# Actor Paul Winfield (1941–2004) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 9, 2004, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-paul-winfield-1941-2004/233305 "2004-03-09T15:51:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2004, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-paul-winfield-1941-2004/233305/21 "2004-03-10T01:49:05Z")
I’m not familiar with him other than as Captain Terrel and the Tamarian in “Darmok” but both those characters are well known in Trek lore. He’ll be missed. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2004, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-paul-winfield-1941-2004/233305/22 "2004-03-10T02:04:55Z")
Mr. Winfield beat the hell out of Oprah Winfrey in “Women of Brewster’s Place”. With a broom! He also played the landlord in 227. As a little girl, I remember watching _King_ on the tiny black-and-white television set my sister and I kept in our bedroom. These are my Paul Winfield memories. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2004, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-paul-winfield-1941-2004/233305/23 "2004-03-10T03:59:56Z")
For us Trekkers, his roles were huge. In _Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan_, his character played a pivotal role in the ongoing Kirk vs Khan struggle as it escalated to not just “life or death” but now to “hate and spite.” We definitely felt sorrow for his passing and awed respect for his self control in the ultimate of choices. “I’ve done worse than kill you, Kirk. I’ve hurt you.” Then, the ultimate scene for Kirk in any of the Trek incarnations. The camera dollies to an overhead shot, pulling back with zoom focus as Kirk bellows in rage, “KHAN!” In _Darmock_ (TNG), his role was huge, also. How so? In that it finally showed the limitations that should’ve been there all along in the Trekkerverse concerning the Universal Translator. The fact that he pulled it off so well shows the calibre of his acting. By subtle hints of body language, facial expression through the prosthetics, and vocal inflection, we (as loyal Trek viewers) were able to understand him long before the hoo-mahn characters aboard NCC-1701D were allowed to by the writers. He stood shoulder to shoulder with Stewart in dignity and intensity. Plus, we already knew him from so many different roles in film and TV. Just wanted to explain why he was important to Trekkers, in addition to his being a decent man and respected actor. ---
**Author:** ![av8rmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2004, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-paul-winfield-1941-2004/233305/24 "2004-03-10T16:55:17Z")
And who can forget his classic exchange with Lance Henriksen in _The Terminator_? PW, before making a press statement: “How do I look?” LH: “Like shit.” PW: “Yo’ mama.” ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2004, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-paul-winfield-1941-2004/233305/25 "2004-03-10T21:13:35Z")
Temba…at rest. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-paul-winfield-1941-2004/233305/26 "2004-03-11T20:21:14Z")
“Darmok” not only showed the limitations of the Universal Translator when confronted with a cultural gulf it couldn’t span, it also had two World-Class Shakespearean actors with the screen to themselves for an hour, something you rarely get on American TV. And they told a story that could ONLY be told through Science Fiction, not because it involved faster-than-light travel or photon torpedoes but because it involved two people who could understand each other’s _words_ perfectly but still not have a clue as to their _meaning,_ which humans cannot normally experience outside of a statement by a politician. And the Tamarian language reminded me a conversation between two people playing Duelling Bible Verses. I loved Paul Winfield. He was one of my favorite actors even though I have a mental block that does not allow me to remember his name. ---
**Author:** ![kevja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@kevja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevja)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-paul-winfield-1941-2004/233305/27 "2004-03-11T22:50:41Z")
I liked most everything he did. Besides good performances in “Sounder” and “King”, he was so funny in the “Terminator.” Was he in the scene where he takes a cup of coffee, and another character says that coffee is two hours cold, and someone put a cigerette out in it. He gives him a “fuck you look” he drinks it anyway. Even the smarmy “City Confidential.” Pour me another martini, and where’s my check. I saw him one day in the Castro. It was a warm afternoon, and he and his boyfriend were diving a 450SL with the top down. They cruised through slowly practically begging for attention, but they didn’t acknowledge anyone. They just stared straight ahead. And as it became aparent that he was going to wave or say hi to anyone, eveyone stared yelling (in a slightly mocking tone) Mr. Winfield, Mr. Winfield, we love you. Still nothing. If you’re going to blatantly look for attention you should acknowledge your fans, girlfiend. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-paul-winfield-1941-2004/233305/28 "2004-03-12T01:22:53Z")
I read in a newspaper obituary that he was at one time involved with Cicely Tyson? The guy apparently had quite the private life. In addition to the roles mentioned above…I also liked him in _The Terminator_, the scenes between him and Henriksen added something to the movie which the sequels emphatically lacked…he had a small but pivotal role as the judge in _Presumed Innocent_. ---
**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-paul-winfield-1941-2004/233305/29 "2004-03-12T02:55:19Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > And the Tamarian language reminded me a conversation between two people playing Duelling Bible Verses. It gave me flashbacks to honors English when my snootier co-students would, without irony, talk in metaphor for three classes straight. I loved that ep. Dropped honors English though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-paul-winfield-1941-2004/233305.md?page=1)