| Wed May 26, 1:20 PM ET
By Joal Ryan
Babylon 5 spanned galaxies. In a way, so did Richard Biggs' fan base.
Messages of condolence from Germany, Sweden, New York and beyond flooded the guestbook of the actor's official Website with word of the sci-fi TV star's sudden, unexpected death.
Biggs, who played Dr. Stephen Franklin on the 1994-98 series and in three subsequent TV movies, died Saturday, his Website said. He was 44.
In a message posted to a Babylon 5 newsgroup Saturday, show creator J. Michael Straczynski said paramedics who treated Biggs suggested the cause of death was "either an aneurysm or a massive stroke."
"What seems to have happened, happened quickly," Straczynski wrote. "He woke up, got up out of bed...and went down."
In addition to his tour of galactic duty on Babylon 5, Biggs was well-known to daytime TV audiences as an earthbound medic, playing Dr. Marcus Hunter on NBC's Days of Our Lives from 1987 to 1992. His stint earned him a Soap Opera Digest Award as Best Supporting Actor.
Since 2001, Biggs had a recurring role on CBS' Guiding Light.
Among Biggs' prime-time credits were guest roles on Crossing Jordan, ER and NYPD Blue. His Crossing Jordan episode aired just last month.
Stracyznski called Biggs' death a "terrible loss."
"Richard was a consummate professional, but more than that, he was an honorable, stand-up guy," Stracyznski wrote.
Born March 18, 1960, in Columbus, Ohio, Biggs balanced acting with teaching. He had a long association with the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga, California, where a private memorial service was to be held for family and friends.
Survivors include his wife and two sons. | |
