J. G. Hertzler

J. G. Hertzler
John G. Hertzler (2012)
Born	John Garman Hertzler Jr. (1950-03-18) March 18, 1950 (age 66) Savannah, Georgia, U.S.
Residence	Ulysses, New York, U.S.
Other names	John Noah Hertzler
Alma mater	Bucknell University University of Maryland American University
Occupation	Actor, author, screenwriter, activist
Years active	1978–present
Political party	Democrat
Children	1

John Garman "J. G." Hertzler Jr. (born March 18, 1950) is an American actor, author, screenwriter, and activist best known in the Star Trek community for his role on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9) as the Klingon General (and later Chancellor) Martok. Having worked in the theatre, Hertzler guest starred in a few episodes for different television shows before landing the part of Alcalde Ignacio De Soto in the early 1990s show Zorro which was broadcast on The Family Channel. He initially participated in the DS9 series premiere as a Vulcan captain, and as Martok in its fourth-season finale. Although Martok was killed off in fifth season opener, it was revealed to be an imposter, and the real Martok became a recurring character in the fifth season and stayed through the series finale. In addition to DS9, Hertzler has participated in several other Star Trek shows, written two Star Trek novels, and has made appearances at Star Trek and science fiction conventions. Hertzler lives in the Finger Lakes region of New York where he was a lecturer at Cornell's theater department, and has been active in the area's regional politics, as well as writing a screenplay.

Hertzler was born in Savannah, Georgia. His parents were from Port Royal, Pennsylvania, and his family is descended from German-speaking Amish families. His father John G. Hertzler served in the U.S. Air Force, and his mother Eleanor Frances Beaver Hertzler was a Latin and French teacher. His family lived in cities around the world including: St. Joe, Missouri; El Paso, Texas; and Casablanca in Morocco. He grew up mostly in the Washington, D.C. area, and attended Bucknell University, playing linebacker on their football squad. While there, he got into acting when the drama department recruited him for a production of Marat/Sade as they were looking for a big guy for one of the roles. After graduating in political science in 1972, he got his master's in set design at the University of Maryland, and attended law school for a year at American University. While he was in the DC area, he worked in the federal government, including with the Nixon Administration for the National Environmental Policy Act, and took an assortment of jobs to practice theatre including a waiter at a dinner theater, a bartender, and a cab driver.