The Big Lebowski actor and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine guest Jack Kehler dies at 75

Jack Kehler as Marty in The Big Lebowski (left) and as Jaheel in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine “Babel”

MAY 11, 2022 - “Dude, uh, tomorrow’s already the tenth.”

“Far out.”

Fans of The Big Lebowski will remember this exchange between The Dude and Marty, his landlord. Star Trek fans will also know the man who played Marty, Jack Kehler. Sadly, Ian Spelling has shared the news at Heavy that Star Trek has lost yet another family member: Jack Kehler died on Saturday, May 7, of complications from leukemia. He was 75.

A native Philadelphian, Kehler decided to pursue theater at the age of 24 and made his film debut as a gas station attendant in Strange Invaders (1983), which also cast several other eventual Trek alumni. He would go on to do many guest and character roles in television and film, Marty being perhaps his best known, as well as some recurring television roles, such as in The Man in the High Castle.

Kehler made his lone Star Trek appearance in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season one episode, “Babel.” He played the Boslic freighter captain who docked at Deep Space 9 and was transporting a shipment of Tamen Sasheer to Largo V.

Referring to his own decision to pursue acting, Kehler said, “I made a list of four things I liked and felt connected to, even though I didn’t know how to do them. One was theatre,” while the other three were writing, playing guitar, and woodworking. “At times I thought I was starting too late to have a real career, but then I realized Vincent van Gogh didn’t pick up a paintbrush until he was 27.”

For more on the life and career of Jack Kehler, head over to Heavy, and please join us in offering our condolences to his friends and family.