Richard Herd

Richard Herd Jr. (September 26, 1932 – May 26, 2020) was an American actor, appearing in numerous supporting, recurring, and guest roles in television series and occasional film roles, from the 1970s to the 2010s. He was well known in the science fiction community for his role in the 1983 NBC miniseries V and 1984 sequel V: The Final Battle, as John, the Visitors' Supreme Commander. Other major roles in his career included recurring parts on the NBC series seaQuest DSV as Admiral William Noyce; on Star Trek: Voyager as Admiral Owen Paris, the father of helmsman Tom Paris; and as George Costanza's boss Mr. Wilhelm on Seinfeld. In two guest appearances on Quantum Leap, he played children's show host "Captain Galaxy", a would-be time traveler, and a miner named Ziggy Ziganovich. Herd has appeared at a number of fan conventions on the basis of his science fiction roles.

Herd was born in Boston, the son of Katherine and Richard Herd Sr., who was a train engineer.

He made his film debut in Hercules in New York (1970). Herd's first major film role was in the thriller The China Syndrome alongside Jane Fonda, Jack Lemmon and Michael Douglas, where he played the character Evan McCormack, the corrupt Chairman of the California Gas & Electric Board. This role helped make him well known outside the United States.

In addition to science fiction, he was a regular as Captain Dennis Sheridan on T. J. Hooker from 1982 to 1983 (he continued to appear on the series sporadically until 1984), and appeared on Seinfeld as Mr. Wilhelm, George Costanza's boss at the Yankees. Guest appearances included M*A*S*H, The Rockford Files, The Feather and Father Gang, The Golden Girls, Starsky & Hutch, Quantum Leap, The A-Team, Midnight Caller, Hart to Hart, NYPD Blue, Renegade, Pacific Blue, and JAG.

In 2012 he played Judge Paul Landsman in the TV series CSI: Miami episode titled "Rest in Pieces". Herd portrayed Roman Armitage in Get Out (2017).

Herd was inducted into the National Broadcaster Hall of Fame for his work in Old Time Radio.

Herd served as the 3rd National Vice President of the Screen Actors Guild.

At the time of his death, Herd lived in Los Angeles with his wife, Patricia Crowder Herd. Herd died from cancer at his home on May 26, 2020, at age 87.