Malachi Throne was born in New York City on December 1, 1928, to Samuel and Rebecca (née Chaikin) Throne, who had immigrated to America from the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
He began performing at an early age and quit school to work in theater during World War Two.
After the war, he returned to school and earned his high school diploma, then pursued a life as a "wandering player" in summer and winter stock companies while attending Brooklyn College and Long Island University.
Throne served in the infantry during the Korean conflict and upon his return, he found himself in the midst of the revolutionary changes in the theater scene, particularly with the rise of method acting led by Marlon Brando.
With his deep, classically trained voice, Throne was cast in older roles and became a natural for live television, working on the DuMont TV network.
He continued to work on stage, appearing in notable productions such as Eugene O'Neill's "The Iceman Cometh" and Clifford Odets' "Rocket To The Moon", as well as on Broadway in Jean Anouilh's "Becket".
Throne moved to California in 1958-59, playing a season at the Old Globe Theater, and then established himself as a major character actor in guest spots on series television during the 1960s.
He had memorable appearances as "Falseface" on "Batman" and the Arab-styled "Thief of Outer Space" on "Lost in Space", and provided the voice of "The Keeper" for the pilot episode of "Star Trek".
Throne turned down an offer to be a regular cast member on "Star Trek", rejecting the part of Dr. McCoy, and instead appeared as "Commodore José Mendez" in the two-part episode "The Menagerie".
He continued to work in television, appearing in shows such as "It Takes a Thief" and "Star Trek: The Next Generation", and remained committed to the stage, appearing as a resident actor with various regional theaters.
Throne died of lung cancer on March 13, 2013, in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, where he had continued to appear in local theater.
He also wrote historical novels and his two sons, Zachary and Joshua, are also in the entertainment industry.
