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Stephen Furst (born Steven Nelson Feuerstein on May 8, 1955) is 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 as Dr. Elliot Axelrod on St. Elsewhere, and featured in the film National Lampoon's Animal House. Stephen Furst was born in Norfolk, Virginia. He is 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... MORE

Stephen Furst (born Steven Nelson Feuerstein on May 8, 1955) is 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 as Dr. Elliot Axelrod on St. Elsewhere, and featured in the film National Lampoon's Animal House. Stephen Furst was born in Norfolk, Virginia. He is 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 LESS