‘Battlestar Galactica’ Star Terry Carter Dies At 95

Terry Carter, who broke color barriers onstage and on television during the 1950s and 1960s, died Tuesday at his home in Midtown Manhattan. He was 95.

His son, Miguel Carter DeCoste, confirmed his death to The New York Times. Carter was best known for his roles in the television shows “Battlestar Galactica” and “McCloud.” Born in Brooklyn, New York, Carter has had a long and varied career in the entertainment industry.

Carter first gained recognition in Hollywood in 1968 as detective “Jaffie” in the TV movie “Company of Killers.” During the 1970s, he starred in several Blaxploitation films and founded Meta-4 Productions, Inc., later making appearances at sci-fi conventions worldwide according to his website.

Terry Carter in July 7, 1978 pilot of “Battlestar Galactica.”. PHOTO: ABC PHOTO ARCHIVES/DISNEY GENERAL ENTERTAINMENT CONTENT VIA GETTY

In “McCloud,” which aired during the 1970s, Carter played the role of Sergeant Joe Broadhurst, acting as the assistant to the title character, a marshal from Taos, New Mexico, who ends up working with the New York City Police Department. His work on this series is one of his most recognized roles.

Carter is perhaps equally well known for his role as Colonel Tigh in the original “Battlestar Galactica” television series that debuted in 1978. His character was one of the senior military officers aboard the starship Galactica, struggling to lead the remnants of humanity to safety after their home worlds are destroyed by the Cylons.

In 1979, he founded the Council for Positive Images, Inc., producing award-winning programs for PBS. Carter served on the Board of Governors of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and was inducted into the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1983. He won a Los Angeles Emmy in 1985 for the TV miniseries “KID*S” and produced “Jazz Masters” and the documentary “A Duke Named Ellington.”

Terry Carter on October 29, 2021 in Parsippany, New Jersey. BOBBY BANK/GETTY

In 1988, Carter’s two-part documentary for the PBS American Masters Series, “A Duke Named Ellington,” represented the United States in television festivals globally. Carter narrated and directed the documentary, which featured archival interviews with Ellington, who passed away in 1974, alongside footage of his orchestra performing. The documentary received CINE Golden Eagle and Golden Antenna awards and was nominated for an Emmy. “We went through about 70 hours of film footage, over 90 percent of which has never been seen before,” Carter explained to The Times. “Going through this material was like discovering plutonium when you’re searching for a common metal.”

Carter was sent to China in 1991 by the USIA for a cultural lecture tour and created the PBS documentary “Katherine Dunham: Dancing with Life” in 1992. He retired to New York City and is survived by his wife Etaferhu Zenebe-DeCoste, two children, a stepdaughter, a granddaughter, and several cousins. He was preceded in death by his two wives, Anna DeCoste (1964-1990) and Beate Glatved DeCoste (1991-2006).

Beyond acting, Terry Carter has also worked behind the camera. He founded his own production company, which produced documentaries and educational films.