MECH #1 | Voice 56 episodes[22] |
| 2012 | Thundercats | Soul Sever | Voice Episode: "The Soul Sever" |
| Femme Fatales | Interrogator | Voice Episode: "Killer Instinct" | |
| 2012–16 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Dr. Victor Falco / Rat King | Voice 4 episodes[22] |
| 2013 | Transformers Prime Beast Hunters: Predacons Rising | Ratchet | Voice Television film |
| 2013 | DC Nation – Doom Patrol | Chief | Voice 3 episodes[22] |
| 2014 | Criminal Minds | John Nichols | Episode: "The Black Queen" |
| Ben 10: Omniverse | Kuphulu | Voice 2 episodes[22] | |
| 2015 | Gotham | Office Manager | 2 episodes |
| Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. | Mainframe, Referee Bot | Voices Episode: "Wheels of Fury"[22] | |
| 2016 | Transformers: Robots in Disguise | Ratchet | Voice 4 episodes[22] |
| 2017 | Stan Against Evil | Impish Man | Episode: "Girls' Night" |
| 2018–20 | Tigtone | Prince Lavender, The Greater Good | Voices 6 episodes |
| 2019 | Pandora | Berman Livingston | Episode: "Hurricane" |
| Hot Streets | Stinkeroni, Captain Moldmug, Elder Vossler | Voices 2 episodes | |
| Creepshow | Reinhard | Episode: "Bad Wolf Down/The Finger" | |
| 2021–23 | Star Trek: Lower Decks | AGIMUS | Voice 3 episodes |
| 2022 | Dota: Dragon's Blood | Father | Voice 3 episodes |
| 2023–24 | SpongeBob SquarePants | Wally | Voice 2 episodes |
| 2023 | Ollie & Scoops | Edgar Grimson | Voice Episode: "A Night at Claudia's" |
| 2024 | Masters of the Universe: Revolution | Zodac | Voice Episode: "The Scepter and the Sword" |
| Hysteria! | Mr. McCarthy | Episode: "Mother" |
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Dominion Wars | Weyoun |
| 2003 | Star Trek: Elite Force II | Cmdr. Suldok |
| Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu | Dr. Jonathan Crane / Scarecrow[22] | |
| 2012 | The Secret World | Hayden Montag, Charles Zurn |
| Transformers: Prime – The Game | Ratchet[22] | |
| 2013 | Imperium Galactic War | Novus Ordo, Narrator |
| Lego Marvel Super Heroes | TheLeader | |
| 2017 | Injustice 2 | Brainiac[22] |
| 2018 | Star Trek Online: Victory Is Life | Weyoun[22] |
| Lego DC Super-Villains | Scarecrow,Kite Man, Man | |
| 2025 | Dune: Awakening | Zayne De Witte[30] |
| Marvel's Deadpool VR | Major Domo[22] |
