Armin Shimmerman, a History
by Jennifer Whildin
(Quark's Latinum Lady)

Armin was born November 5th, 1949, in Lakewood, New Jersey. His parents
divorced when he was seven and his mother moved him and his brother to Los
Angeles.

Armin went to Santa Monica High School, where he gained his passion for
Shakespeare. He then went to UCLA and continued his studies. In 1974, he
moved to New York to try to succeed as an actor. However, for the first
year, he waited tables in Connecticut. His first real success was a small
part in Brecht's Three Penny Opera. After that, he performed on Broadway. He
also played Mr. Thorkelson in Richard Rogers' last musical, I Remember Mama,
with Liv Ullmann.

In 1979, Armin met Kitty Swink, who is now his wife, and he went back to Los
Angeles to do a pilot. Armin and Kitty were married in Portland, Oregon, in
May 1981. They moved to Hollywood in that same year.

In October of 1987, Armin was called in to read for a new TV show called
Beauty and the Beast. He waited for a larger part, and in the meantime, he
was cast in Arena, in which he played the wicked character, "Weezil." The
movie was set to be filmed starting in December, and Armin received a call
to read for the part of "Pascal" in Beauty and the Beast. He contacted Alex
Gansa, Pascal's creator, and explained the problem of his prior commitment
to filming Arena. That problem was solved, and Armin guest-starred in
several shows over the next two years, as well as making seventeen
appearances on Beauty and the Beast. He was the first Ferengi on Star Trek:
The Next Generation.

After Beauty and the Beast went off the air, Armin played "Jacques" in Ellen
Geer's production of As You Like It. He later was cast in Brooklyn Bridge as
"Cousin Bernie." Armin landed the role of "Quark" on Star Trek: Deep Space
Nine in 1992. He gained celebrity status as a result.

Armin and Kitty have no children, but they do own two dogs, Maggie, a
Samoyed, and Percy, a mixed-breed. Armin teaches Shakespeare when he's not
filming. He also considers vacuuming a great way to relax.

Check out The Offical Armin Shimerman Site - see Links.