Armin Shimerman (born November 5, 1949) is an American actor who was born and raised in Lakewood, New Jersey. He is married to actress Kitty Swink. Shimerman is best known for playing the Ferengi bartender Quark in Star Trek: Deep Space 9.
When he was 15 his family moved to Los Angeles, where his mother enrolled him in a drama group in an effort to expand his social circle. He later graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles, then was selected to apprentice at the Old Globe Theater in San Diego. He pursued a dramatic career in theater, eventually moving to New York. He later returned to Los Angeles where he landed roles in two CBS series, launching a career in television acting.
He is perhaps best known for his role as the Ferengi bar owner Quark in the long running television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, though his involvement with the Star Trek franchise began when he played a different Ferengi in Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Last Outpost", the episode which introduced the Ferengi. He also appeared as the face of Deanna Troi's wedding box with a message in Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Haven". As Quark, he would become one of Trek's most widely-known characters, and he appeared several times on the cover of TV Guide (either with other actors or alone as part of a collector's series).
Along with Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis, John de Lancie, Michael Ansara and Richard Poe, he is one of only six actors to play the same character on three different Star Trek series. He played Quark in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager.
In addition to Star Trek, Armin Shimerman is known from his roles as Pascal on Beauty and the Beast and as Principal Snyder in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He also has starred in Stargate SG-1 as one of the Nox, a wizard in Charmed and appeared as Stan the caddy in an episode of Seinfeld.
He has appeared as a judge in the third season of Boston Legal. He joined fellow Trek actors William Shatner, Rene Auberjonois, and Ethan Phillips in the same season of Boston Legal. Shatner played Captain Kirk on Star Trek, Auberjonois played Odo on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Phillips played Neelix on Star Trek: Voyager. His character even shared a scene with Auberjonois, with the strife between the two characters reminiscent of the conflict between Shimerman's Quark and Auberjonois's Odo.
He appeared in a season three episode of Numb3rs as an art expert. He also appeared in the episode "Posse Comitatus" of the The West Wing as Richard III, and had a cameo role In both "What the Bleep" movies.
He has voiced several video game villains, including Toad in X-Men Legends, Dr. Nefarious in Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal, Andrew Ryan in Bioshock and Razputin's father in Psychonauts.
Shimerman did the voice of General Skarr from Evil Con Carne and The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy.
Shimerman has also lent his voice talent to Bioware for their games Jade Empire and Mass Effect.
He has written a series of books in which he provides a science fictional basis for the life of Dr. John Dee.
