Actor Booth Colman dies at 91

Los Angeles: Actor Booth Colman, known for his roles in television series 'Star Trek', and films like 'Julius Ceasar', has passed away. He was 91.

He died in his sleep at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, his niece, Shellie Lavaris, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Colman got his start in show business as a child actor in local theater performances. He later attended the University of Washington and the University of Michigan, where he launched a radio career.

Colman studied acting under Maurice Evans, who played Dr Zaius in the 'Planet of the Apes' films.

He later took on the role of Dr Zaius for the 'Planet of the Apes' television series. The role thrust Colman into the spotlight for fans of the show, who regularly sent him mails asking for autographs and invited him to appear at film conventions.

He had a prolific television career with roles in 'Gunsmoke', 'Perry Mason', 'Star Trek', 'The Waltons', 'Route 66', among others and his film credits included 'Big Sky', 'Them!', 'World Without End', 'Julius Caesar', 'Mary Jane', 'The Errand Boy', 'Wild on the Beach' and 'Norma Rae'.

On Broadway, Colman worked alongside Basil Rathbone, Fredric March and Charlie Chaplin Jr.

He particularly enjoyed playing Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol', a performance he repeated more than 500 times since 1981 at the Meadow Brook Theatre in Rochester, Michigan.