Michael Ansara

Biography

Michael Ansara was a Syrian-American actor who worked in historical epics, Westerns and science fiction. He was born in Syria and spent his childhood in Massachusetts and California, and began acting classes at the Pasadena Playhouse, where a Warner Bros. scout signed him for Only the Valiant (1951). Often typecast as an American Indian afterward, he gained wide exposure as Cochise in the Broken Arrow series. His films included The Robe (1953), The Comancheros (1961), Guns of the Magnificent Seven (1969) and The Message (1976). On television he starred as Marshal Sam Buckhart in Law of the Plainsman, played the Klingon commander Kang in three Star Trek series, and was Kane in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and he voiced Mr. Freeze in Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero (1998). Among his honors were a Walk of Fame star in Hollywood and a Western Heritage Award for Rawhide, and he was nominated for a Saturn Award.

91years old at death

Born April 15, 1922Syria
Died July 31, 2013Calabasas
Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19
Also credited as Michael George Ansara

Movie Career

Films: 23
Career span: 48 years1951 to 1999

Genres

Adventure39%, 9 films
Action35%, 8 films
Sci-Fi30%, 7 films
Western26%, 6 films
Drama22%, 5 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

Big break
Ansara was cast as Cochise in the Broken Arrow television series after Ricardo Montalban, who played the role in the pilot, declined to commit to a weekly show.
A first
Ansara was noted for playing the Klingon commander Kang, first in the original Star Trek series in "Day of the Dove" and then in Deep Space Nine and Voyager. He was one of seven actors to play one character across three Star Trek series.
First role
Ansara's screen debut came in 1944 as Hamid in the RKO film Action in Arabia, one of many Arab parts he was cast in as a Syrian-American actor.
Big break
Ansara appeared in a Pasadena Playhouse production of Monserrat, where a Warner Brothers talent scout noticed him. He was then cast as Tuscos in Only the Valiant.
Early training
Ansara began taking acting classes at the Pasadena Playhouse to overcome his shyness, and the classes turned his ambition from medicine to performing.
Behind the camera
Ansara directed the penultimate episode of I Dream of Jeannie, titled One Jeannie Beats Four of a Kind, and later produced the pilot for The Barbara Eden Show.

Michael Ansara movies on Netflix

Batman Beyond: The Movie1999IMDb rating 7.7as Dr. Victor Fries / Mr. Freeze (voice)
Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero1998IMDb rating 7.1as Dr. Victor Fries / Mr. Freeze (voice)
Assassination1987IMDb rating 5.2as Sen. Hector Bunsen
The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins1984IMDb rating 5.4as Turk
Dr. Strange1978IMDb rating 5.0as The Ancient One (voice)
The Manitou1978IMDb rating 5.4as John Singing Rock
Day of the Animals1977IMDb rating 5.3as Daniel Santee
The Message1976IMDb rating 8.1as Abu Sofyan
It's Alive1974IMDb rating 5.8as The Captain
The Bears and I1974IMDb rating 6.2as Oliver Red Fern
The Doll Squad1973IMDb rating 4.4as Eamon O'Reilly
Dear Dead Delilah1972IMDb rating 5.5as Morgan Charles
Guns of the Magnificent Seven1969IMDb rating 5.8as Col. Diego
Texas Across the River1966IMDb rating 6.2as Iron Jacket
Harum Scarum1965IMDb rating 4.6as Ptince Dragna
The Comancheros1961IMDb rating 6.8as Amelung
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea1961IMDb rating 6.0as Miguel Alvarez
The Tall Stranger1957IMDb rating 6.4as Zarata
The Lone Ranger1956IMDb rating 6.5as Angry Horse
Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy1955IMDb rating 6.2as Charlie
The Egyptian1954IMDb rating 6.5as Hittite Commander
The Robe1953IMDb rating 6.7as Judas
Only the Valiant1951IMDb rating 6.5as Tucsos

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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The Message1976 Adventure, Biography, Dramaas Abu Sofyan
IMDb rating 8.154K votes
Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero1998 Action, Animation, Crimeas Dr. Victor Fries / Mr. Freezevoice
IMDb rating 7.120K votes
Batman Beyond: The Movie1999as Dr. Victor Fries / Mr. Freezevoice
IMDb rating 7.77.1K votes
Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy1955as Charlie
IMDb rating 6.27.0K votes
The Manitou1978as John Singing Rock
IMDb rating 5.43.8K votes
The Comancheros1961as Amelung
IMDb rating 6.811K votes
It's Alive1974as The Captain
IMDb rating 5.89.9K votes
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea1961as Miguel Alvarez
IMDb rating 6.07.2K votes

Most often with

Michael Curtiz directed two of these films, William Girdler two. Henry Daniell appears in three of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Henry Daniell

Clyde Kusatsu

Jean Simmons

Bernie Casey

Victor Mature

Kevin ConroyMichael CurtizDirector, 2 films William GirdlerDirector, 2 films

Films together

Henry Daniell3 films together, 1954 to 1961
Henry Daniell's page
- The Comancheros1961IMDb rating 6.8Ansara as AmelungDaniell as Gireaux
- Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea1961IMDb rating 6.0Ansara as Miguel AlvarezDaniell as Dr. Zucco
- The Egyptian1954IMDb rating 6.5Ansara as Hittite CommanderDaniell as Mekere
Clyde Kusatsu2 films together, 1978 to 1999
Clyde Kusatsu's page
- Batman Beyond: The Movie1999IMDb rating 7.7Ansara as Dr. Victor Fries / Mr. FreezevoiceKusatsu as Wrestling Coachvoice
- Dr. Strange1978IMDb rating 5.0Ansara as The Ancient OnevoiceKusatsu as Wong
Jean Simmons2 films together, 1953 to 1954
Jean Simmons's page
- The Egyptian1954IMDb rating 6.5Ansara as Hittite CommanderSimmons as Merit
- The Robe1953IMDb rating 6.7Ansara as JudasSimmons as Diana
Bernie Casey2 films together, 1969 to 1984
Bernie Casey's page
- The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins1984IMDb rating 5.4Ansara as TurkCasey as J.T. Collins
- Guns of the Magnificent Seven1969IMDb rating 5.8Ansara as Col. DiegoCasey as Cassie
Victor Mature2 films together, 1953 to 1954
Victor Mature's page
- The Egyptian1954IMDb rating 6.5Ansara as Hittite CommanderMature as Horemheb
- The Robe1953IMDb rating 6.7Ansara as JudasMature as Demetrius
Kevin Conroy2 films together, 1998 to 1999
Kevin Conroy's page
- Batman Beyond: The Movie1999IMDb rating 7.7Ansara as Dr. Victor Fries / Mr. FreezevoiceConroy as Bruce Wayne / Batmanvoice
- Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero1998IMDb rating 7.1Ansara as Dr. Victor Fries / Mr. FreezevoiceConroy as Bruce Wayne / Batmanvoice
Michael CurtizDirector, 2 films, 1954 to 1961
All films by Michael Curtiz
- The Comancheros1961IMDb rating 6.8Ansara as Amelung
- The Egyptian1954IMDb rating 6.5Ansara as Hittite Commander
William GirdlerDirector, 2 films, 1977 to 1978
All films by William Girdler
- The Manitou1978IMDb rating 5.4Ansara as John Singing Rock
- Day of the Animals1977IMDb rating 5.3Ansara as Daniel Santee
Also two films together4 more actors
- Andrew DugganIt's Alive (1974) and The Bears and I (1974)
- Patrick WayneThe Bears and I (1974) and The Comancheros (1961)
- Jon CedarThe Manitou (1978) and Day of the Animals (1977)
- Paul ManteeThe Manitou (1978) and Day of the Animals (1977)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Michael Ansara's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$99.7 million

10 of the 23 films have a worldwide figure.

10Worldwide figure
4Never in cinemas
9Figure not found

Top grosser

The Robe1953Judas$36.0 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 94% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
The Robe1953as Judas
$36M36.1% of the total
2
The Egyptian1954as Hittite Commander
$15M15.0% of the total
3
The Message1976as Abu Sofyan
$15M15.0% of the total
4
It's Alive1974as The Captain
$7.1M7.1% of the total
5
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea1961as Miguel Alvarez
$7.0M7.0% of the total
6
Assassination1987as Sen. Hector Bunsen
$6.1M6.1% of the total
7
Harum Scarum1965as Ptince Dragna
$4.0M4.0% of the total
8
The Bears and I1974as Oliver Red Fern
$4.0M4.0% of the total