text: Mark Lenard (born Leonard Rosenson, October 15, 1924 – November 22, 1996) was an American actor, primarily in television. His most famous role was that of Sarek, father of Spock, in the science fiction Star Trek franchise, in both the original and animated series, in three films, and in two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation. He also played a Klingon in Star Trek The Motion Picture, and a Romulan in an episode of the original Star Trek series.
  Biography
  Lenard was born in Chicago, the son of a Russian Jewish immigrant, Abraham, and his wife, Bessie, and was raised in the small town of South Haven, Michigan, on Lake Michigan, where his family owned a tourist resort. He joined the United States Army in 1943 and trained to be a paratrooper during World War II; he did not see combat, and was discharged in 1946 as a technical sergeant.
  He got his start on stage while in the army. After earning a master's degree in theater and speech from the University of Michigan, he became known in New York City for serious drama, including the plays of Ibsen, Shaw, and Chekhov. His first noteworthy role was that of Conrad in John Gielgud's production of Much Ado About Nothing. In the mid-1960s, he moved his family to Los Angeles, where he played the recurring role of Dr. Ernest Gregory in Another World, and one of the Three Wise Men in the biblical epic The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965).