Robin Sachs, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Babylon 5, Mass Effect Actor Dead At 61
There’s a good chance you might not know off who Robin Sachs is the top of your head. If you heard his voice, though, it would click immediately. If you saw his face, you’d think, “Of course!”
But it is with great sadness we report Robin Sachs passed away on February 1, 2013, at the age of 61.
Robin Sachs had a long and varied career that included many beloved sci-fi/fantasy properties. He played Ethan Rayne on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Zaeed Massani in the Mass Effect games.
If you’ve watched sci-fi/fantasy television during the past 20 years, you’ve almost certainly seen or heard Robin Sachs’ work.
Probably Robin Sachs most recognizable role — at least for people like us — was as the delightfully villainous Ethan Rayne on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In the series, Ethan was an old friend and former practicing sorcerer alongside Rupert Giles when they were younger. He appeared in a number of episodes.
But even beyond Buffy, Robin Sachs had been a regular part of the SF landscape for decades, lending his talents to shows such as Alias, Star Trek: Voyager, and Torchwood: Miracle Day.
Robin Sachs also went under makeup to play numerous roles on J. Michael Straczynski’s Babylon 5, including Minbari and Narn characters such Na’Tok, Hedronn, and Warleader Na’Kal. If looking to become a minor legend in the sci-fi community, this was for sure one way to do it.
On the big screen, Robin Sachs appeared in films such as Galaxy Quest, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, and Ocean’s Eleven.
Sachs also lent his unmistakable voice to the gaming world, voicing the crusty bounty hunter Zaeed Massani in the second and third Mass Effect games. Zaeed was a grizzled, scarred mercenary and bounty hunter who could be recruited to join Commander Shepard’s squad.
In addition to those credits, Robin Sachs also provided voices in BioWare’s Dragon Age: Origins and in one of the best Star Wars games ever, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
The tragic news of Sachs’ passing appeared on his official website, which posted a brief note that suggested his death was sudden and unexpected. We here at GFR send our thoughts and sympathies to his friends and family. We’ll see you beyond the Rim, sir.
