{{Short description|American actor (born 1952)}} {{redirect|Grodénchik|the New York City Council member|Barry Grodenchik}} {{Infobox person | name = Max Grodénchik | image = Max_Grodénchik_2009.jpg | caption = Grodénchik in 2009 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1952|11|12}} | birth_place = New York City, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | other_names = Michael Grodénchik | occupation = Actor | years_active = 1975–present | website = | spouse = | relatives = Barry Grodenchik (brother) }}
'''Max Grodénchik''' (born November 12, 1952), also known as '''Michael Grodénchik''', is an American stage, film, and television actor, best known for his role as Rom, a recurring character on the television series ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine''.
==Biography== Born to a Jewish family<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YmBKCAAAQBAJ&q=grodenchik|first=Yonassan|last=Gershom|title=Jewish Themes in Star Trek|date=March 13, 2013|publisher=Lulu.com |isbn=9781458397683}}</ref> in New York City, Grodénchik worked in theater during the 1980s as Michael Grodénchik, where his performances received notice. Of his 1980 performance in John O'Keefe's ''All Night Long'', ''Sarasota Herald-Tribune'' art reviewer Marcia Corbino wrote that Grodénchik was an intriguing actor who had "an enchanting, mobile comic face on which aberrant emotions flicker, spread, retreat, retrench and explode with a single instant."<ref name="Sarasota Herald-Tribune1"/>
===Television=== [[File:Shimerman and Grodénchik by Beth Madison, 2.jpg|thumb|left|Grodénchik ''(right)'' with ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' co-star Armin Shimerman ''(left)'']] Grodénchik is best known for his portrayal of the character Rom in ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine''.<ref name="royalcityrecord"/><ref name="Star Trek 101"/> He had previously auditioned for the role of Rom's brother Quark, but the role was given to Armin Shimerman. Grodénchik was instead hired to play the "Pit Boss" in charge of the gambling at Quark's Bar in the pilot episode, and his role gradually expanded from there.<ref name="Dilmore">{{cite web |date=1999-03-23 |author=Kevin Dilmore |title=Spotlight: Max Grodenchik |website=StarTrek.com |url=http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/news/article/105282.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041029181338/http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/news/article/105282.html |archive-date=2004-10-29 |quote= getting to know and work with Armin Shimerman has been one of the highlights of my life. }}</ref> Shimerman and Grodénchik appeared on opposite teams on the short-lived British science fiction game show ''Space Cadets'' in 1997.
Grodénchik played baseball in high school, and considered a career in professional baseball before deciding to become an actor. In the ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' episode "Take Me Out to the Holosuite", Grodénchik's character Rom is the clumsiest player on his team; during filming of the episode, the naturally right-handed Grodénchik played left-handed, as it was the only way he could convincingly play baseball poorly.
Grodénchik played Sovak and Par Lenor in ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'' episodes "Captain's Holiday" and "The Perfect Mate", respectively. He is famous for being an expert on the Rules of Acquisition and can quote them by memory. He played Gint, the writer of those rules and the first Grand Nagus, in a dream sequence involving Quark.
In spring 2007, Grodénchik attended the annual Vulcan Spock Days ceremony.
===Voice work=== In summer 2018, Grodénchik reprised the roles of Rom and Sovak in ''Star Trek Online''{{'}}s ''Deep Space Nine''-themed expansion pack ''Victory Is Life''.<ref name="TrekMovie STO interview">{{cite web |url=https://trekmovie.com/2018/05/24/interview-max-grodenchik-on-growing-as-a-ferengi-and-bringing-to-rom-to-star-trek-online-victory-is-life/ |title=Interview: Max Grodénchik On Growing As A Ferengi And Bringing Rom To 'Star Trek Online: Victory Is Life' |last=Pascale |first=Anthony |date=24 May 2018 |website=TrekMovie.com |publisher=SciFanatic Network |access-date=11 July 2018}}</ref>
==Personal life and family== Grodénchik lives with his wife and daughter in Austria, in the small hamlet of Nußbach in the county Kirchdorf an der Krems.<ref>[https://nunu.at/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/NU69.pdf "Der Außerirdische aus der Bronx"], an interview with M. Grodénchik by Peter Menasse, published in NU (#69), page 12</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=11 Things to Know About Max Grodenchik |url=https://www.startrek.com/article/11-things-to-know-about-max-grodenchik |website=StarTrek.com |date=November 12, 2016}}</ref>
Grodénchik's brother Barry Grodenchik is a former New York State Assemblyman<ref name="India Abroad"/> and Deputy Borough President of Queens.<ref name="Queens Tribune1"/>
==Episodes in ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine''== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} * "Emissary" * "A Man Alone" * "The Nagus" * "Vortex" * "The Homecoming" * "Rules of Acquisition" * "Necessary Evil" * "The House of Quark" * "Heart of Stone" * "Prophet Motive" * "Through the Looking Glass" * "Little Green Men" * "Our Man Bashir" * "Bar Association" * "Body Parts" * "The Assignment" * "The Ascent" {{col-break}} * "Facets" * "Doctor Bashir, I Presume?" * "Ferengi Love Songs" * "Call to Arms" * "Behind the Lines" * "Favor the Bold" * "Sacrifice of Angels" * "You Are Cordially Invited..." * "The Magnificent Ferengi" * "Profit and Lace" * "Take Me Out to the Holosuite" * "Treachery, Faith, and the Great River" * "The Siege of AR-558" * "It's Only a Paper Moon" * "The Emperor's New Cloak" * "The Dogs of War" * "Family Business" {{col-end}}
==Filmography== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1981 | ''Chu Chu and the Philly Flash'' | Frankie | |- | 1982 | ''Out'' | Arnold / Boy | |- | 1989 | ''Night Court'' | Norman Snite | Episode: "The Cop and The Lady" (Airdate: October 18, 1989) |- | rowspan="2" | 1990-1992 | rowspan="2" | ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'' | Sovak | Episode: "Captain's Holiday" (Airdate: April 2, 1990) |- |Par Lenor |Episode: "The Perfect Mate" (Airdate: April 27, 1992) |- | 1991 | ''Barton Fink'' | Clapper boy | |- | 1991 | ''The Rocketeer'' | Wilmer, Wounded Robber | |- | 1991 | ''The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw'' | Bailiff | TV Movie |- | 1992 | ''Sister Act'' | Ernie | |- | 1993 | ''Rising Sun'' | Club Manager | |- | 1993 | ''Doorways'' | Roth | TV Movie |- | 1993-1999 | ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' | Rom | 34 episodes |- | 1994 | ''Tales from the Crypt'' | Bic | Season 6 Episode 6 "The Bribe" |- | 1995 | ''Apollo 13'' | FIDO Gold |- | 1995 | ''Here Come the Munsters'' | Norman Hyde | TV Movie |- | 1995 | ''Rumpelstiltskin'' | Rumpelstiltskin | |- | 1998 | ''Star Trek: Insurrection'' | Trill Ensign | scenes deleted |- | 2000 | ''The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle'' | Horse Spy | |- | 2003 | ''ER'' | Street Vendor | Episode 9:18 Finders Keepers |- | 2003 | ''Bruce Almighty'' | Control Room Operator | |- | 2007 | ''King of California'' | Leonid | |- | 2011 | ''CSI'' | Pawnbroker | Season 11, Episode 21: Cello and Goodbye |- | 2018 | ''Glossary of Broken Dreams'' | Biological Male | |- | 2019 | ''Strawberry Moments'' | Filmstar | |- | 2020 | ''Unbelievable!!!!!'' | Paramedic Yacky | |- | 2021 | ''Masking Threshold'' | Officer 2 | |- |2023 |''Star Trek: Lower Decks'' |Rom (voice) |<ref>{{Cite web |last=Robertson |first=Iain |title=Early Review: 'Star Trek: Lower Decks' Season 4 Levels Up But Keeps The Laughs |url=https://trekmovie.com/2023/08/31/early-review-star-trek-lower-decks-season-4/ |access-date=2023-09-01 |website=TrekMovie.com |language=en-US}}</ref> |- | 2024 | ''Hacking at Leaves'' | Uncle Sam | |- |}
==References== <references>
<ref name="Sarasota Herald-Tribune1">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rSMhAAAAIBAJ&pg=6820,3670931&dq=michael-grodenchik&hl=en|title=West Coast Drama|last=Corbino|first=Marcia|date=July 9, 1980|work=Sarasota Herald-Tribune|publisher=Google Archive|page=7C|access-date=23 July 2010}}</ref>
<ref name="royalcityrecord">{{cite news|url=http://www.royalcityrecord.com/City+receives+kudos+from+deep+space/3217352/story.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715205423/http://www.royalcityrecord.com/City+receives+kudos+from+deep+space/3217352/story.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2011|title=City receives kudos from deep space|last=Fleming|first=Andrew|date=June 29, 2010|work=Royal City Record|publisher=royalcityrecord.com|access-date=24 July 2010}}</ref>
<ref name="Star Trek 101">{{cite book|author=Terry J. Erdmann, Paula M. Block|title=Star Trek 101|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yi0xvGuzVC0C&pg=PA117|edition=illustrated|year=2008|publisher=Simon & Schuster|isbn=978-0-7434-9723-7|page=117}}</ref>
<ref name="India Abroad">{{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-79286204.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104095224/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-79286204.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 4, 2012|title=Assemblyman tells community 'doors are always open'|last=Joseph|first=George|date=May 9, 2003|work=India Abroad|publisher=highbeam.com|access-date=23 July 2010}}</ref>
<ref name="Queens Tribune1">{{cite news|url=http://www.queenstribune.com/news/News_BarryG.html|title=Barry Back At Boro Hall|last=Rafter|first=Domenick|date=January 7, 2010|work=Queens Tribune|publisher=queenstribune.com|access-date=23 July 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615112721/http://www.queenstribune.com/news/News_BarryG.html|archive-date=15 June 2011}}</ref>
</references>
==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{IMDb name}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20030805032709/http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/community/chat/archive/transcript/1204.html Biography on StarTrek.com] * {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030805032709/http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/community/chat/archive/transcript/1204.html |date=August 5, 2003 |title=Chat transcript }} * [https://nunu.at/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/NU69.pdf "Der Außerirdische aus der Bronx"]: interview with Max Grodénchik in the Austrian Jewish Culture magazine ''NU'' with information about his personal backstory (in German)
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grodenchik, Max}} Category:American male stage actors Category:American male film actors Category:American male television actors Category:Jewish American male actors Category:Male actors from the Bronx Category:Male actors from Queens, New York Category:1952 births Category:Living people Category:University at Buffalo alumni Category:21st-century American Jews