Timothy Birdnow

British turned American actor Patrick Stewart, best known for his role as the Captain on the Star Trek reboot "Next Generation" has passed away. He was 86 years old.

He apparently died of Alzheimer's and something called Lewy Body Dementia, which is a term that covers a range of illnesses including Parkinson's.

I find his death from Alzheimer's ironic in that he starred in a movie called Safehouse in which he played an ex-spy who was hiding from his former boss, a man running for President. His old team was dying one by one, so Stewart's character turned his L.A. home into a fortress. But he's developing dementia and his daughter hires a live-in nurse (played by actress Kimberly Williams) over Stewart's objections. The dementia is a critical part of the story; I won't tell you how it ends in case you want to see it. It was a very good movie.

At any rate Stewart, a self-avowed socialist, is now at room temperature.

Stewart was best known for his role on Star Trek, and also for his portrayal of Charles xavier in the X men movies. He began as a Shakespearean stage actor but eventually moved to television, where he appeared in I Claudius, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and Fall of Eagles. He played Captain Ahab in a remake of Moby Dick, Ebeneazer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, and Henry II in The Lion in Winter. He hosted the documentary When the Lion Roars about MGM Studios (which my mother had on vhs.)

He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 2010.

Anyway Stewart was heavily involved in domestic abuse prevention, since his father, a WWII war hero with PTSD, used to beat his mother. He was also an avowed atheist, so one must fear for him as his final destination is likely to be unpleasant.

So say a prayer or two for him. Now, we have to wonder who the next two will be.

Posted by: Dana Mathewson at October 30, 2026 11:30 PM (LsX8Y)

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