So that's what happened to Lt. Costa-DS Alumnus is Video Watchdog

[CyrusL]

John Harkins, who played at least 4 short terms characters on DS, including Lt. Costa (Phoenix story), a Levaithan, chemical supplier Horance Gladstone and Garrrrrrrth Blackwood, is shown in two photos and mentioned in a lengthy article on the making of the film Amityville 3D in the lastest issue, # 124, Mar/April 2006 of Video Watchdog. One may wonder why such a long article on one of a long batch of sequels, but the making of delves into the fact this was the last major studio attempt to shoot a film in 3-D. Plus, it has a pretty good cast including Meg Ryan (her 2nd film), Lori Laughlin (back with the spirits again on a recent "Ghost Whisperer"), Candy Clark, and Tess Harper. John Beal, who played a judge in the 1840 story, also appears in the film. The film was directed by Richard Fleischer who went on to bigger films as well.
      I gotta figure Dan must have liked the late John Harkins for using him several times. I think he was pretty  good each time, even if the "masterrrrrrr of Blackmooorrrrrr" is a bit over the top.

Michael

[petofi]

Harkins was a pretty major mid-level television and film character actor for thirty years at least.  He played judges, crooks, lawyers, businessmen, etc, on many weekly shows, particularly in the 70s through the early nineties.  I found his transformation from Costa to Garth Blackwood amazing, not just for the fact that costume and makeup completely changed his appearance, but because his use of dialect and physical approach to the character also changed him completely.

Petofi