Stephen Furst

Stephen Furst (born Steven Nelson Feuerstein; 8 May 1954 - 16 June, 2017) was an American actor and film and television director. He was a regular in the science fiction series Babylon 5 playing Centauri diplomatic attaché Vir Cotto, and featured in the film National Lampoon's Animal House.

Biography
Stephen Furst was born in Norfolk, Virginia. He was a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University's theater program. In 1972, Furst's father died from diabetes complications. Years later, Furst was diagnosed with type II diabetes. After almost needing to have his left foot amputated due to diabetes complications in 1996, Furst lost nearly 80 lb (36 kg) in the time between the third and fourth seasons of Babylon 5. When filming started for the fourth season, the show's producers found that all of the costumes were now too large for him. His weight loss is easily visible in the later seasons of Babylon 5. (This weight loss was not explained within the context of the Vir Cotto character.) He wrote the book Confessions of a Couch Potato about his weight loss and diabetes, and co-wrote and directed a video called Diabetes for Guys, an attempt to educate about diabetes management through humor.

Furst has two sons, both in the entertainment business. His older son, Nathan Furst (b. 1978), is a successful television and film composer who has been nominated for numerous awards. His younger son, Griff Furst (b. 1981), is an actor, director and musician. His wife, Lorraine, is an entertainment lawyer.

Career
Furst is best known for his roles as Flounder in Animal House, as 'Junior' Keller in The Unseen, as Gonzer in the feature film Up the Creek (1984), as Dr. Elliot Axelrod in the television series St. Elsewhere (1983–1988), and as Vir Cotto in the science fiction television series Babylon 5 (1994–1998).

In 1979 he reprised the Flounder character in the ABC sitcom Delta House. He also reprised the character and repeated his famous line "Oh boy, is this great!" in the Twisted Sister music video for "I Wanna Rock ."

Although not a regular, he also appeared in the short-lived 1992 TV series The Amazing Live Sea Monkeys.

In the 1995 animated TV series Freakazoid, he voiced the character Fanboy. Also in 1995, he took a hiatus from Babylon 5 to star in a short-lived TV series, Misery Loves Company. He had a starring voice role as Booster in the 2000 series Buzz Lightyear of Star Command. He also played a hunky walrus named Dash in the 2000 Disney movie The Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea.

In 2002, he guest starred in an episode of Scrubs.

Furst has directed many independent and/or low-budget movies, including the low-budget movie Title to Murder starring Christopher Atkins and Maureen McCormick in 2001 and the direct to video children's movie Baby Huey's Great Easter Adventure.

Furst directed three low-budget movies for the Sci Fi Channel, Dragon Storm in 2004; and Path of Destruction and Basilisk in 2005. He also co-starred in Path of Destruction and Basilisk.

Since June 2006 Furst had co-hosted the Renal Support Network's webcast KidneyTalk with Lori Hartwell.

Death
On June 16, 2017, Furst died from complications related to diabetes at his home in Moorpark, California, at age 63.