Star Trek: Deep Space Nine has its share of talented actors, but few bring such a unique acting style to the show as Armin Shimmerman. This New Jersey-born actor played Quark, the profit-focused Ferengi who ran a bar, a gambling table, and several entertainment holosuites on the station. He is a memorable and popular character, ranked #17 in a list of the best Star Trek characters of all time, and might not be the Ferengi we know and love without Shimmerman’s talent.
Shimmerman’s star rose rapidly
Although born in New Jersey, Shimmerman’s family moved to Los Angeles when he was 16, where his mother helped him to become involved in acting as a way to make friends in his new surroundings. Later, he graduated from the University of Los Angeles and moved back to New York after spending time as an apprentice at the Old Globe Theater.
New York welcomed Shimmerman back with open arms, and he earned several Broadway roles in productions like Threepenny Opera and I Remember Mama. He’d perform in a handful of musicals and shows in the late 1970s before returning to Los Angeles to take on television.
Slay all day (and night!)
While Shimmerman would appear on a variety of TV shows throughout the 1980s, in 1997, he landed the role of Principal Snyder on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, one of the most iconic and influential television shows of its time. Although Snyder had a rigid personality and a no-nonsense attitude when it came to education, Shimmerman played the role in a way that made the character more than just a one-note joke. The episode “Band Candy” (S03E06) is his best turn in the entire series, in this writer’s humble opinion, and he only adds to that episode’s overall hilarity!
Launching into space
Before playing Quark on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Shimmerman appeared on Star Trek: The Next Generation, playing two separate Ferengi roles. This likely led to the creation of Quark, whom Shimmerman played throughout the show’s 7-year run. He played the character with the classic “the guy you love to hate” tone, and viewers embraced his wit, humor (often unintentional), and the way he related to other characters.
Is Quark your favorite DS9 character? Why or why not? What do you feel Shimmerman brought to the role that few others could? Visit our social media sites on X and Facebook to let us know!