Their shows were so classic, they were brought back in modern times to smashing successes.

But science-fiction fandom must stop a minute today to mourn the passing of two actors that helped set the stage for what we have today.

Richard Lynch, who played Wolfe in the original "Battlestar Galactica" episode "Gun on Ice Planet Zero," died Tuesday. He was 76, according to Fox News.

Lynch got a late start in screen acting, but once he was there, he stayed. He appeared in more than 160 productions beginning in 1977, and kept working right up until his death. His most recent role was as the Rev. John Hawthorne in the upcoming Rob Zombie film "The Lords of Salem."

His other credits include "Charmed" in 2003, Count Iblis in Richard Hatch's "Battlestar Galactica" trailer in 1999, "Highlander" in 1995, "Automan" in 1984, and even returned to the BSG franchise as Xavier in "Galactica 1980."

Lynch also played Baran, a mercenary who liked control that was made to believe Picard was a fellow smuggler, in the two-part "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode "Gambit" in 1993.

Lynch had accidentally burned his face in the late 1960s that allowed him to have a distinctive look that was good for villain roles, and horror films, including Zombie's "Halloween." Zombie himself mentioned the passing of Lynch on his Facebook page.

"I woke up this morning to the news that our friend Richard Lynch has passed away," Zombie wrote. "Richard was great to work with and really gave it his all. I will never forget the way he scared the crap out of the kid actors in 'Halloween.'"

Passing away June 5 was one-time "Doctor Who" companion Caroline John, who played Liz Shaw opposite Jon Pertwee's Doctor. She was 72.

John appeared in 25 episodes in 1970, and even reprised the role for "The Five Doctors" as part of the franchise's 20th anniversary in 1983.

While she would take on a number of other roles on British television and theaters, she always seemed willing to come back and revive Liz Shaw, even playing her for the television short "Doctor Who: Dimensions in Time" in 1993 as well as a few other videos in 1994 and 1995 while the series itself was off the air.

Her last television appearance was, appropriately enough, "Doctors" in 2008 where she played Susan Milnes in the episode "Mummy Dearest."