Xena and Hercules actor Robert Trebor dies as heartbroken wife shares cause of death

Robert Trebor, who starred in Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, has sadly died at the age of 71 and tributes have been flooding in from fans

Actor Robert Trebor has died.

The star, known for his roles in Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, has passed away at 71. His wife, Deirdre Hennings, confirmed the sad news today.

The renowned actor died of sepsis on March 11 at Los Angeles Medical Center, but the announcement is reportedly only being made now. He was diagnosed with leukemia in 2012 and underwent a stem-cell transplant the following year, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

Trebor had been in the acting industry since his teenage years, but it was in the 1990s that he gained global recognition. He was cast as Salmoneus, the materialistic and cunning merchant, in the 1994 TV movie Hercules and the Lost Kingdom.

He subsequently featured in 20 episodes of the series over its first five seasons from 1995-99. Additionally, he made appearances in four episodes of the sister show, Xena: Warrior Princess, from 1996-99.

Both shows were filmed in New Zealand, reports the Express. Elsewhere in his career, Robert also starred in films such as 52 Pickup, Making Mr Right and Talk Radio.

Back in 1985, Trebor played a reporter in Woody Allen's film The Purple Rose of Cairo, a copy boy in Turk 182 and the Son of Sam, real name David Berkowitz, in Out of the Darkness.

In an interview from 2003, Trebor discussed playing the role of Berkowitz as "emotionally and physically draining".

The actor was performing during the day but by night he was doing broad comedy in The Crate Those, meaning he sometimes had to endure 18 hour work days.

Robert also attended fan conventions and had an action figure modelled after his character. He also directed an instalment of Hercules in 1997.

Trebor had previously graduated from Northwestern University in 1975. His stage name is a palindrome, meaning it reads the same way front to back.

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