Stephen Furst
Encyclopedia
Stephen Furst is an American
actor
and film
and television director
. He was a regular in the science fiction series Babylon 5
playing Centauri diplomatic attaché Vir Cotto
and as Dr. Elliot Axelrod on St. Elsewhere
, and featured in the film National Lampoon's Animal House
.
, Virginia
. He is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University
's theater program. In 1972, Furst's father died from diabetes
complications. Years later, Furst was diagnosed with type II diabetes. After almost needing to have his left foot amputated due to diabetes complications in 1996, Furst lost nearly 80 lb (36 kg) in the time between the third and fourth seasons of Babylon 5. When filming started for the fourth season, the show's producers found that all of the costumes were now too large for him. His weight loss is easily visible in the later seasons of Babylon 5. (This weight loss was not explained within the context of the Vir Cotto character.) He wrote the book Confessions of a Couch Potato about his weight loss and diabetes, and co-wrote and directed a video called Diabetes for Guys, an attempt to educate about diabetes management through humor.
Furst has two sons, both in the entertainment business. His older son, Nathan Furst
(b. 1978), is a successful television and film composer who has been nominated for numerous awards. His younger son, Griff Furst
(b. 1981), is an actor, director and musician. His wife, Lorraine, is an entertainment lawyer.
, as 'Junior' Keller in The Unseen, as Gonzer in the feature film Up the Creek (1984), as Dr. Elliot Axelrod in the television series St. Elsewhere
(1983–1988), and as Vir Cotto
in the science fiction television series Babylon 5
(1994–1998).
In 1979 he reprised the Flounder character in the ABC
sitcom Delta House. He also reprised the character and repeated his famous line "Oh boy, is this great!" in the Twisted Sister
music video for "I Wanna Rock
."
In 1980, he played the character of Harold in the cult classic movie, Midnight Madness. In 1983, he also appeared in a supporting role as Aldo in the provocative ABC
TV movie The Day After
. In 1989, he played the character of Albert Ianuzzi in the hit movie, The Dream Team
.
Although not a regular, he also appeared in the short-lived 1992 TV series The Amazing Live Sea Monkeys
.
In the 1995 animated
TV series Freakazoid, he voiced the character Fanboy. Also in 1995, he took a hiatus from Babylon 5 to star in a short-lived TV series, Misery Loves Company. He also voiced a young Colonel Hathi in Season 2 of Disney's Jungle Cubs
He had a starring voice role as Booster in the 2000 series Buzz Lightyear of Star Command
. He also played a hunky walrus named Dash in the 2000 Disney movie The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea
.
In 2002, he guest starred in an episode of Scrubs
.
Furst has directed many independent and/or low-budget movies, including the low-budget movie Title to Murder
starring Christopher Atkins
and Maureen McCormick
in 2001 and the direct to video children's movie Baby Huey's Great Easter Adventure
.
Furst directed three low-budget movies for the Sci Fi Channel
, Dragon Storm
in 2004; and Path of Destruction
and Basilisk in 2005. He also co-starred in Path of Destruction and Basilisk.
Since June 2006 Furst has co-hosted the Renal Support Network's
webcast KidneyTalk
with Lori Hartwell
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and film
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
and television director
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
. He was a regular in the science fiction series Babylon 5
Babylon 5
Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
playing Centauri diplomatic attaché Vir Cotto
Vir Cotto
Vir Cotto is a character from the fictional Babylon 5 universe, played on screen by Stephen Furst. He is a Centauri male who was from a family of minor nobility, who would eventually become the Centauri Ambassador to Babylon 5, and then became the Emperor of the Centauri Republic in 2278.Vir Cotto...
and as Dr. Elliot Axelrod on St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982 to May 25, 1988. The series is set at fictional St. Eligius, a decaying urban teaching hospital in Boston's South End neighborhood...
, and featured in the film National Lampoon's Animal House
National Lampoon's Animal House
National Lampoon's Animal House is a 1978 American comedy film directed by John Landis. The film was a direct spin-off of National Lampoon magazine...
.
Biography
Stephen Furst was born in NorfolkNorfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. He is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968...
's theater program. In 1972, Furst's father died from diabetes
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes mellitus, often simply referred to as diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced...
complications. Years later, Furst was diagnosed with type II diabetes. After almost needing to have his left foot amputated due to diabetes complications in 1996, Furst lost nearly 80 lb (36 kg) in the time between the third and fourth seasons of Babylon 5. When filming started for the fourth season, the show's producers found that all of the costumes were now too large for him. His weight loss is easily visible in the later seasons of Babylon 5. (This weight loss was not explained within the context of the Vir Cotto character.) He wrote the book Confessions of a Couch Potato about his weight loss and diabetes, and co-wrote and directed a video called Diabetes for Guys, an attempt to educate about diabetes management through humor.
Furst has two sons, both in the entertainment business. His older son, Nathan Furst
Nathan Furst
Nathan Furst is a TV and film composer who has done many films and shows, mostly films for the Sci Fi Channel. His first major movie was the 1998 movie A Moment of Confusion...
(b. 1978), is a successful television and film composer who has been nominated for numerous awards. His younger son, Griff Furst
Griff Furst
Griff Furst is an American actor and film director. Furst has appeared in 36 television and film productions. He also directed seven films, including Movin' In and Wolvesbayne...
(b. 1981), is an actor, director and musician. His wife, Lorraine, is an entertainment lawyer.
Career
Furst is best known for his roles as Flounder in Animal HouseNational Lampoon's Animal House
National Lampoon's Animal House is a 1978 American comedy film directed by John Landis. The film was a direct spin-off of National Lampoon magazine...
, as 'Junior' Keller in The Unseen, as Gonzer in the feature film Up the Creek (1984), as Dr. Elliot Axelrod in the television series St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982 to May 25, 1988. The series is set at fictional St. Eligius, a decaying urban teaching hospital in Boston's South End neighborhood...
(1983–1988), and as Vir Cotto
Vir Cotto
Vir Cotto is a character from the fictional Babylon 5 universe, played on screen by Stephen Furst. He is a Centauri male who was from a family of minor nobility, who would eventually become the Centauri Ambassador to Babylon 5, and then became the Emperor of the Centauri Republic in 2278.Vir Cotto...
in the science fiction television series Babylon 5
Babylon 5
Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
(1994–1998).
In 1979 he reprised the Flounder character in the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
sitcom Delta House. He also reprised the character and repeated his famous line "Oh boy, is this great!" in the Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister is an American heavy metal band from Long Island. Musically, the band implements elements of traditional heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, along with a style that is similar to early glam metal bands...
music video for "I Wanna Rock
I Wanna Rock
"I Wanna Rock" is a song from the album Stay Hungry by American heavy metal band Twisted Sister. In 2009 it was named the 17th VH1 Greatest Hard Rock Songs by VH1...
."
In 1980, he played the character of Harold in the cult classic movie, Midnight Madness. In 1983, he also appeared in a supporting role as Aldo in the provocative ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
TV movie The Day After
The Day After
The Day After is a 1983 American television movie which aired on November 20, 1983, on the ABC television network. It was seen by more than 100 million people during its initial broadcast....
. In 1989, he played the character of Albert Ianuzzi in the hit movie, The Dream Team
The Dream Team (film)
The Dream Team is a 1989 comedy film directed by Howard Zieff and produced by Christopher W. Knight for Imagine Entertainment and Universal Pictures. It stars Michael Keaton, Christopher Lloyd, Peter Boyle and Stephen Furst as mental-hospital inpatients who are left unsupervised in New York City...
.
Although not a regular, he also appeared in the short-lived 1992 TV series The Amazing Live Sea Monkeys
The Amazing Live Sea Monkeys
The Amazing Live Sea Monkeys was a live-action television series that aired in 1992. The series aired 11 episodes before it was canceled. The show focuses on three Sea Monkeys—Dave , Bill and Aquarius —and their creator, The Professor...
.
In the 1995 animated
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
TV series Freakazoid, he voiced the character Fanboy. Also in 1995, he took a hiatus from Babylon 5 to star in a short-lived TV series, Misery Loves Company. He also voiced a young Colonel Hathi in Season 2 of Disney's Jungle Cubs
Jungle Cubs
Jungle Cubs is an animated series produced by Disney for ABC in 1996. It was based on their 1967 feature film The Jungle Book, but set in the youth of the animal characters. The show was a hit, running for two seasons in syndication before moving its re-runs to the Disney Channel...
He had a starring voice role as Booster in the 2000 series Buzz Lightyear of Star Command
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command is an American animated science fiction/adventure/comedy series produced by Walt Disney Television. The character is from the planet Zurtron. The series originally aired on UPN and ABC from October 2000 to January 2001 as part of Disney's One Saturday Morning...
. He also played a hunky walrus named Dash in the 2000 Disney movie The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea
The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea
The film's official soundtrack was released on September 19, 2000. The soundtrack was released internationally on October 31, 2000 in a special edition double pack with the original film's soundtrack...
.
In 2002, he guest starred in an episode of Scrubs
Scrubs (TV series)
Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
.
Furst has directed many independent and/or low-budget movies, including the low-budget movie Title to Murder
Title to Murder
Title to Murder is a 2001 independent film directed by Stephen Furst, starring Maureen McCormick and Christopher Atkins. It had its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.-Plot summary:...
starring Christopher Atkins
Christopher Atkins
Christopher Atkins is an American actor, who became famous with his costarring debut role in the 1980 film The Blue Lagoon.-Early life:...
and Maureen McCormick
Maureen McCormick
Maureen Denise McCormick is an American actress, celebrity and recording artist. She is most widely known as a child actress who played Marcia Brady in the television series The Brady Bunch from 1969 to 1974.- Early life and career :...
in 2001 and the direct to video children's movie Baby Huey's Great Easter Adventure
Baby Huey's Great Easter Adventure
Baby Huey's Great Easter Adventure is a 1998 live-action direct-to-video film directed by Stephen Furst based on the Harvey Entertainment Company animated character, Baby Huey...
.
Furst directed three low-budget movies for the Sci Fi Channel
Sci Fi Channel (United States)
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
, Dragon Storm
Dragon Storm (film)
Dragon Storm is a 2004 made for TV fantasy action film written by Patrick Phillips and Sam Wells, and directed by Stephen Furst. The film is noted as the Sci Fi Channel's most-watched original movie with over 3 million viewers of the premiere broadcast.- Plot :Meteorites falling from the sky...
in 2004; and Path of Destruction
Path of Destruction (film)
Path of Destruction is a 2005 made-for-TV TBS original film. It concerns a nanotechnology experiment gone awry.-Plot:After the government cuts funding to a nanotechnology project, the fictional company StarkCorp stores samples on an oil rig near Alaska. However, an accident releases the...
and Basilisk in 2005. He also co-starred in Path of Destruction and Basilisk.
Since June 2006 Furst has co-hosted the Renal Support Network's
Renal Support Network
The Renal Support Network is an American nonprofit, kidney patient-focused, kidney patient-run organization that works to benefit individuals affected by chronic kidney disease...
webcast KidneyTalk
Renal Support Network
The Renal Support Network is an American nonprofit, kidney patient-focused, kidney patient-run organization that works to benefit individuals affected by chronic kidney disease...
with Lori Hartwell
Lori Hartwell
Lori Hartwell is the Founder and President of the Renal Support Network, author of Chronically Happy: Joyful Living in Spite of Chronic Illness, and co-host of KidneyTalk, a biweekly webcast of issues of interest to those with Chronic Kidney Disease ....
.