Avery Brooks

Brooks's stage career augmented his appearances on the small screen. His proud, imposing presence made him an excellent choice to play controversial actor-singer Paul Robeson in several biographical dramas, as well as a role Robeson himself was famous for, Othello. When he agreed to play Commander Benjamin Sisko on the third "Star Trek" series, "Deep Space Nine," Brooks knew that he would be subject to careful scrutiny from scores of Trekkers who, for varying reasons, had idolized William Shatner and Patrick Stewart as other, earlier Trek commanders. Brooks, though, deftly brought to bear his own brand of quiet authority to Sisko, in charge of a remote outer space outpost.