Actor Tim Russ was an army brat who, at an early age, became interested in acting and theater. He attended St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, getting a degree in theater arts, and he continued his acting studies in grad school at Illinois State University. His first professional acting gig was a supporting role in an episode of the reboot of “The Twilight Zone” in 1985, and his first movie was a small part in the 1986 Ralph Macchio vehicle “Crossroads.” Audiences of a certain age likely recall Russ’ cameo in Mel Brooks’ 1987 spoof “Spaceballs.” He was the Spaceball officer who, while (literally) combing the desert with an outsize afro pick, announced that “We ain’t found s***!” That same year, Russ appeared in the wonderfully absurd “Death Wish 4: The Crackdown,” a film that boasts one of the best death-by-bazooka scenes in cinema history. 

Russ remained prolific, however, picking up dozens of guest spots in numerous hit shows over the next five years. He was in “Amazing Stories,” “Hill Street Blues,” and “Jake and the Fatman.” He was in “Cop Rock,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” and “Alien Nation.” He got around. On the big screen, he appeared in Clint Eastwood’s “Bird,” the horror film “Pulse,” and the sci-fi flick “Eve of Destruction.” 

Russ’ highest-profile role came in 1995 when he was cast as the Vulcan security officer Tuvok on “Star Trek: Voyager.” Tuvok holds the distinction of being the first full-blood Vulcan to have a regular role on a “Star Trek” show. Spock, recall, was half-human. Tuvok had no inner conflicts. He was strong and resolute from the outset. Russ played Tuvok on all seven seasons of “Voyager,” appearing in all 172 episodes.

“Voyager,” however, was not Russ’ first brush with Trek. Indeed, he started on “Star Trek” two years earlier with a small role on “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” Below are all six roles Russ played throughout the “Star Trek” franchise, handily ranked. 

There is a prologue at the beginning of David Carson’s 1994 flick “Star Trek: Generations” — the first Trek film based on “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and seventh overall — that allow Trekkies to catch up with Kirk (William Shatner), Scotty (James Doohan) and Chekov (Walter Koenig) after the events of “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.” It seems they are now mere dignitaries, and have been asked to oversee the maiden voyage of the U.S.S. Enterprise-B. Naturally, the Enterprise-B will have to be called out on a special mission, having to mount a rescue without a full staff on board. Kirk will seemingly die in the attempt. 

In the bridge scenes, one can see an unnamed crewman punching away at his work station, not really adding anything of significance to the scene. The unnamed officer is played by Tim Russ. 

He ranks low because, well, he’s just a generic officer. The color of his uniform denotes that he either works in engineering or security, but that’s all we really know about him. He tried to transport some imperiled El Aurians off of a ship called the Lakul, but was unable because they were in a state of temporal flux. He seemed capable, I suppose, but little else can be said of him. 

In the “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” episode “Through the Looking Glass” (April 17, 1995), Captain Sisko (Avery Brooks) was kidnapped by a parallel universe variant of Chief O’Brien (Colm Meaney) and taken to the notorious Mirror Universe last seen in the original “Star Trek” episode “Mirror Mirror.” Sisko had to pose as his own doppelgänger and stage a rebellion in the Mirror Universe; it seems that Earth had been conquered by the Cardassians in this universe, and humans — pejoratively called “Terrans” — have been forming an underground fighting force ever since. 

Among the Mirror Universe characters Trekkies glimpse is a parallel version of Tuvok, played by Tim Russ. “Star Trek: Voyager” had debuted only four months before “Through the Looking Glass” aired, so Tuvok’s presence was a cute little crossover for fans. 

Tuvok has little to do in the episode, other than make Trekkies smile and point. He notes that logic can only help a revolution so much, and that action will eventually be required. Tuvok also provides a test for the kidnapped Sisko, noting that the Sisko he knew was dead. Sisko has to cautiously stay in character as his parallel self, noting that stories of his death had been greatly exaggerated. Tuvok, being intelligent and observant, would likely see through the ruse. 

Weirdly, the Mirror version of Tuvok doesn’t seem that much different from the Tuvok we already knew. He ranks low as a result.

The “Star Trek: The Next Generation” episode “Starship Mine” (March 29, 1993) was Tim Russ’ first appearance in the franchise. He played a human character named Devore, a terrorist who was working with a small team of anarchists to take over the Enterprise-D. Because of a special decontamination process, everyone has been taken off the Enterprise, leaving secret terrorists to work their villainy. Picard (Patrick Stewart) finds himself alone on the ship, having to take care of the terrorists himself. “Starship Mine” is the “Die Hard” episode of “Star Trek.” 

Devore is the first character Picard sees that clues him into the fact that something is amiss on the Enterprise. Devore claims to be making repairs with a simple laser tool, when really he’s up to something more sinister. Picard ends up thwacking Devore with a horse saddle (don’t ask) and leaving him unconscious. When he comes to, Devore smugly declares that Picard can’t use a phaser on him because of the decontamination field. Picard then holds the laser tool in his face. 

Devore is a cynical badass, and even though his role isn’t very large, he stays in the memory. 

In the “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” episode “Invasive Procedures” (October 18, 1993), DS9 — like in “Starship Mine” — is left mostly empty with only a skeleton crew on hand. While empty, a Trill named Verad (John Glover) invades the station with a small retinue of goons, hoping to kidnap Dax (Terry Farrell) and steal the long-lived symbiote inside of her body. He has to do this by force, as the official Trill channels for symbiote conjoinment all rejected him. 

Among Verad’s goons is a Klingon named T’Kar, played by Tim Russ. T’Kar, while having very few lines of dialogue, is imposing and Russ brings a zesty personality to the character. T’Kar notes in one line that he has turned his back on the Klingon Empire, as they are now run by, in his words “doddering fools and frightened old women who aren’t worthy of the name Klingon.” He’s more classically villainous, and eager to commit acts of violence. He is the one who will grab Quark (Armin Shimerman) by the ear and pull him around. Ferengi ears are very sensitive. 

His “Deep Space Nine” appearance was also before Russ was cast as Tuvok, but his three pre-“Voyager” roles had him high on the list of potential actors in line for a more serious role. “Star Trek” is notoriously good to its supporting players, and many of the late-’90s Trek actors all turned up in supporting roles earlier. T’Kar was proof that Russ was pliable, willing, and comfortable to exist within Trek.

In the third season of “Star Trek: Picard” in 2023, the title character reunited with several of his closest friends from the Enterprise-D days several decades before. The season served as a reunion special for “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” and the show’s writers were incredibly tactful about introducing legacy characters in an organic way. Time had clearly passed for each of them, and most of them had fallen out of contact. 

Together, the old friends discover a conspiracy at work. It seems that the shape-shifting Changelings (villains from “Deep Space Nine”) have been infiltrating Starfleet for years, replacing higher-ups at Starfleet Command. Picard and his friend Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) don’t know whom they can trust. Seven tries contacting her old U.S.S. Voyager crewmate Tuvok, only to find that he, too, had been replaced. 

The reveal of the Changeling Tuvok is pretty amazing. Tuvok seems to be himself, behaving in his usual taciturn fashion, answering questions dryly, but expressing concern for Seven’s safety. In their conversation, Seven caught Tuvok in a lie. When a smile creeps across his face, audiences know that something horrid has happened. Tuvok, a Vulcan, never smiles. Russ gets to have a few brief moments of villainous scenery chewing, telling Seven that she and her buddies are pretty much f***ed. It’s a small moment, but it’s a highlight of the season.

Don’t worry, though. The real Tuvok is okay. 

Of course, Tuvok is Russ’ best “Star Trek” role, hands down. As mentioned above, Tuvok is a full-blood Vulcan, allow him to be wholly logical and wholly alien, no longer having to wrestle with a pesky human side like Spock. Tuvok served as the security chief on board the U.S.S. Voyager, and it is certainly logical to have someone with a mind like Sherlock Holmes and the calm of a Carthusian monk investigating crimes. Tuvok was stern, of course, and wasn’t given to outbursts of anger/passion. Instead, he, in true “Star Trek” fashion, abided by his own philosophical principles, approaching every scenario with a fresh perspective. 

Some may argue that Tuvok is boring because he arrived on the U.S.S. Voyager fully formed. His only goals are to remain as Vulcan as possible, and to investigate crimes to the best of his abilities. These goals reveal, however, that Tuvok has a keen sense of justice, and that he prefers a life of analytical sizing up. 

In the last episode of “Voyager,” which flashes forward several decades, it will be revealed that Tuvok suffered from a rare brain ailment that left him with severe dementia. Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) cared so deeply for Tuvok, however, that she was willing to go back in time to save him. Tuvok was cold and emotionless, but understanding and patient. Unlike Spock, he got along with his crewmates, knowing exactly what they needed, even if it wasn’t logical. He wasn’t baffled or frustrated, but resolute. He’s a great character.