star trek 1970 cast

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: The cast of 'Star Trek: The Original Series'

• " Star Trek " debuted 56 years ago on September 8, 1966.
• After the show, the cast of the original series remained sci-fi icons.
• Only three stars of " The Original Series " are alive today, after Nichelle Nichols' death in July.

William Shatner led the crew of the USS Enterprise as Captain James T. Kirk.

"Star Trek" was originally going to be focused on a different  captain, Captain Christopher Pike, played by Jeffrey Hunter. A pilot was even filmed, called "The Cage," but it didn't make it to airwaves until the '80s. Gene Roddenberry, the creator, eventually retooled the show and cast Shatner as a new captain, Kirk. Some footage from "The Cage" was then reused for a season one episode called "The Menagerie."

Before "Star Trek," Shatner was famous for his role in an iconic " Twilight Zone " episode, "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet," in which he played a man recently released from a mental hospital who becomes convinced he can see a creature on the wing of the plane he's flying on. It aired in 1963, three years before "Star Trek."

In addition to his "Star Trek" roles, Shatner acted in "T.J. Hooker" and "Boston Legal," hosted "Rescue 911," and he has written numerous books. He finally made it to the final frontier in October 2021.

Though he's 91 years old, Shatner has shown no signs of slowing down. After "Star Trek" was canceled in 1969, he briefly returned to voice Kirk for the "Star Trek" animated series. In 1979, he again reprised his role as Kirk in " Star Trek: The Motion Picture ." He'd continue to do so regularly until 1994's "Star Trek Generations." He even directed one of the "Star Trek" movies: " Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. "

Besides "Star Trek," Shatner starred as the titular police officer on the '80s procedural "T.J. Hooker" and narrated " Rescue 911 ," a show that consisted of dramatic reenactments of real crimes.

Other roles that you might recognize Shatner from: a pageant host in " Miss Congeniality ," attorney Dennis Crane in " The Practice " and its spin-off " Boston Legal " for which he won two Emmys , and in the 2016-2018 reality show " Better Late Than Never ," in which Shatner, Henry Winkler, George Foreman, and Terry Bradshaw traveled around the world and experienced different cultures.

The actor is set to appear in the upcoming "Masters of the Universe: Revolution" series on Netflix. He also finally made it to space himself during a Blue Origin flight in October 2021, making him the oldest person to go into space at 90.

Shatner has written multiple books, both fiction and non-fiction over the course of his career. His 2016 book, " Leonard: My Fifty-Year Friendship with a Remarkable Man ," was about his friendship with "Star Trek" co-star Leonard Nimoy, who played his on-screen better half, Commander Spock.

Walter Koenig was cast as Ensign Pavel Chekov because of his resemblance to the Monkees' Davy Jones.

While Chekov was Russian, Koenig was born in America and based his accent on his parents' accents — they were Russian immigrants. Koenig was cast because, according to legend, he was supposed to help attract young girls as viewers due to his resemblance to teen idol Davy Jones. He even wore a Davy Jones-esque women's wig for the first seven or eight episodes, he told TV Insider in 2016.

Koenig's mainly recognized for his on-screen role as Chekov, though he became a pretty prolific screenwriter in the '70s. He wrote episodes for the "Star Trek" animated series, anthology series "What Really Happened to the Class of '65?" and children's series "Land of the Lost."

Koenig appeared in the 2018 film "Diminuendo."

Koenig, 85, (he's turning 86 on September 14) still makes frequent appearances on the "Star Trek" convention circuit, as well as acting in the occasional film. He appeared in 12 episodes of " Babylon 5 " in the '90s, voiced himself in an episode of "Futurama," and also voiced Mr. Savic on the Netflix animated series " Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters. "

While not all of the "Star Trek" cast were on great terms, Koenig and his co-star George Takei remain close. Koenig was even the best man in Takei's wedding in 2008.

George Takei played Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu, a helmsman on the Enterprise.

Over the course of the show, Sulu was revealed to have many interests outside of Star Fleet, most famously fencing. At the time, Sulu was one of the first Asian characters on TV who wasn't explicitly a villain, and instead was a fully formed hero.

"Up until the time I was cast in 'Star Trek,' the roles were pretty shallow — thin, stereotyped, one-dimensional roles. I knew this character was a breakthrough role, certainly for me as an individual actor but also for the image of an Asian character: no accent, a member of the elite leadership team," Takei told Mother Jones in 2012.

Takei originally was supposed to play Sulu as an astrophysicist, but the role was changed to helmsman. Before "Star Trek," Takei also appeared in " The Twilight Zone " like his co-star William Shatner, among other '50s and '60s procedurals.

Takei is still acting to this day, though many people know him now for his social media presence.

Who says an 85-year-old doesn't know how to use social media? Takei's Facebook page has 9.5 million likes to date, and he has 3.4 million followers on Twitter .

In addition to his continued acting in films like "Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank," " Kubo and the Two Strings ," "Blazing Samurai," and "Mulan," and TV shows like "Heroes," "Supah Ninjas," and " Star Wars: Visions ," Takei is an activist. He came out as gay in 2005  and began working as a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign.

Takei also starred in the 2012 musical "Allegiance," which was based on his and his family's experiences during Japanese internment in World War II.

Nichelle Nichols played Lieutenant Nyota Uhura, a translator, communications officer, and linguistics expert.

Uhura was one of the first Black television characters that didn't have a menial job — instead, she was in a position of power. She and Shatner were also involved in what is thought to be the first interracial kiss on American TV.

Nichols stayed with the show for all three seasons, but it wasn't without drama. She was tempted to leave during the first year, but none other than Martin Luther King Jr. convinced her to stay. She told the New York Post in 2011 that when she told him that she wanted to leave, he told her, "You can't do that. You have the first non-stereotypical, non-menial role on television. You have created strength and beauty and intelligence. For the first time, the world sees us as we should be seen. It's what we're marching for. You're a role model and whether you like it or not, you belong to history now."

She also released an album in 1967, "Down to Earth." In between "Star Trek's" cancellation and its return on the big screen, Nichols starred in the 1974 blaxploitation film " Truck Turner ," as Dorinda, a madam.

Nichols died in 2022 at the age of 89. She had retired from public appearances in 2018.

From 1977 until 2015, Nichols was involved with Women in Motion, a recruiting program for NASA to help get more women involved in the space program. In July 2020, a documentary about the program finally secured distribution and will be released in 2021, Deadline reported. 

"Nichelle Nichols not only was a trailblazer in Hollywood, she was a trailblazer for the future of our society. She took the fight for Civil Rights, diversity and inclusion and gender equality to new frontiers with NASA which continue to serve America's space program today. She was ahead of her time," said executive producer Ben Crump.

Nichols also appeared in " The Young and the Restless, " "Heroes," and " Futurama ." She was diagnosed with dementia in 2018 and subsequently retired from public appearances.

In July 2022, Nichols' son announced on social media that Nichols had died at the age of 89 .

Leonard Nimoy played Captain Kirk's first officer and close friend Commander Spock.

Spock was the only alien member of the original crew, as he was half-human, half-Vulcan — an alien race from the planet Vulcan whose residents operate solely from a point of logic, not feelings. Much of the show's comedy came from Spock and Kirk's differences and their amusement at each other. His frequent farewell, " Live Long and Prosper ," accompanied by the Vulcan Salute, are among the most recognizable pieces of the "Star Trek" canon.

Nimoy had multiple small parts in B movies and TV shows before booking "Star Trek," including an episode of " The Man from U.N.C.L.E. " alongside future co-star William Shatner, as well as an episode of " The Twilight Zone ."

But once "Star Trek" premiered, Nimoy would be forever linked with his Vulcan counterpart, and he mainly did voice work after the show ended. He also reunited with Shatner for an episode of his show, "T.J. Hooker."

Nimoy died in 2015 at the age of 83. He played Spock for the final time in 2013's "Star Trek Into Darkness," meaning he played the role for almost 50 years.

Nimoy is the only actor from the original series to appear in JJ Abrams' rebooted films, as he appeared in 2009's "Star Trek" and its 2013 sequel " Star Trek Into Darkness " as an older version of Spock who was trapped in an alternate universe.

In addition to acting, Nimoy was a photographer, recording artist, author, and director. He directed two "Star Trek" movies (" The Search for Spock " and "The Journey Home"), and "Three Men and a Baby," which became the highest-grossing film of 1987 .

Nimoy died in 2015 at the age of 83 due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

DeForest Kelley played the ship's curmudgeonly chief medical officer, Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy.

Bones, as he was affectionately called, was one of the oldest members of the crew, and thus got to be a bit more obnoxious than the rest of them. His frequent catchphrase, " I'm a doctor, not a ___, " is one of the most parodied lines of dialogue from the show.

Like his character, Kelley was older and a more established actor than the rest of the cast. Before the show, he had appeared in Westerns and historical films like " Gunfight at the O.K. Corral ," "Warlock," and " Raintree County " in the '50s.

Kelley died in 1999 at the age of 79, nine years after playing McCoy for the last time.

Kelley essentially retired from acting, besides playing McCoy, after the success of "Star Trek." He appeared in all six films starring the original cast, and appeared in an episode of " Star Trek: The Next Generation " as McCoy, as well.

While he wasn't much of a sci-fi fan, Kelley was proud of his "Star Trek" legacy. When asked what he thought his legacy would be, he explained that his character inspired people to enter the medical field. He told the New York Times , "These people [fans] are doctors now, all kinds of doctors who save lives. That's something that very few people can say they've done. I'm proud to say that I have.''

He died in 1999 at the age of 79 due to stomach cancer .

Majel Barrett had a recurring role as Nurse Christine Chapel.

Barrett was originally cast in the first version of "Star Trek" as Pike's first officer, but when that episode was scratched, so was her character. However, due to her romantic relationship with "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry (who she later married), she was brought back as Nurse Chapel (a divisive character).

Before the show, Barrett was in various bit parts in '50s and '60s shows, but her big break was " Star Trek ," which she stayed involved in for the rest of her life.

Barrett died in 2008 when she was 76 years old. Up until her death, she had been involved with every "Star Trek" series in some way, leading fans to call her the First Lady of "Star Trek."

Barrett reprised her role as Chapel in " Star Trek: The Motion Picture " and " Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home ." She also appeared in " Star Trek: The Next Generation " and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" as Lwaxana Troi, the mother of Deanna Troi, a main character in "Next Generation." Her other involvement in the series was the voice of the computer in many of the other " Star Trek" films: "Generations ," " First Contact ," "Nemesis," and 2009's reboot.

She died in 2008 at the age of 76 due to leukemia . 

James Doohan played chief engineering officer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott.

Contrary to popular belief, the phrase " Beam me up, Scotty " is never actually uttered in the original series. The man on the other end of that command, Scotty, was played by Doohan, who was Canadian in real life, not Scottish.

Before "Star Trek," Doohan served in the Canadian military and was even on the beaches of Normandy during D-Day, and was a pilot as well. After the war, he began acting and became a successful radio actor. Like his co-stars, he also appeared in an episode of " The Twilight Zone ," and other popular procedurals. 

In the animated series, Doohan proved to be indispensable, with his talent for voice acting and accents. He voiced over 50 characters during the show's run.

James Doohan died at the age of 85 in 2005.

Doohan didn't find much success outside of the world of "Star Trek," and thus embraced his role as Scotty. He appeared in "Generations," as well as an episode of " The Next Generation ." 

However, his impact on the field of engineering cannot be overstated. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Milwaukee School of Engineering "after half the students there said that Scotty had inspired them to take up the subject," according to the BBC .

Towards the end of his life, Doohan suffered from Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, and retired from public life in 2004. He died the following year, at 85, due to complications from pneumonia .

Grace Lee Whitney appeared in the first season of the show as Yeoman Janice Rand.

Rand appeared in eight episodes of the show's first 15-episode season as a clerical and administrative worker aboard the ship, before Whitney was released from her contract. At the time, the story was that the show didn't have enough money to keep everyone, but years later in her autobiography, Rand accused an unnamed executive producer , whom she called "The Executive," of sexually assaulting her.

"I tried to do what he wanted me to, so I could get it over with. I knew, deep down inside, that I was finished on 'Star Trek.' At that moment, however, I didn't care about that. Nothing else mattered — not my tarnished virtue, not my career, not my role on 'Star Trek.' The only thing that mattered was getting out of that room alive," she wrote.

Whitney died in 2015 at the age of 85.

After getting written off the show, Whitney struggled with her career, and alcoholism. She credited co-star Leonard Nimoy with helping her get back on her feet and involved with "Star Trek" once again. She reprised her role in four of the original "Star Trek" films, and in an episode of " Star Trek: Voyager " alongside George Takei.

She died in 2015 due to natural causes at the age of 85.

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Star Trek Original Series Cast: Then and Now

As Spock himself would say, "Fascinating ..."

Talk about a first-class crew.

When the original Star Trek TV series premiered on NBC more than 50 years ago, it didn't just make stars of its actors, including William Shatner , Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley , it made icons -- icons who would help spawn a multi-media franchise that continues today via CBS All Access' Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Discovery .

PHOTOS: See the original Star Trek stars

Here's a look back at the historic cast -- and a look at how each fared after the 1966-1969 series ended its primetime run. We've included series regulars, such as Shatner, who starred as Captain Kirk, and key guest stars, such as Susan Oliver (pictured, left), who's seen as the Orion slave-girl dancer in Season 1's "The Mengerie, Part II," and France Nuyen (pictured, right), who tempts Kirk in Season 3's "Elaan of Troyius."

Click on the arrow to beam up the pics!

( Disclosure: TV Guide is owned by CBS Interactive, a division of ViacomCBS. )

William Shatner Then

William Shatner plays the USS Enterprise's brave (and frequently shirtless) Captain James T. Kirk in the 1966-1969 Star Trek series and the first seven Star Trek movies, from Star Trek The Motion Picture to Star Trek: Generations . Like several of his Trek castmates, Shatner went on to voice his character in various Star Trek video games, and in the 1970s' cartoon, Star Trek: The Animated Series .

William Shatner Now

Shatner claimed two Primetime Emmy awards for playing the same role, attorney Denny Crane, on a pair of ABC legal dramas, The Practice and Boston Legal . He's seen here in 2020 at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo.

Leonard Nimoy Then

Leonard Nimoy plays the USS Enterprise 's beloved half-Vulcan, half-human science officer, Spock, on the original Star Trek series, and in eight big-screen Star Trek movies -- two of which he directed ( Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home ).

Leonard Nimoy Now

In addition to following his other creative passions -- photography, poetry and music -- Leonard Nimoy directed the hit movie, Three Men and a Baby .

Nimoy, who died in 2015 at age 83, made his last on-screen appearance -- as Spock, natch -- in 2013's Star Trek: Into Darkness . He also appeared in the first film from the Trek franchise's J.J. Abrams era, 2009's Star Trek .

DeForest Kelley Then

DeForest Kelley plays Leonard "Bones" McCoy, who is a Starfleet doctor -- and not anything else -- in the original Star Trek series.

DeForest Kelley Now

DeForest Kelley appeared in the first six Star Trek movies, with his last major on-screen appearance coming in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country . He died in 1999 at age 79.

James Doohan Then

The Canadian-born James Doohan affects a Scottish accent to play Montgomery Scott, or Scotty, originally the USS Enterprise 's chief engineer. Doohan plays Scotty in the 1966-1969 Star Trek series, and in seven Star Trek movies. He also plays the character on an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation .

James Doohan Now

Credited with helping develop the Vulcan and Klingon languages, Doohan was a regular on the Star Trek convention circuit until being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2004. He's seen here that same year at a ceremony honoring him with a Hollywood Walk of Fame star. Doohan died in 2005. He was 85.

Nichelle Nichols Then

With her role as Lt. Uhura, the USS Enterprise 's communications officer on the original Star Trek , Nichelle Nichols made history as the first actress to play an African-American professional woman, per the Historical Dictionary of African American Television .

Nichelle Nichols Now

Nichelle Nichols played Uhura in the first six Star Trek movies. She's gone on to appear in NBC 's Heroes and the CBS daytime soap, The Young and the Restless . Seen here at a 2018 Star Trek convention, Nichols also worked with NASA to help recruit minorities and women for the astronaut program.

George Takei Then

George Takei plays Lt. Hikaru Sulu, the helmsman of the USS Enterprise on the 1966-1969 Star Trek series. He went on to play Sulu in the first six Star Trek movies -- a run in which his character was eventually promoted to captain of the USS Excelsior .

George Takei Now

Today, George Takei, seen at the 2019 Saturn Awards, is a vocal LGBTQ activist, and the co-author of the graphic-book memoir, They Called Us Enemy , about his experience in the U.S. internment camps that held Japanese-Americans during World War II. He appeared in the Broadway musical, Allegiance , which is also based on his life.

Walter Koenig Then

Walter Koenig joined the original Star Trek cast in Season 2 as Ensign Pavel Chekov, the Monkees- and Beatles-channeling navigator of the USS Enterprise . He plays the Russian-accented character in the first seven Star Trek movies.

Walter Koenig Now

Among his considerable post-Star Trek series credits, Walter Koenig was a star and consulting producer on Star Trek: Renegades , a partly crowd-funded pilot for a would-be new Trek series. In 2010, he endured the death of his actor son , Andrew Koening (Growing Pains).

Majel Barrett Then

Majel Barrett plays Number One (pictured, left) in the original Star Trek pilot, known as "The Cage." In the rejiggered version of the show that NBC picked up in 1966, Barrett plays the Spock-infatuated USS Enterprise nurse, Christine Chapel (pictured, right).

Majel Barrett Now

There really was no life after Star Trek for Majel Barrett: She married franchise creator Gene Roddenberry in 1969, and went on to play roles in numerous other Trek projects. She is heard as the voice of Starfleet computers in Star Trek: The Next Generation , Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Enterprise and the 2009 J.J. Abrams Star Trek movie.

Roddenberry died in 1991; Barrett, seen in 2006 with her son, Eugene Roddenberry, died 2008. She was 76.

Susan Oliver Then

In the original Star Trek pilot, "The Cage," Susan Oliver plays Vina, a shipwrecked woman on the planet Talos IV, who is used by the Talosian powers-that-be to tempt Captain Christopher Pike (Jeffrey Hunter). In one famous scene, Vina is seen as an Orion slave dancer. Oliver's Vina scenes are repurposed for the Star Trek Season 1 episodes, "The Menagerie, Part I" and "The Menagerie, Part II."

Susan Oliver Now

Susan Oliver is seen in a paparazzi shot from 1986. She died in 1990 at age 58. Her post- Star Trek credits included guest spots on Murder, She Wrote and the original Magnum, P.I.

France Nuyen Then

France Nuyen stars as the strong-willed titular character of the Season 3 Star Trek episode, "Elaan of Troyius."

France Nuyen Now

Seen at a 2018 Motion Picture Academy screening of The Joy Luck Club , a movie in which she starred, France Nuyen's post- Star Trek credits include a stint as a series regular on the 1980s NBC medical drama, St. Elsewhere .

Grace Lee Whitney Then

Grace Lee Whitney plays the USS Enterprise's beehive-boasting Yeoman Rand on the original Star Trek series.

Grace Lee Whitney Now

Though Yeoman Rand was written out of Star Trek after Season 1, Grace Lee Whitney went to appear in Star Trek movies and several other franchise properties, including an episode of Star Trek: Voyager . Whitney died in 2015 at the age of 85.

Joan Collins Then

Joan Collins stars as the doomed social-worker Edith Keeler, one of the great loves of Captain Kirk's life, in the Season 1 episode, "The City on the Edge of Forever," TV Guide's pick for the best original-series Star Trek episode of all time .

Joan Collins Now

Joan Collins is arguably best known for playing the dastardly Alexis Carrington on the original Dynasty series. In 2018, she played two characters in FX's American Horror Story: Apocalypse .

Mariette Hartley Then

In the Season 3 Star Trek episode, "All Our Yesterdays," Mariette Hartley plays Zarabeth, an ice age-era woman who Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and McCoy (DeForest Kelley) encounter on the planet Sarpeidon.

Mariette Hartley Now

Of late, the Emmy-winning Mariette Hartley has had recurring roles on ABC's Grey's Anatomy , NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Fox's 9-1-1 (pictured), where she played the ailing mother of Connie Britton's character in Season 1.

Ricardo Montalban Then

Ricardo Montalban plays Khan Noonien Singh, the super-powered strongman who's found aboard the SS Botany Bay in the Season 1 Star Trek episode, "Space Seed." The installment would serve as the basis for the hit movie, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , in which he also starred.

Ricardo Montalban Now

From 1977-1984, Ricardo Montalban starred as the mysterious Mr. Roarke on Fantasy Island . He went on to do voice work on Kim Possible , and appear as Grandfather in the Spy Kids movies. He died in 2009 at age 88.

Diana Muldaur Then

Diana Muldaur appears in two original-series Star Trek episodes: Season 2's "Return to Tomorrow," and Season 3's "Is There in Truth No Beauty?" Muldaur plays different characters in the episodes -- both are doctors.

Diana Muldaur Now

Diana Muldaur played yet another Star Trek M.D., Dr. Katherine Pulaski, in Season 2 of Star Trek: The Next Generation . Her more recent credits include a voice-over role in Batman: The Animated Series (pictured). Her character? Leslie Thompkins -- a doctor, of course.

Mark Lenard Then

Mark Lenard is another actor seen as multiple characters on multiple Star Trek episodes: In Season 1's "Balance of Terror," he plays a Romulan commander (pictured, left); and, in Season 2's "Journey to Babel," he is introduced as Sarek (pictured, right), Spock's Vulcan father.

Mark Lenard Now

In real life, Mark Lenard was less than seven years older than Leonard Nimoy. But on screen, he was the perfect Spock dad, and he would play the character in subsequent Star Trek series, and in three Star Trek movies, including Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (pictured). He also played a Klingon in 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture .

Lenard died in 1996 at the age of 72.

Teri Garr Then

Teri Garr appears in the Season 2 Star Trek episode, "Assignment: Earth" (where she's billed as Terri Garr). The episode is a modern-day tale (for, well, 1968) about a time-traveler, and his secretary (Garr). The episode was a backdoor pilot for a never-was TV series.

Teri Garr Now

Teri Garr's considerable post- Trek film credits include Young Frankenstein , Tootsie (for which she was nominated for an Oscar), Mr. Mom and, of late, Unaccompanied Minors (pictured). She had a recurring role on Friends as the mother of Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow).

Jeffrey Hunter Then

Jeffrey Hunter stars as the USS Enterpris e's Captain Christopher Pike in the original Star Trek pilot, "The Cage," which was presented to -- and rejected by -- NBC in 1965. His work as Captain Pike would finally make it to air in the Season 1 Star Trek episodes, "The Menagerie, Part I" and "The Menagerie, Part II."

Jeffrey Hunter Now

Best known for playing Jesus in the film, King of Kings , post- Star Trek , Jeffrey Hunter appeared in the 1968 Bob Hope comedy, The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell (pictured). He died in 1969 at the age of 42.

Clint Howard Then

A young Clint Howard plays Balok, the commander of a starship who uses a scary-looking creature (played by The Addams Family's Ted Cassidy) as a front as he toys with the USS Enterprise in the Season 1 Star Trek episode, "The Corbomite Maneuver."

Clint Howard Now

Clint Howard, the younger brother of Ron Howard, is a familiar face from his sibling's movies, from Eat My Dust to Solo: A Star Wars Story . In addition to Star Trek , Howard has appeared in an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise , and a Season 1 installment of Star Trek: Discovery (pictured).

Sally Kellerman Then

Sally Kellerman appears as Dr. Elizabeth Dehner in "Where No Man Has Gone Before," the second crack at a Star Trek pilot, the one that sold the series -- and that aired as the show's third-ever episode in 1966.

Star Trek: The Original Series

Star Trek: The Original Series (referred to as Star Trek prior to any spin-offs) is the first Star Trek series. The first episode of the show aired on 6 September 1966 on CTV in Canada, followed by a 8 September 1966 airing on NBC in America. The show was created by Gene Roddenberry as a " Wagon Train to the Stars". Star Trek was set in the 23rd century and featured the voyages of the starship USS Enterprise under Captain James T. Kirk .

Star Trek was later informally dubbed The Original Series , or TOS, after several spin-offs aired. The show lasted three seasons until canceled in 1969 . When the show first aired on TV, and until lowering budget issues in its third season resulted in a noticeable drop in quality episodes and placed in a 10 pm Friday night death slot by the network, Star Trek regularly performed respectably in its time slot. After it was canceled and went into syndication , however, its popularity exploded. It featured themes such as a Utopian society and racial equality, and the first African-American officer in a recurring role.

Ten years later, Star Trek: The Motion Picture reunited the cast on the big screen aboard a refurbished USS Enterprise . They appeared in five subsequent films, ending with Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country in 1991, during production of the spin-off series Star Trek: The Next Generation and shortly before Gene Roddenberry's death. Several original series characters also appeared in the seventh movie, Star Trek Generations , and in other Star Trek productions.

• 1 Opening credits
• 2.1 Starring
• 2.2 Also starring
• 2.3 Co-stars
• 3 Production crew
• 4.1 First pilot
• 4.2 Season 1
• 4.3 Season 2
• 4.4 Season 3
• 5.1 Concept
• 5.2 The first pilot
• 5.3 The second pilot
• 5.4 The series begins
• 5.5 The first season
• 5.6 Syndication
• 5.7 Reception
• 5.8 Remastered
• 6 Related topics
• 8 External links

Opening credits [ ]

• Main Title Theme (Season 2-3) file info (composed by Alexander Courage )

Main cast [ ]

Starring [ ].

• William Shatner as Captain Kirk

Jeffrey Hunter , who portrayed Captain Pike , was the only star listed in the original pilot 's opening credits.

Also starring [ ]

• Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock
• DeForest Kelley as Dr. McCoy

DeForest Kelley was listed as a co-star from 1966 through 1967 before appearing in the opening credits as "also starring" from 1967 through 1969 .

Co-stars [ ]

• James Doohan as Scotty
• Nichelle Nichols as Uhura
• George Takei as Sulu
• Walter Koenig as Chekov ( 1967 - 1969 )
• Majel Barrett-Roddenberry as Christine Chapel
• Grace Lee Whitney as Janice Rand

Production crew [ ]

• Gene Roddenberry – Creator, Writer, Producer, Executive Producer
• Gene L. Coon – Writer, Producer
• John Meredyth Lucas – Writer, Producer, Director
• Fred Freiberger – Producer (1968-69)
• Robert H. Justman – Associate Producer (Season 1-2), Co-Producer (Season 3), First Assistant Director (two pilots)
• D.C. Fontana – Writer, Script Consultant (1967-68)
• Steven W. Carabatsos – Writer, Story Consultant (1966)
• John D.F. Black – Associate Producer, Writer, Story Editor (1966)
• Arthur H. Singer – Story Consultant (1968-69)
• Byron Haskin – Associate Producer (first pilot)
• Walter "Matt" Jefferies – Production Designer, Art Director
• William E. Snyder – Director of Photography (first pilot)
• Ernest Haller – Director of Photography (second pilot)
• Jerry Finnerman – Director of Photography (61 episodes, 1966-1968)
• Keith Smith – Director of Photography (1 episode, 1967)
• Al Francis – Director of Photography (16 episodes, 1968-1969), Camera Operator (61 episodes, 1966-1968)
• Jim Rugg – Supervisor of Special Effects
• Rolland M. Brooks – Art Director (34 episodes, 1965-1967)
• Fred B. Phillips – Make-up Artist
• Robert Dawn – Make-up Artist (second pilot)
• William Ware Theiss – Costume Designer
• Gregg Peters – First Assistant Director (Season 1), Unit Production Manager (Season 2-3), Associate Producer (Season 3)
• Claude Binyon, Jr. – Assistant Director (third season)

Episode list [ ]

• List of TOS episodes by airdate
• List of TOS remastered episodes by airdate

First pilot [ ]

Season 1 [ ].

TOS Season 1 , 29 episodes:

Season 2 [ ]

TOS Season 2 , 26 episodes:

Season 3 [ ]

TOS Season 3 , 24 episodes:

Behind the scenes [ ]

Concept [ ].

Star Trek was created by Gene Roddenberry, whose interest in science fiction dated back to the 1940s when he came into contact with Astounding Stories . Roddenberry's first produced science fiction story was The Secret Weapon of 117 , which aired in 1956 on the Chevron Theatre anthology show. By 1963 Roddenberry was producing his first television series, The Lieutenant , at MGM .

In 1963, MGM was of the opinion that "true-to-life" television dramas were becoming less popular and an action-adventure show would be more profitable (this prediction turned out to be right, and led to series such as The Man from U.N.C.L.E ). Roddenberry had already been working on a science fiction concept called Star Trek since 1960 , and when he told MGM about his ideas, they were willing to take a look at them. As the production of The Lieutenant came to an end, Roddenberry delivered his first Star Trek draft to MGM. The studio was, however, not enthusiastic about the concept, and a series was never produced.

Roddenberry tried to sell his " wagon train to the stars " format to several production studios afterward, but to no avail. In 1964 , it was rumored that Desilu was interested in buying a new television series. Desilu was a much smaller company than MGM, but Roddenberry took his chances, greatly aided with the help of Desilu Executive Herb Solow . This led to a three-year deal with Desilu in April 1964 .

The first attempt to sell the Star Trek format to broadcasting network CBS (Desilu had a first proposal deal with the network) failed. CBS chose another science fiction project, Irwin Allen 's more family-oriented Lost in Space instead of Roddenberry's more cerebral approach. But in May 1964 , NBC 's Vice-President of Programming Mort Werner agreed to give Roddenberry the chance to write three story outlines, one of which NBC would select to turn into a pilot.

One of the submitted story lines, dated 29 June 1964 , was an outline for " The Cage ", and this was the story picked up by NBC. Now, the daunting task that Roddenberry and his crew faced was to develop the Star Trek universe from scratch. Roddenberry recruited many people around him to help think up his version of the future. The RAND Corporation's Harvey P. Lynn acted as a scientific consultant, Pato Guzman was hired as art director, with Matt Jefferies as an assisting production designer. This phase of creativity and brainstorming lasted throughout the summer, until in the last week of September 1964 the final draft of the "The Cage" script was delivered to NBC, after which shooting of the pilot was approved.

The first pilot [ ]

In early October, preparations for shooting "The Cage" began. A few changes in the production crew were made: Roddenberry hired Morris Chapnick , who had worked with him on The Lieutenant , as his assistant. Pato Guzman left to return to Chile and was replaced by Franz Bachelin . Matt Jefferies finalized the design for the Enterprise and various props and interiors. By November 1964 , the sets were ready to be constructed on stages Culver Studios Stage 14 , 15 , and 16 . Roddenberry was not happy with the stages, since they had uneven floors and were not soundproof, as Culver Studios had been established in the silent movie era when soundproofing had not been an issue to consider. Eventually, in 1966 , the rest of the series was shot on Paramount stages 9 and 10 , which were in better shape.

Casting of the characters was not a problem, apart from the lead role of Captain Pike (still known as "Captain April " at this point, later renamed "Captain Winter" before finally choosing "Pike") who Roddenberry convinced Jeffrey Hunter to play. Leonard Nimoy ( Spock ) had worked with Roddenberry on The Lieutenant . Majel Barrett , also a familiar face from The Lieutenant , got the part of the ship's female first officer, Number One . Veteran character actor John Hoyt , who had worked on many science fiction and fantasy projects before, was chosen to play the role of Doctor Phil Boyce . Young Peter Duryea and Laurel Goodwin were hired as José Tyler and Yeoman J.M. Colt , respectively. The extras were cast from a diversity of ethnic groups, which was significant because integration was not a usual occurrence in 1960s television, and segregation was still a reality in the United States.

To produce the pilot episode, Robert H. Justman was hired as assistant director; he had worked on The Outer Limits shortly before. Makeup artist Fred Phillips was brought in as well, whose first job it was to create Spock's ears. Another veteran from The Outer Limits was producer-director Byron Haskin , who joined as associate producer. On 27 November 1964 , the first scenes of "The Cage" (or "The Menagerie," as it was briefly known), were shot. Filming was scheduled to be eleven days, however the production went highly over budget and over schedule, resulting in sixteen shooting days and US$164,248 plus expenses.

But there were still a lot of visual effects to be made. An eleven-foot filming model of the USS Enterprise , designed by Matt Jefferies, was built by Richard Datin , Mel Keys , and Vern Sion in Volmer Jensen 's model shop , and was delivered to the Howard Anderson Company on 29 December 1964 .

In February 1965 , the final version of "The Cage" was delivered at NBC and screened in New York City. NBC officials liked the first pilot. Desilu's Herb Solow says that NBC was surprised by how realistic it looked, and that it was "the most fantastic thing we've ever seen." The reason the pilot was rejected was because it was believed that it would attract only a small audience, and they wanted more action and adventure. They also had problems with the "satanic" Spock and the female first officer (Number One). However, NBC was convinced that Star Trek could be made into a television series, and that NBC itself had been at fault for choosing the "The Cage" script from the original three stories pitched. Also, after spending US$630,000 on "The Cage" (the most expensive TV pilot at the time), they didn't want to have their money wasted. NBC then made the unprecedented move to order a second pilot.

The second pilot [ ]

For the second pilot, NBC requested three story outlines again. These were " Where No Man Has Gone Before " by Samuel A. Peeples , and " Mudd's Women " and " The Omega Glory " by Roddenberry. Although it was the most expensive of the three, NBC chose " Where No Man Has Gone Before ", as it had the most action and most outer space spectacle. However, the other two premises were also made into episodes of the series later.

Filming the second pilot began in July 1965 , and took nine days to complete. The entire cast of " The Cage " was replaced except Spock. Jeffrey Hunter chose not to reprise his role as Captain Pike, mostly by the advice of his wife, who felt that "science fiction ruins her husband's career". Roddenberry wanted both Lloyd Bridges and Jack Lord for the role of the new captain, however both declined. Finally William Shatner , who had previous science fiction experience acting in episodes of The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits , was chosen. The new captain was named James R. Kirk (later renamed James T. Kirk).

For the role of the chief medical officer, Roddenberry chose veteran actor Paul Fix . Canadian actor James Doohan got the role of chief engineer Scott , and young Japanese-American George Takei was featured as ship's physicist Sulu . The latter two reprised their roles in the upcoming series, though Sulu was a helmsman in the series. Other actors considered for being regulars were Lloyd Haynes as communications officer Alden and Andrea Dromm as Yeoman Smith , but neither of them were re-hired after the pilot.

Many of the production staff were replaced. Robert Dawn served as head make-up artist, however Fred Phillips returned to the position in the series itself. Academy Award winner cinematographer Ernest Haller came out of semi-retirement to work as the director of photography. Associate producer Byron Haskin was replaced by Robert H. Justman , who now shared double duties as producer and assistant director.

The Enterprise model was updated for the second pilot, and many new outer space effects shots were made, most of which were reused in the series itself. The sets were also updated a bit, most notably the main bridge and the transporter room. Most of the uniforms, props, and sets were reused from " The Cage ", however some new props (including the never-seen-again phaser rifle ) and a brand new matte painting (the planet Delta Vega ) were made specially for this episode.

" Where No Man Has Gone Before " was accepted by NBC and the first season of a regular series was ordered for broadcasting in the 1966-67 television season. History was made.

The series begins [ ]

Preparation for the first regular season began in early 1966 . All the Enterprise interior sets were updated, as well as the introduction of brand new uniforms. The look of the show became more colorful and more vivid. The Enterprise model was also updated once more. Also, the entire production was moved from Desilu's Culver City studios to the main Gower Street studio's Stage 9 and 10 ( Paramount Stage 31 and 32 from 1967 onward) in Hollywood.

Kirk (Shatner) and Spock (Nimoy) were kept as the series stars, with Grace Lee Whitney joining the two as Yeoman Janice Rand (replacing Andrea Dromm as Yeoman Smith). Whitney had worked with Roddenberry a year before on an unsold pilot titled Police Story . Publicity photos promoting the new series were made at this time, with the three of them, mostly using props left from the two pilots (most notably the aforementioned phaser rifle). Shatner and Nimoy wore their new uniforms on these photographs, while Whitney had to wear an old, pilot version.

Scott (Doohan) and Sulu (Takei) were also kept, the latter becoming the ship's helmsman instead of physicist. Two additions made the Enterprise main crew complete: DeForest Kelley was hired to play the new chief medical officer, Leonard McCoy , as Roddenberry had known him from previous projects, including the aforementioned Police Story . Actress Nichelle Nichols got the role of communications officer Uhura , who became a symbol of the racial and gender diversity of the show. Nichols was a last minute addition, weeks before filming began on the first regular episode.

Jerry Finnerman became the new director of photography, while Fred Phillips, Matt Jefferies, and Rolland M. Brooks returned to their former positions. Writer John D.F. Black was brought in as the second associate producer (next to Justman). While Roddenberry and Black handled the script and story issues, Justman was in charge of the physical aspects of production.

Filming of the first regular episode, " The Corbomite Maneuver " began on 24 May 1966 . Finally Star Trek debuted on NBC with a "Sneak Preview" episode at 8:30 pm (EST) on 8 September 1966 . NBC chose " The Man Trap " (the fifth episode in production order) to air first, mainly because they felt it was more of a "traditional monster story" and featured more action.

The first season [ ]

In August 1966 , several changes were made in the Star Trek production staff. Roddenberry stepped down as line producer and became the executive producer. His replacement was Gene L. Coon , who also regularly contributed to the series as a writer. While Black had also left the series, story editor Steven W. Carabatsos came in, sharing story duties with Roddenberry and Coon. To handle post-production, Edward K. Milkis was brought in by Justman. Carabatsos had left Star Trek near the end of the season, and was replaced by D.C. Fontana , formerly Roddenberry's secretary and a writer for the series.

Syndication [ ]

• See : Syndication

Due to the overall length of the episodes of The Original Series , several minutes of each episode are frequently cut during the show's reruns, notably on the Sci-Fi Channel . Starting in April 2006 , the G4 network began airing the full length episodes in "Uncut Marathons" on Saturdays. G4 stopped airing these full-length versions in November 2006, and has discontinued its run of Star Trek 2.0 , which was a trivia-oriented and interactive version of the show for the viewers.

For current airings see Where to watch .

Reception [ ]

The Original Series has been nominated for and won a number of awards over the years. Some of the awards include:

• The series was nominated for thirteen Emmy Awards during its run, but did not win any.
• It was nominated eight times for the "Best Dramatic Presentation" Hugo Award , sweeping the nominees in 1968. It won twice, and Roddenberry won a special award in 1968.
• The 2003 "Pop Culture Award" in the TV Land Awards .
• The 2005 Saturn Award for "Best DVD Retro Television Release."

Aaron Harberts and James Frain cited TOS as their favorite Star Trek series. ( AT : " O Discovery, Where Art Thou? ")

Remastered [ ]

On 31 August 2006 , CBS Paramount Television announced that, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of Star Trek , the show would return to broadcast syndication for the first time in sixteen years. The series' 79 episodes were digitally remastered with all new visual effects and music. The refurbished episodes have been converted from the original film to high-definition video, making it on par with modern television formats.

Related topics [ ]

• TOS directors
• TOS performers
• TOS recurring characters
• TOS writers
• Character crossover appearances
• Undeveloped TOS episodes
• Desilu Stage 9
• Desilu Stage 10
• Star Trek Writers/Directors Guide
• Star Trek: The Original Series novels
• Star Trek: The Original Series comics (DC)
• Star Trek: The Original Series comics (IDW)
• Star Trek: The Original Series soundtracks
• Star Trek: The Original Series on VHS
• Star Trek: The Original Series on Betamax
• Star Trek: The Original Series on CED
• Star Trek: The Original Series on LaserDisc
• Star Trek: The Original Series on DVD
• Star Trek: The Original Series on Blu-ray

External links [ ]

• Star Trek: The Original Series at Wikipedia
• Star Trek: The Original Series at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Star Trek: The Original Series at StarTrek.com
• Star Trek: The Original Series at the Internet Movie Database
• Star Trek: The Original Series at the Movie and TV Wiki
• Public Radio Special: The Peace Message in Star Trek
• 1 Bell Riots
• 2 Obi Ndefo
• 3 Past Tense, Part I (episode)

'Star Trek: The Original Series': Where Is the Cast 46 Years After TV Premiere?

Kirk, Spock and crew have plenty to keep them busy on Earth.

Sept. 7, 2012— -- intro: Just don't call them Trekkies.

Many fans of the original " Star Trek " series prefer to be called Trekkers, and they know everything about its intricacies.

From the shape-shifting creature featured in the first TV episode on Sept. 8, 1966, to the last episode on June 3, 1969, when Capt. James Tiberius Kirk loses his consciousness to a woman determined to kill him, "Star Trek" has taken its viewers "where no man has gone before" -- over and over and over again.

Photos: Star Trek: Through The Years

Forty-six years after Gene Roddenberry created the original series, here's an update on the original cast members from a franchise now worth billions.

quicklist: 1 category: 'Star Trek'title: William Shatner (Capt. Kirk)text: Please, no priceline.com jokes. William Shatner, 81, can shill all he wants for the online travel site, but there's no escaping the role that stuck to him like those pesky little Tribbles that redeemed themselves in the end. He also tours the country with "Shatner's World: We Just Live in It," a one-man show in which he takes audiences through his acting career.

media: 17042255

quicklist: 2category: 'Star Trek'title: Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock)text: Any fan of the hit TV show "Fringe" will tell you that Leonard Nimoy, 81, is doing just fine, thank you. His recurring role as parallel-universe-hopping Dr. William Bell even evokes Mr. Spock at his dispassionate best.

Nimoy also keeps busy doing voice work, this year as Action Figure Spock in the "The Big Bang Theory," Master Xehanort in "Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance" and Galactus in "The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes."

media: 17042300

quicklist: 3category: 'Star Trek'title: DeForest Kelley (Dr. McCoy)text: Kelley died of cancer in 1999 at age 79 but there's a website " dedicated to the incredible DeForest Kelley and his wonderful life's work ."

media: 17042367

quicklist: 4category: 'Star Trek'title: George Takei (Mr. Sulu)text: George Takei, 75, does some marketing work of his own, sporting the classic Starfleet uniform for the Social Security Administration. "Boldly Go to www.socialsecurity.gov," the promotion reads, depicting him and actress Patty Duke. And since coming out publicly in 2005, Takei has become a prominent spokesman for gay rights. He also has a role in "Allegiance: A New American Musical," premiering this month in San Diego and depicting the weeks and years after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

media: 17042355

quicklist: 5category: 'Star Trek'title: James Doohan (Mr. Scott)text: Doohan accomplished in death what he couldn't in life: a trip to the real final frontier. A private company flew some of his ashes, as requested in his will, into space earlier this year. He died in 2005 at age 85 after suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

media: 17042379

quicklist: 6category: 'Star Trek'title: Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura)text: Nichols, 79, has turned her attention to encouraging woman and people of other underrepresented groups to consider careers in space and aviation, particularly as astronauts. She appeared earlier this year at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, Calif., and the Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale.

media: 17042410

quicklist: 7category: 'Star Trek'title: Walter Koenig (Ensign Chekov)text: Everything you want to know about Koenig, 75, can be found at his official website , including his busy appearance schedule. Next up is the Walter Koenig Star Celebration this weekend in Hollywood, Calif. He was the last of the seven main cast members to be awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

media: 17042487

quicklist: 8category: 'Star Trek'title: Majel Barrett-Roddenberry (Nurse Chapel)text: Married to "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry for 22 years, Barrett-Roddenberry died of leukemia in 2008 at age 76. She was the only one to act in all six "Star Trek" TV series. Her remains are reportedly scheduled to be launched into deep space in 2014, along with a portion of her husband's ashes that weren't sent into Earth orbit in 1997.

media: 17042476

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The Original ‘Star Trek’ Cast: Where They’ve Boldly Gone, Then and Now

Follow the cast from television to movies, conventions, the Broadway stage and into outer space!

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You may have caught the classic sci-fi series Star Trek during its original run in the mid-1960s or, if not, then you caught it in reruns throughout the 1970s or ’80s. But whenever it was that you discovered the starship Enterprise and its crew, it seems pretty impossible to believe you could have imagined it still being part of the popular conversation nearly 60 years after it made its debut. Or , even more incredibly, that one of the Star Trek cast members would actually make his way into space.

(Click through to our sister site to learn behind-the-scenes secrets of the original Star Trek .)

The original Star Trek series made … well, stars out of its cast, who must have been just as amazed as the audience to find their lives and careers intersecting repeatedly following the show’s cancellation in 1969. They first reunited for 1973 to 1974’s Saturday morning Star Trek: The Animated Series , and went on to appear in six movie adventures between 1979’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture and 1991’s Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country .

What follows is a look at those beloved actors in the Star Trek cast between and beyond their journeys to the final frontier.

William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk

Coming from a background that included acclaimed roles on stage ( The World of Suzie Wong, A Shot in the Dark ), screen ( The Brothers Karamazov, Judgment at Nuremberg) and television ( The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, For the People ), William Shatner was deemed the right man to captain the starship Enterprise and he did so brilliantly. But when the show ended in 1969, things weren’t so easy, and although he starred in the short-lived series The Barbary Coast , he had to pay the bills by participating on game shows, guest starring on different TV series, starring in low budget movies and appearing in TV and radio commercials.

A lifeline was thrown to him in the form of 1979’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture , the success of which essentially relaunched his career.

Not only would Shatner star in six other films in the franchise, but he was featured in the title role of the police drama T.J. Hooker (1982 to 1986), hosted Rescue 911 (1989 to 1996), produced and starred in the TekWar series (1994 to 1996) — based on his own science fiction book series under the same umbrella title — achieved critical acclaim and an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Denny Crane in Boston Legal (2004 to 2008), performed a one-man show on Broadway, narrated countless documentaries and TV specials, recorded albums, and authored a couple of dozen fiction and non-fiction books .

Oh, and in 2021 he became the oldest person to go into space , doing so aboard the Blue Origin NS-18 . For fans of Star Trek it was a a thrill, but for Shatner himself the response was not one that would have expected.

“This was an immensely powerful awakening for me,” he said on stage at a convention. “It filled me with sadness. I realized that we had spent decades, if not centuries, being obsessed with looking away, with looking outside. I did my share in popularizing the idea that space was the final frontier. But I had to get to space to understand that Earth is and will stay our only home. And that we have been ravaging it, relentlessly, making it uninhabitable.”

Again, not what one would have expected.

Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock

Leonard Nimoy , who would have seemingly been the most typecast from Star Trek having played Mr. Spock, actually went on to the most successful career of all the cast members during the 10-year period between the end of the original series and the release of Star Trek: The Motion Picture .

In 1969 he immediately shifted over to a co-starring role in the hit series Mission: Impossible for 49 episodes, playing make-up genius Paris. Following his departure in 1972, he played the lead in the national touring company of the musical Fiddler on the Roof , portrayed another “logical” character in the form of Sherlock Holmes, offered up his take on Vincent Van Gogh in the one-man show Vincent , and starred on Broadway in Equus . He made numerous appearances in episodic series and TV films, and narrated the syndicated show In Search of…

On the big screen he reprised the role of Spock in six films featuring the original cast, and portrayed the character in J.J. Abrams’ 2009 reboot as well as the 2013 sequel Star Trek Into Darkness , which would turn out to be his final filmed role. Earlier he segued into directing, doing so for Star Trek III (1984) and Star Trek IV (1986) before taking on Three Men and a Baby (1987), The Good Mother (1988), Funny About Love (1990) and Holy Matrimony (1994).

Between 1973 and 2002 he wrote seven books of poetry, two biographies — I Am Not Spock (1975) and I Am Spock (1995) — and published three books of photography. Additionally, he recorded five albums between 1967’s Leonard Nimoy Presents Mr. Spock’s Music from Outer Space and 1970’s The New World of Leonard Nimoy .

Nimoy was married twice and had two children. He died on February 27, 2015 of complications from COPD at the age of 83.

DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy

In essence, Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy served as the conscience to Captain Kirk aboard the Enterprise , and as such was perhaps the most humanistic of all the characters. There’s a bit of irony there in the sense that actor DeForest Kelley built his acting career on playing villains in Western films and TV shows. His post- Star Trek career was fairly limited, starring in the 1972 film Night of the Lepus , about a battle against giant killer bunnies, and he reprised the role of McCoy in six Star Trek features and the first episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation .

He married Carolyn Dowling in 1945 and was with her until his death on June 11, 1999 at age 79 of stomach cancer.

James Doohan as Montgomery ‘Scotty’ Scott

Canadian born James Montgomery Doohan had, by his own estimation, appeared on 4,000 radio programs and 450 television shows before he played Scotty for the first time in the second Star Trek pilot, “Where No Man Has Gone Before.” Like his co-stars, he brought the character to the big screen in six feature films, co-starring with Shatner and Walter Koenig in the seventh, Star Trek: Generations ; and also appearing in the “Relics” episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation .

Other film credits include Rock Hudson’s Pretty Maids All in a Row and Man in the Wilderness (both 1971), Loaded Weapon 1 (1993) and, in his final film role, Skinwalker: Curse of the Shaman (2005). He co-starred in the Saturday morning live action series Jason of Star Command (1978), and in seven episodes of The Bold and the Beautiful between 1996 and 1997.

Although there were other TV guest spots, he spent much of his time each year doing the convention circuit, which turned out to be fairly lucrative. He wrote his autobiography, Beam Me Up, Scotty: Star Trek’s “Scotty” in His Own Words ; and three entries in The Flight Engineer book series.

Married three times, he had a total of seven children. He died on July 20, 2005 of complications from pulmonary fibrosis. He was 85.

Nichelle Nichols as Lt. Uhura

Trying to break through as a black actress in the 1960s was not an easy thing to do, but Nichelle Nichols continued to push, finding small roles in a few films between 1959’s Porgy and Bess and 1966’s Mister Buddwing .

On TV she could be seen in episodes of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry’s The Lieutenant , Peyton Place and Tarzan before being hired to play Uhura. Although Nichols was planning on quitting the show after the first season, she was talked out of it by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. , and remained with the franchise for much of her life. She played Uhura in six films as well as the fan-made production, Star Trek: Of Gods and Men .

Nichols impact as Uhura was such that NASA worked with her to recruit minority and female personnel for the space agency, her recruitees including the first American female astronaut, Sally Ride; and the first black astronaut, United States Air Force Colonel Guion Bluford. “When I began,” the actress pointed out, “NASA had 1,500 applications. Six months later, they had 8,000. I like to think some of those were encouraged by me. The aim was to find qualified people among women and minorities, then to convince them that the opportunity was real and that it also was a duty, because this was historic. I really had this sense of purpose about it myself.”

In subsequent years, she provided her voice to a number of TV animated characters, including playing herself on Futurama and The Simpsons ; there was a recurring role on Heroes and the soap opera, The Young and the Restless ; and film parts in later years included The White Orchid and American Nightmares (both 2018) and Unbelievable!!!!! (2020). Additionally, she recorded three albums, penned her autobiography ( Beyond Uhura ) and wrote a pair of sci-fi novels, Saturn’s Child and Saturna’s Quest . Married twice, she has one son (Kyle Johnson). In 2015, Nichols suffered a minor stroke and, three years later, was diagnosed with dementia. She died of heart failure on July 30, 2022 at 89 .

George Takei as Sulu

George Takei — born Hosato Takei — certainly diversified following Star Trek . Not only did he make appearances on a variety of television series (including The Six Million Dollar Man, Ironside, Marcus Welby, M.D. and Kung Fu ), but he co-wrote the 1979 science fiction/swashbuckler novel Mirror Friend, Mirror Foe and threw his hat into the Los Angeles political arena — and not for the last time.

While Takei has been able to work fairly consistently in film and television — beyond the six Star Trek films he appeared in — he’s stayed busy with myriad projects, including the 2012 musical Allegiance , which explores his own experiences and research into the Japanese American internment of World War II.

Prior to that, he co-wrote the graphic novel They Called Us Enemy , which focused on his family’s internment. In addition, he took on reality shows such as The Apprentice and I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! . He wrote 1994’s To the Stars: The Autobiography of George Takei , and followed with two additional non-fiction tomes.

In 2005, he came out as gay and emphasized that he and partner Brad Altman had been, at that point, in a relationship for 18 years (the duo also became the first same-sex married couple in West Hollywood three years later). Since then he has been involved in quite a number of campaigns demanding equal rights for members of the LGBT community.

Walter Koenig as Chekov

Walter Koenig, like his costars, did his fair share of episodic television work following his two seasons as Chekov in the Star Trek cast, co-starred in the Gene Roddenberry television pilot, The Questor Tapes ; had a recurring role on the sci-fi series Babylon 5 and reprised the role of Chekov in seven Star Trek films.

Additionally, he served as an acting teacher, directed plays, wrote novels and penned the scripts for such primetime television fare as Family and What Really Happened to the Class of ’65?. On top of that, there are the screenplays for I Wish I May, You’re Never Alone When You’re a Schizophenic and several one-act plays. His most recent film roles are Who is Martin Danzig? (2018) and Unbelievable!!!!! (2020).

Koenig has written a trio of memoirs ( Warped Factors: A Neurotic’s Guide to the Universe , Chekov’s Enterprise and Beaming Up and Getting Off: Life Before and Beyond Star Trek ), the sci-fi novel Buck Alice and the Actor-Rabbit , and the comics Raver and Walter Koenig’s Things to Come . He was married to Judy Levitt from 1965 until her death in in 2022. They have two children.

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The Original ‘Star Trek’ Cast: Where They’ve Boldly Gone, Then and Now

You may have caught the classic sci-fi series Star Trek during its original run in the mid-1960s or, if not, then you caught it in reruns throughout the 1970s or '80s. But whenever it was that you discovered the starship Enterprise and its crew, it seems pretty impossible to believe you could have imagined it still being part of the popular conversation nearly 60 years after it made its debut. Or , even more incredibly, that one of the Star Trek cast members would actually make his way into space.

(Click through to our sister site to learn behind-the-scenes secrets of the original Star Trek .)

The original Star Trek series made … well, stars out of its cast, who must have been just as amazed as the audience to find their lives and careers intersecting repeatedly following the show's cancellation in 1969. They first reunited for 1973 to 1974's Saturday morning Star Trek: The Animated Series , and went on to appear in six movie adventures between 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture and 1991's Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country .

What follows is a look at those beloved actors in the Star Trek cast between and beyond their journeys to the final frontier.

William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk

Coming from a background that included acclaimed roles on stage ( The World of Suzie Wong, A Shot in the Dark ), screen ( The Brothers Karamazov, Judgment at Nuremberg) and television ( The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, For the People ), William Shatner was deemed the right man to captain the starship Enterprise and he did so brilliantly. But when the show ended in 1969, things weren't so easy, and although he starred in the short-lived series The Barbary Coast , he had to pay the bills by participating on game shows, guest starring on different TV series, starring in low budget movies and appearing in TV and radio commercials.

A lifeline was thrown to him in the form of 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture , the success of which essentially relaunched his career.

Not only would Shatner star in six other films in the franchise, but he was featured in the title role of the police drama T.J. Hooker (1982 to 1986), hosted Rescue 911 (1989 to 1996), produced and starred in the TekWar series (1994 to 1996) — based on his own science fiction book series under the same umbrella title — achieved critical acclaim and an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Denny Crane in Boston Legal (2004 to 2008), performed a one-man show on Broadway, narrated countless documentaries and TV specials, recorded albums, and authored a couple of dozen fiction and non-fiction books .

Oh, and in 2021 he became the oldest person to go into space , doing so aboard the Blue Origin NS-18 . For fans of Star Trek it was a a thrill, but for Shatner himself the response was not one that would have expected.

"This was an immensely powerful awakening for me," he said on stage at a convention. "It filled me with sadness. I realized that we had spent decades, if not centuries, being obsessed with looking away, with looking outside. I did my share in popularizing the idea that space was the final frontier. But I had to get to space to understand that Earth is and will stay our only home. And that we have been ravaging it, relentlessly, making it uninhabitable."

Again, not what one would have expected.

Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock

Leonard Nimoy , who would have seemingly been the most typecast from Star Trek having played Mr. Spock, actually went on to the most successful career of all the cast members during the 10-year period between the end of the original series and the release of Star Trek: The Motion Picture .

In 1969 he immediately shifted over to a co-starring role in the hit series Mission: Impossible for 49 episodes, playing make-up genius Paris. Following his departure in 1972, he played the lead in the national touring company of the musical Fiddler on the Roof , portrayed another "logical" character in the form of Sherlock Holmes, offered up his take on Vincent Van Gogh in the one-man show Vincent , and starred on Broadway in Equus . He made numerous appearances in episodic series and TV films, and narrated the syndicated show In Search of...

On the big screen he reprised the role of Spock in six films featuring the original cast, and portrayed the character in J.J. Abrams' 2009 reboot as well as the 2013 sequel Star Trek Into Darkness , which would turn out to be his final filmed role. Earlier he segued into directing, doing so for Star Trek III (1984) and Star Trek IV (1986) before taking on Three Men and a Baby (1987), The Good Mother (1988), Funny About Love (1990) and Holy Matrimony (1994).

Between 1973 and 2002 he wrote seven books of poetry, two biographies — I Am Not Spock (1975) and I Am Spock (1995) — and published three books of photography. Additionally, he recorded five albums between 1967's Leonard Nimoy Presents Mr. Spock's Music from Outer Space and 1970's The New World of Leonard Nimoy .

Nimoy was married twice and had two children. He died on February 27, 2015 of complications from COPD at the age of 83.

DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy

In essence, Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy served as the conscience to Captain Kirk aboard the Enterprise , and as such was perhaps the most humanistic of all the characters. There's a bit of irony there in the sense that actor DeForest Kelley built his acting career on playing villains in Western films and TV shows. His post- Star Trek career was fairly limited, starring in the 1972 film Night of the Lepus , about a battle against giant killer bunnies, and he reprised the role of McCoy in six Star Trek features and the first episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation .

He married Carolyn Dowling in 1945 and was with her until his death on June 11, 1999 at age 79 of stomach cancer.

James Doohan as Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott

Canadian born James Montgomery Doohan had, by his own estimation, appeared on 4,000 radio programs and 450 television shows before he played Scotty for the first time in the second Star Trek pilot, "Where No Man Has Gone Before." Like his co-stars, he brought the character to the big screen in six feature films, co-starring with Shatner and Walter Koenig in the seventh, Star Trek: Generations ; and also appearing in the "Relics" episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation .

Other film credits include Rock Hudson 's Pretty Maids All in a Row and Man in the Wilderness (both 1971), Loaded Weapon 1 (1993) and, in his final film role, Skinwalker: Curse of the Shaman (2005). He co-starred in the Saturday morning live action series Jason of Star Command (1978), and in seven episodes of The Bold and the Beautiful between 1996 and 1997.

Although there were other TV guest spots, he spent much of his time each year doing the convention circuit, which turned out to be fairly lucrative. He wrote his autobiography, Beam Me Up, Scotty: Star Trek's "Scotty" in His Own Words ; and three entries in The Flight Engineer book series.

Married three times, he had a total of seven children. He died on July 20, 2005 of complications from pulmonary fibrosis. He was 85.

Nichelle Nichols as Lt. Uhura

Trying to break through as a black actress in the 1960s was not an easy thing to do, but Nichelle Nichols continued to push, finding small roles in a few films between 1959's Porgy and Bess and 1966's Mister Buddwing .

On TV she could be seen in episodes of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's The Lieutenant , Peyton Place and Tarzan before being hired to play Uhura. Although Nichols was planning on quitting the show after the first season, she was talked out of it by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. , and remained with the franchise for much of her life. She played Uhura in six films as well as the fan-made production, Star Trek: Of Gods and Men .

Nichols impact as Uhura was such that NASA worked with her to recruit minority and female personnel for the space agency, her recruitees including the first American female astronaut, Sally Ride; and the first black astronaut, United States Air Force Colonel Guion Bluford. "When I began," the actress pointed out, "NASA had 1,500 applications. Six months later, they had 8,000. I like to think some of those were encouraged by me. The aim was to find qualified people among women and minorities, then to convince them that the opportunity was real and that it also was a duty, because this was historic. I really had this sense of purpose about it myself."

In subsequent years, she provided her voice to a number of TV animated characters, including playing herself on Futurama and The Simpsons ; there was a recurring role on Heroes and the soap opera, The Young and the Restless ; and film parts in later years included The White Orchid and American Nightmares (both 2018) and Unbelievable!!!!! (2020). Additionally, she recorded three albums, penned her autobiography ( Beyond Uhura ) and wrote a pair of sci-fi novels, Saturn's Child and Saturna's Quest . Married twice, she has one son (Kyle Johnson). In 2015, Nichols suffered a minor stroke and, three years later, was diagnosed with dementia. She died of heart failure on July 30, 2022 at 89 .

George Takei as Sulu

George Takei — born Hosato Takei — certainly diversified following Star Trek . Not only did he make appearances on a variety of television series (including The Six Million Dollar Man, Ironside, Marcus Welby, M.D. and Kung Fu ), but he co-wrote the 1979 science fiction/swashbuckler novel Mirror Friend, Mirror Foe and threw his hat into the Los Angeles political arena — and not for the last time.

While Takei has been able to work fairly consistently in film and television — beyond the six Star Trek films he appeared in — he's stayed busy with myriad projects, including the 2012 musical Allegiance , which explores his own experiences and research into the Japanese American internment of World War II.

Prior to that, he co-wrote the graphic novel They Called Us Enemy , which focused on his family's internment. In addition, he took on reality shows such as The Apprentice and I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here! . He wrote 1994's To the Stars: The Autobiography of George Takei , and followed with two additional non-fiction tomes.

In 2005, he came out as gay and emphasized that he and partner Brad Altman had been, at that point, in a relationship for 18 years (the duo also became the first same-sex married couple in West Hollywood three years later). Since then he has been involved in quite a number of campaigns demanding equal rights for members of the LGBT community.

Walter Koenig as Chekov

Walter Koenig, like his costars, did his fair share of episodic television work following his two seasons as Chekov in the Star Trek cast, co-starred in the Gene Roddenberry television pilot, The Questor Tapes ; had a recurring role on the sci-fi series Babylon 5 and reprised the role of Chekov in seven Star Trek films.

Additionally, he served as an acting teacher, directed plays, wrote novels and penned the scripts for such primetime television fare as Family and What Really Happened to the Class of '65?. On top of that, there are the screenplays for I Wish I May, You're Never Alone When You're a Schizophenic and several one-act plays. His most recent film roles are Who is Martin Danzig? (2018) and Unbelievable!!!!! (2020).

Koenig has written a trio of memoirs ( Warped Factors: A Neurotic's Guide to the Universe , Chekov's Enterprise and Beaming Up and Getting Off: Life Before and Beyond Star Trek ), the sci-fi novel Buck Alice and the Actor-Rabbit , and the comics Raver and Walter Koenig's Things to Come . He was married to Judy Levitt from 1965 until her death in in 2022. They have two children.

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8 Ways the Original ‘Star Trek’ Made History

By: Sarah Pruitt

Updated: November 2, 2021 | Original: September 8, 2016

When "Star Trek" premiered on NBC in the fall of 1966, it promised "To boldly go where no man has gone before." More than half a century later, it has done just that. The original "Star Trek"—which lasted for only three seasons—birthed some 20 spinoff series and films; a universe of games, toys, comics and conventions; and influenced decades of science-fiction. Here are eight ways the show broke new ground. 

The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek premieres Friday, November 5 at 10/9c on The HISTORY ®  Channel

1. A veteran of World War II, Gene Roddenberry created a show about fighting another world war—this time in space.

After piloting a B-17 bomber in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II , Roddenberry served in the Los Angeles Police Department before he began writing for TV. He created the short-lived series “The Lieutenant” before Desilu Studios (founded by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz) picked up “Star Trek” in 1966. In an era before man set foot on the moon, the show introduced us to a 23rd-century world where interplanetary travel was an established fact: Captain Kirk and the crew of the starship Enterprise (named for the real-life ship that turned the tide toward the Allies in the Battle of Midway) roamed the galaxy, clashing with alien enemies like the Klingons, Excalbians and Romulans.

2. The show’s multicultural, multiracial cast put it well ahead of its time.

In addition to the half-Vulcan Spock, the crew of the Enterprise in “Star Trek”’s debut season included Lt. Nyota Uhura (played by the African American actress Nichelle Nichols) and Lt. Hikaru Sulu (played by the Japanese American actor George Takei). In an era of mounting racial tensions, “Star Trek” presented a positive image of people of different races, genders and cultures (not to mention aliens and humans!) working together cooperatively—a somewhat utopian vision, perhaps, but a heartening one. Nichols later said that she was reportedly thinking of leaving the show after the first season, but was convinced to stay on by none other than Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. , whom she met at a NAACP fundraiser. The civil rights leader, who admitted to being a devoted fan of the show, told Nichols that she was breaking new ground in the role of Uhura, and showing African Americans what was possible for them.

3. The original 'Star Trek' referred repeatedly to the ongoing, escalating conflict in Vietnam.

Though marketed as a classic adventure drama (Roddenberry based the character of Captain Kirk on Horatio Hornblower from C.S. Forester’s classic naval adventure series), “Star Trek” didn’t shy away from tackling moral and social issues such as war, racism and discrimination. The first season episode “Taste for Armageddon” was one of TV’s first allegories for the Vietnam War , an issue the show would return to most famously in the second season’s “A Private Little War.” In that episode, the Klingons are providing weapons to a primitive planet, and Capt. Kirk decides to do the same in order to preserve the “balance of power” on both sides. One of the most controversial plot lines of that season, the story was clearly analogous to the escalating nature of American involvement in Vietnam.

4. But it offered a positive vision for the future in the midst of Cold War tensions.

In the show’s second season, a new navigator named Pavel Andreievich Chekov showed up on the bridge of the starship Enterprise. As Roddenberry recounted in The Fifty-Year Mission , a two-volume oral history of “Star Trek” published in 2016, the character was added after the Russian newspaper Pravda pointed out that the show ignored the Soviet Union ’s pioneering contributions to space travel. But Walter Koenig, the actor who played Chekov, said the Pravda explanation was made up for publicity: The show’s producers wanted a character to appeal to a younger demographic, and just decided to make him Russian. Though a long-running theory held that the Klingons and the Federation represented the Soviet Union and the United States, two ideologically opposed superpowers, another interpretation argues that “Star Trek” functions as a critique of Cold War -era politics, by offering an optimistic vision of the future at a very uncertain moment in history.

5. It was the beneficiary of one of the most successful fan-organized letter-writing campaigns in TV history.

By late 1967, the original “Star Trek” series was struggling, and rumors flew that NBC was planning to cancel the series after only two seasons. Spurred into action, more than 100,000 fans—known as “Trekkers” or “Trekkies”—wrote letters in support of the show. In the largest of numerous protests on college campuses, 200 Caltech students marched to NBC’s Burbank, California studio wielding signs with slogans like “Draft Spock” and “Vulcan Power.” NBC eventually acknowledged the success of the fans’ campaign, announcing that the show would return for another season.

6. The show featured one of the first interracial kisses on TV.

After being “saved” by the fans, the third season of the original “Star Trek” largely bombed, but one particular moment stands out: In the episode “Plato’s Stepchildren,” Capt. Kirk kisses his communications officer, Lt. Uhura, in what is thought to be the first scripted interracial kiss on American television. Though NBC executives worried how the kiss would play on television in 1968 (especially in the South), they eventually decided to leave it in the episode, earning the show enduring fame for the barrier-breaking moment. (Though Kirk and Uhura’s liplock is often cited as the first interracial kiss on TV, a kiss between actors on the British soap opera “Emergency Ward 10” predated “Plato’s Stepchildren” by several years.)

7. It enjoyed record-breaking success in syndication post-cancellation.

Despite its cancellation after only three seasons (and 79 episodes), “Star Trek” gained new life through syndication, as the devotion of its growing fan base increased from the late 1960s and throughout the ‘70s. By 1986, nearly two decades after it entered syndication, A.C. Nielsen Co. listed “Star Trek: The Original Series” as the No. 1 syndicated show. That same year, Roddenberry launched a second TV series, “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” which was immediately syndicated and became a ratings hit. Meanwhile, “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” had grossed more than $80 million in 1979, leading to several more movies in the ‘80s and ‘90s, followed by a 21st-century “reboot” of the series starting in 2009. Trekkie enthusiasm fueled the success of comic books, cartoons, novels, action figures and other merchandise based on the series, as well as Star Trek-themed conventions attended by thousands at hotels and other venues around the world.

8. Thanks to 'Star Trek' fans, America’s first space shuttle orbiter was christened Enterprise.

In 1976, hundreds of thousands of Trekkies wrote impassioned letters to NASA arguing that the first space shuttle orbiter should be named after the starship Enterprise. Though he never mentioned the letter campaign, President Gerald R. Ford expressed his preference for the name “Enterprise,” with its hallowed Navy history, and the space administration’s officials ended up dropping their original choice, Constitution. Roddenberry and many original “Star Trek” cast members were on hand to greet the shuttle when it rolled out of the manufacturing facilities in Palmdale, California for its dedication ceremony in September 1976. Though Enterprise was used in a number of flight tests, it was never launched into space, and spent much of its life in storage.

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The Cast Of Star Trek: Then And Now

Over 50 years since it first aired, Star Trek remains a cultural juggernaut – from the J.J. Abrams -driven big-screen saga, to the forthcoming return of The Next Generation , and the continuation of Star Trek Discovery on Netflix (where you can also find every episode of every Trek show, including the animated series). In salute to Gene Roddenberry's groundbreaking, iconic show, we take stock of those original actors who paved the way for everything that followed.

William Shatner

Cast as captain of the starship Enterprise, it was Shatner who set the standard as James T. Kirk. Born in 1931 in Canada, and having a career that has spanned television, stage, screen, novels, video games, comic books, music and lord knows what else, this is a an 85-year-old who will not stop until he drops, and even then he’d probably argue, “What does God need with a starship…captain?”

Leonard Nimoy

Mr. Spock was far from the first television sidekick to equal if not eclipse a TV show’s main star. Given what Shatner brought to Kirk, it’s says a lot about Leonard Nimoy’s ability that he could make a character in complete control (most of the time) of his emotions come across as more than a cardboard cut-out. He never allowed Spock’s quiet dignity to fade away, even when reprising the role as recently as in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek Into Darkness . Born in 1931, Nimoy enjoyed a working life in theatre, on TV and film (as both actor and director), and as an author, recording artist and photographer. He died on February 27, 2015, and received a touching tribute in Star Trek Beyond .

DeForest Kelley

If there was one actor who brought the most humanity to Star Trek , it had to be the late DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy. Born in 1920, he had built a career playing TV bad guys, usually in Westerns, which is what made it so surprising when Roddenberry cast him as The Enterprise's chief medical officer and Kirk’s conscience. After Star Trek finished its run, Kelley took on a couple of roles, but pretty much retired except for conventions, the first six big screen Star Trek adventures and a guest spot on the premiere episode of The Next Generation . He died on June 11, 1999.

James Doohan

He gave the engines all they had…and then some. It’s why James Doohan’s chief engineer, Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott,” was the best in the fleet. Born in in Canada in 1920, Doohan enjoyed a career in Canadian radio and television before making the shift to America. Like many of his co-stars, following the end of Star Trek he found himself typecast and other acting opportunities difficult to come by. He scored character roles here and there, and, of course, reprised the role of Scotty in the feature films based on the show. He died on July 20, 2005.

Nichelle Nichols

She opened those hailing frequencies like a boss, making communications officer Uhura an essential member of the Enterprise bridge crew. Born in 1932, Nichols took on the laudable challenge of being an African American actress on television at a time when America was struggling with civil rights. As such, she became a symbol and an inspiration for many African-American women. Early in her career she enjoyed some success as a dancer and singer, eventually making her way to television, where she met Gene Roddenberry on The Lieutenant . When he was casting Trek , he knew he wanted her to be a part of it. For some years following the series acting roles were sparse, but she did parlay the growing popularity of Trek into a job at NASA, where she recruited minority and female personnel to the space agency.

George Takei

Like his co-stars, George Takei , born in 1937, spent many years trying to shake off the persona of Enterprise helmsman Hikaru Sulu. But after embracing all of what Star Trek represented, Takei enjoyed something of a career renaissance. He acted in mostly small roles before Trek , co-starred in John Wayne’s The Green Berets . Besides reprising the role of Sulu in six feature films, he immersed himself in California politics, became an author, and in recent years seems to be almost everywhere , appearing on a wide variety of TV shows and most recently on stage in the musical Allegiance , set during the Japanese American interment of World War II, which Takei himself experienced as a child.

Walter Koenig

He joined Star Trek in its second season and, as navigator Pavel Chekov, was supposed to be the 23rd Century’s answer to the youth-appealing Monkees or The Beatles. Koenig was another actor who had come to Roddenberry’s attention through The Lieutenant , and was brought aboard the Enterprise in 1967, where he served through the remainder of the series and seven feature films (he joined Shatner and Doohan in 1994’s Star Trek: Generations ). In between he worked as a television writer, gained popularity for his portrayal of Alfred Bester in the series Babylon 5 and appeared in a number of films. He also wrote a number of books – both fiction and non-fiction – and worked in comics as well.

Notable Movie Guest Stars

Stephen collins.

He portrayed Commander Willard Decker in Star Trek: The Motion Picture . Born in 1947, Collins is best known for roles in in TV shows such as Tales of the Gold Monkey , No Ordinary Family and Revolution , as well as the films The First Wives Club and Because I Said So . He also spent eleven seasons as the patriarch on 7th Heaven .

Kirstie Alley

Born in 1951, Alley portrayed Vulcan/Romulan hybrid Lt. Saavik in 1982’s Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan . Following the film she co-starred in the long-running Cheers , and went on to such shows as Veronica’s Closet and Kirstie , a number of guest star appearances and starring roles in films Look Who’s Talking, It Takes Two, For Richer or Poorer and Accidental Love .

Ricardo Montalban

Montalban guest-starred on the original Star Trek in the 1967 episode “Space Seed,” portraying 20th Century genetic superman Khan Noonien Singh. Revived from suspended animation, Khan attempted to take control of the Enterprise and, instead of being sent to prison, was given a planet to tame by Kirk. After that, Montalban (born in 1920 in Mexico), just as he had before that show, appeared in a wide variety of TV series, television movies and feature films, but is largely remembered for playing Mr. Roarke in Fantasy Island and Zach Powers in Dynasty and The Colbys . In 1982 he reprised the role of Khan in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , in which, as the title suggests, his genetic superman and his people escape the planet they had been left on, seeking vengeance against Kirk. Montalban died on January 14, 2009.

Christopher Lloyd

As the Klingon Kruge, Christopher Lloyd looked to be having a grand old time chewing the soundstage scenery with Shatner in 1984’s Star Trek III: The Search For Spock . Lloyd’s long list of credits include the TV series Taxi , as well as Who Framed Roger Rabbit? . He is undoubtedly most beloved for his role as Dr. Emmett Brown in the Back To The Future trilogy.

Robin Curtis

When contractual issues came up between Kirstie Alley and Paramount following Wrath Of Khan , Robin Curtis stepped in to play Lt. Saavik for Star Trek III: The Search For Spock and, briefly, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home . Prior to her tour of duty on the Enterprise, she guest starred on some TV shows, appeared in several films and amassed an impressive number of regional and national theatre stage roles. Between acting gigs, she's also worked as a real estate agent.

Catherine Hicks

In the years prior to endearing herself to Star Trek fans as marine biologist Gillian Taylor in Star Trek IV , Catherine Hicks (born in 1951) had spent three years on the soap opera Ryan's Hope , starred in several short-lived series, was Emmy-nominated for her role as Marilyn Monroe in the TV movie Marilyn: The Untold Story and would go on to star in Child's Play . Most notably she co-starred with Commander Decker (actually Stephen Collins) in 7th Heaven , which ran for eleven seasons beginning in 1996.

Laurence Luckinbill

Did you know Spock had a half-brother named Sybok? Nope, neither did we. Even Kirk had no idea, but that was one of the revelations of 1989's Star Trek V: The Final Frontier , and it was Sybok who hi-jacked the Enterprise so everyone could meet (not) God. Laurence Luckinbill, born in 1934, has a long history of roles on television, stage and in film. He also happens to be married to Lucie Arnaz, daughter of Lucille Ball (who gave the green light for the original Star Trek in the first place) and Desi Arnaz.

Christopher Plummer

Not that we didn't already know that Canadian-born Christopher Plummer could perform Shakespeare, but that point was really driven home in 1991's Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country , for which he portrayed Klingon general Chang and which should have provided the Bard co-writing credit, given the number of quotes utilised. Born in 1929, Plummer's extensive film credits (not to mention his acclaimed stage work) includes The Sound Of Music , Battle Of Britain , Waterloo, Inside Man , Up , The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo .

Kim Cattrall

Admittedly it wasn't Sex In The Starship , but the Liverpool-born Kim Cattrall definitely brought a lot of sexual energy to her role as the Vulcan Valeris in Star Trek VI , serving as part of a conspiracy to destroy a newly brokered peace between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Born in 1956, her film career began in 1975 with Rosebud and went on to include such efforts as Ticket To Heaven, Porky's , Police Academy , Big Trouble In Little China , and Midnight Crossing . She is, of course, most famous for portraying Samantha Jones in the TV series Sex And The City and the two feature films spun off from it.

Head to Empire's 10 Essential Star Trek Articles

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Star Trek: The Animated Series

The further adventures of Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the USS Enterprise, as they explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets. The further adventures of Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the USS Enterprise, as they explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets. The further adventures of Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the USS Enterprise, as they explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets.

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• Trivia According to Lou Scheimer there were never any ego problems between the cast members during recording sessions, although William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy had a tendency to count their characters' lines and complain when one of them had too many more than the other.
• Goofs Nurse Chapel's chest insignia is the standard oval-within-a-circle symbol for the Sciences division. However, in the live Star Trek (1966) , her uniform was unique in that she wore a red cross in place of that symbol.
• Connections Featured in The NBC Saturday Morning Preview Revue (1974)

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Stand By Me True Story: Was It Inspired By Stephen King’s Childhood?

10 harsh realities of rewatching stand by me, 38 years later, one of stephen king's favorite movie adaptations of his books is coming to netflix in september.

Stand By Me is an undeniable 80s classic, and many of its young actors would go on to have impressive careers. Based on the Steven King novella The Body , the film unfolds the dramatic story of four young boys who set out to discover the dead body of a missing boy. Despite its dark premise, Stand By Me is really a touching tale about youth and friendship . Its enduring influence has earned it a 92% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Rob Reiner's coming-of-age story has appealed to each generation with its timeless themes and remains one of the best movies about childhood . Set in 1950s Oregon, the film banked on its adult audience's nostalgia for an era of baseball cards and drive-in movie theaters. Revisiting the film today produces another kind of nostalgia for those who grew up in the era it was released, though. The young cast of Stand By Me would go on to star in films that defined a whole decade of cinema.

The Stand By Me book, The Body, draws from Stephen King's real childhood experiences. Here's the true story behind the Stand By Me source material.

Wil Wheaton As "Gordie" Lachance

Date of birth: july 29, 1972.

• Active Since: 1981

Actor: Born Richard William Wheaton III on July 29, 1972, in Burbank California, Wil Wheaton made his acting debut in the 1981 film A Long Way Home alongside Ordinary People's Timothy Hutton. Wheaton also voiced Martin in the animated children's film The Secret of NIMH, but he wouldn't gain international attention until he starred as "Gordie" in Stand By Me. He is probably most recognized among science-fiction fans for his portrayal of Wesley Crusher in Star Trek: The Next Generation. In June 2024, Wheaton announced his retirement from on-screen acting, focusing on his voice acting career going forward.

Character : Wil Wheaton plays a young Gordon "Gordie" Lachance as his adult self recalls the Labor Day weekend in which he and his best friends went searching for the body of missing local boy Ray Brower. Wheaton gives a powerful performance, particularly upon the traumatic discovery of Brower's body. The scene shows the impact of Gordie's grief over his older brother, Denny, whose death resulted in Gordie being ignored by their parents.

River Phoenix As Chris Chambers

Date of birth: august 23, 1970.

• Active Since: 1980

Actor : Born in Madras, Oregon, River Phoenix started his career at age 10 acting in television commercials. He shot to fame as a teen actor, alongside his younger siblings Rain, Joaquin, Liberty, and Summer. His starring role in Stand By Me came just one year after his breakout performance in Explorers, which was also the film debut of his co-star, Ethan Hawke.

After a successful start in children's films, Phoenix began to take on more mature roles, most memorably performing in My Own Private Idaho, for which he won several awards . Phoenix's career was cut short after the actor's tragic death at the age of 23. He is nonetheless remembered as a prolific talent. River Phoenix's final movie , Dark Blood, was released posthumously in 2012.

Character : In the film, Phoenix plays Gordie's childhood best friend, Chris. Gordie's recollection of that fateful weekend is inspired by his reading about Chris' fatal stabbing in the newspaper. Memories of their close friendship in childhood are therefore imbued with tragedy, adding weight to Gordie's closing remark: "I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?"

Corey Feldman As Teddy Duchamp

Date of birth: july 16, 1971.

• Active Since: 1979

Actor: As a child actor, Corey Feldman became one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood. Born in Reseda, California, he began his career as a young child appearing in over 100 television commercials. Besides portraying Teddy in Stand By Me, Feldman had roles in popular 1980s films like Gremlins and The Goonies , where he acted alongside Sean Austin. With fellow Stand By Me alum, Kiefer Sutherland, Feldman starred in the cult black comedy horror, The Lost Boys . Feldman recently made a surprise appearance as The Masked Singer's Seal in the 11th season of the reality series.

Character : Teddy had a complicated relationship with his father, a veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress which caused him to lash out against his son. Teddy's ear was burned off when his father shoved his head into a wood stove. Like all the four boys, Feldman's character in Stand By Me required a lot of emotional maturity for such a young actor. Interestingly, Feldman kept the prosthetic ear used in the scene up until 2021 when it was auctioned off in honor of the film's 35th anniversary.

Jerry O'Connell As Vern Tessio

Date of birth: february 17, 1974.

• Active Since: 1986

Actor: Landing his role in Stand By Me aged just 11 years old, New York-born Jerry O'Connell's career didn't kick off until the late 1980s. His first starring role was as teen hero Andrew Clements in the Canadian science-fiction sitcom My Secret Identity. He reached the height of his fame in the following decade, appearing alongside Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire and in Scream 2 as Sidney Prescott's ill-fated boyfriend, Derek. O'Connell's varied career has seen him perform on Broadway, and he can currently be heard as the voice actor behind Commander Jack Ransom on Star Trek: Lower Decks.

Character : O'Connell played Vern Tessio in Stand By Me. The fourth member of the group was no less instrumental in the story: it is Vern who tells the group about Brower's body after he hears his older brother talking about it with a friend. O'Connell has been granted a small tribute in the town of Brownsville, Oregon, where parts of Stand By Me were filmed. A penny is embedded on the street in the location where Vern found one in the film.

Stand By Me Supporting Cast

Stand by me featured notable actors like kiefer sutherland and john cusack.

Kiefer Sutherland as John "Ace" Merill : A young Kiefer Sutherland played Stand By Me's villain , the leader of the local gang who torments the young protagonists.

John Cusack as Dennis "Denny" Lachance : Gordie's older brother, Denny, is played by John Cusack. The actor made a name for himself starring in other notable coming-of-age dramedies, such as Sixteen Candles and Say Anything, remembered for its iconic jukebox scene.

Richard Dreyfuss as adult Gordie : Credited as "the Writer", Stand By Me opens and closes with narration by the adult Gordie, portrayed by Richard Dreyfuss. Dreyfuss' prolific Hollywood career spanned three decades, kicked off by his role in George Lucas' American Graffiti. He is probably most well known today for portraying oceanographer Matt Hooper in Jaws.

Casey Siemaszko as Billy Tessio : While Siemaszko had supporting roles in Stand By Me and Back To The Future , the Chicago-born actor would go on to star in the 1987 teen comedy Three O'Clock High as Jerry Mitchell. He would act alongside Kiefer Sutherland again in 1988, in the Western action film Young Guns.

Marshall Bell as Mr. Lachance : The actor who plays Gordie's grieving father had supporting roles in several popular movies. His breakout performance was as the detestable Coach Schneider in A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge. Bell can also be spotted as the hitman in the Arnold Schwarzenegger/Danny DeVito comedy, Twins.

Frances Lee McCain as Mrs. Lachance : Frances Lee McCain has been typecasted as the "mother" figure in several major films. She appeared alongside Stand By Me's Corey Feldman as Billy Peltzer's mother in Gremlins . She also played the mother of Kevin Bacon's character in Footloose.

Gary Riley as Charlie Hogan : Character actor Gary Riley has numerous film and television credits for minor roles. He appears briefly in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles stealing from the wallet of Steve Martin's character.

Bradley Gregg as Richard "Eyeball" Chambers : Gregg appeared alongside River Phoenix in two other films. He played another gang member in Explorers, and also appeared in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade as Roscoe.

Bruce Kirby as Mr. Quidacioluo : Bruce Kirby's career as a character actor has seen him make multiple appearances in television shows. He appeared in six episodes of Columbo as Sergeant George Kramer. In the 2000s, he had one-off roles in notable shows like The Sopranos and The West Wing.

William Bronder as Milo Pressman : William Bronder served in the U.S. Army before turning to a career in film and television in the 1960s. His role as the junkyard owner in Stand By Me is typical of the kind of rough, working-class archetype he often portrays. His final role was as Wally Jatczak in the 2000 rom-com drama Return to Me, which starred David Duchovny and Minnie Driver.

Scott Beach as Mayor Grundy : Famed for his deep voice which landed him minor roles in several George Lucas films (including an uncredited stormtrooper voice in Star Wars ) Scott Beach can be spotted as a German scientist in The Right Stuff. He also played Mr. Gordon in American Graffiti. He plays the mayor in Stand By Me .

Stand By Me

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Based on a Stephen King novella, and directed by Rob Reiner, Stand By Me follows the story of a group of young boys who set out on an expedition to find the dead body of another missing boy from their hometown. The film stars Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O'Connell, and is considered one of the most influential films of all time. 

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Published Sep 3, 2024

Remembering James Darren, 1936-2024

StarTrek.com honors the late actor and his contributions to the Star Trek universe.

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StarTrek.com is saddened to report the passing of James Darren, who played the charismatic lounge singer, Vic Fontaine, across seven episodes for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's last two seasons. He passed away on September 2, 2024, at the age of 88.

Born June 8, 1936, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as James William Ercolani, Darren knew early on he wanted a career in show business. His father would take him to local bars and nightclubs in Philly where he would get up on stage and sing a song or two.

Darren would go on to have a multifaceted career spanning film, television, and recording music. His teen heartthrob image landed him the breakout role as the leading man, the surfer/singer Moondoggie, in Gidget (1959) alongside Sandra Dee and Cliff Robertson. Following his crooner role in Gidget , which included the film's theme song, Darren would go on to record several pop hits for Colpix Records, garnering a gold record for his "Goodbye Cruel World." He would reprise the role in Gidget Goes Hawaiian (1961) and Gidget Goes to Rome (1963). Other noteworthy theatrical films during this time included All the Young Men (1960), Let No Man Write My Epitaph (1960), The Guns of Navarone (1961), and Diamond Head (1962).

"It's Only A Paper Moon"

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Darren would soon pivot to the small screen, starring as the leading actor in the sci-fi, time-traveling series The Time Tunnel . He would continue to book guest star roles in a number of popular series such as S.W.A.T. , Police Woman , Charlie's Angeles , Police Story , Hawaii Five-O , The Love Boat , Fantasy Island , and Melrose Place , while he pursued his love of live musical performances. Darren would then try a hand at directing television episodes for series such as The A-Team , Walker, Texas Ranger , Silk Stalkings , Beverly Hills, 90210 , Savannah , and Melrose Place .

Darren would secure a regular role on the police drama T.J. Hooker , from 1983 to 1986, playing the role as Officer James Corrigan, alongside William Shatner, who shared a tribute on X (formerly Twitter) , "What a wonderful man – so talented; so loving. I had the best time with him. The world is less because of his loss."

Fans of Star Trek knew Darren best as the fan-favorite Vic Fontaine, an entertainer who ran the popular holoprogram at Quark's, Vic's Last Vegas Lounge , in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . His warm, self-aware, and sophisticated programming made him a favorite among the crew of Deep Space 9, most notably providing Dr. Julian Bashir dating advice, and helping Nog cope with PTSD following his service in the Dominion War.

In a 2019 interview with StarTrek.com , Darren expressed, "Vic Fontaine was like – what can I say? – it was a dream come true for me. It was one of the most enjoyable roles for me to have played."

On recording the series finale with the cast, he shared, "The finale was hard to do. The cast had been there forever, so it was hard for them, and it was hard for me, too, because my relationship with everyone had grown instantly. I loved that entire cast. When it was ending, it was so sad, sad for them and extremely sad for me, too. I’d sing that song ("The Way You Look Tonight") to Nana Visitor... and she'd start crying. And when she'd start crying, I'd start crying. It was tough getting through it."

Darren is survived by his wife Evy; sons Jim Moret, Christian Darren, and Tony Darren; five grandchildren, and one goddaughter.

The entire Star Trek family sends their condolences to Darren's family, friends, loved ones, and fans around the world.

Vic Fontaine - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Most Famous Hologram

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The Late James Darren Played One Of The Strangest Star Trek Characters Ever

Children of the 1960s might recognize the late actor James Darren from his role as Moondoggie, aka Jeffrey Matthews, from the hit 1959 beach party movie "Gidget." Darren reprised his role in "Gidget Goes Hawaiian" and "Gidget Goes to Rome." Darren, however, was massively prolific in film, TV, and music, and his decades-long career was only cut short this week when the actor passed away at the age of 88. He left behind a sizable body of work that includes 14 studio albums, dozens of appearances in TV shows, and movies beyond Gidget. He shared the screen with future "Gilligan's Island" stars Bob Denver and Tina Louise in "Those Who Think Young,"  popped up in Jess Franco's 1969 version of "Venus in Furs," and most recently appeared in the Harry Dean Stanton film "Lucky" (one of the best films of 2017).

To Trekkies, Darren is best known for playing Vic Fontaine, the holographic Rat Pack-era lounge singer on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." Vic Fontaine was a fascinating and weird character in a series jam-packed with fascinating and weird characters. Vic wouldn't just croon American standards in his 1960s Las Vegas lounge, but often stepped off the stage to give sage, one-on-one advice to any curious seekers. Strangely, even the non-Earthling characters came to love Vic and his vintage Vegas home. Vic only appeared in seven episodes, but he was incredibly memorable. He even got to sing a gorgeous rendition of "The Way You Look Tonight" in the series finale.

The character became so beloved by the denizens of DS9 that he was eventually taught that he was indeed a hologram (most holodeck characters exist only within their programmed scenario). Vic became the station's ersatz counselor, offering legitimate psychological analysis to characters when they were recovering from trauma. Most notably, he comforted Nog (Aron Eisenberg), who moved into the holographic 1960s Las Vegas setting after having his leg blown off in combat.

Vic Fontaine, the crooning shrink

According to the lore of "Deep Space Nine," Vic Fontaine was a special request of Dr. Bashir (Alexander Siddig), and he was programmed to be sentient by an engineer named Felix, often mentioned by never seen. The 1960s Las Vegas setting offered an element of visual variety to the show, as it often bored the showrunners to film episodes on the same eight sets day in and day out. Also, it was established on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" that starships employ full-time counselors to aid Starfleet officers through their personal issues and sci-fi trauma, so it seemed unusual that Deep Space Nine wouldn't have a counselor on board. This would have been wholly appropriate, given that it was a series about a wounded planet recovering from a genocidal military occupation.

Vic Fontaine, who first appeared in the sixth-season episode "His Way" (April 22, 1998), quickly took up that role. He offered romantic advice to Odo (René Auberjonois) after intuiting the varied relationship strife among the gathered DS9 crewmembers. He saw that Odo was in love with Major Kira (Nana Visitor), but was unable to express himself openly. Vic walked Odo through typical human romance, offering pointers.

As mentioned, Vic also had an interesting relationship with Nog, the Ferengi officer who was drafted into the war effort. Nog lost his foot in an explosion, but modern medicine was able to grow a new one without too many issues. Regardless, Nog was horrified by being mutilated in the war and required a constant escape. In "It's Only a Paper Moon" (December 30, 1998) Nog is seen repeatedly rebuffing the advice of his flesh-and-blood contemporaries, content to live in an artificial Vegas lounge indefinitely. Only the holographic Vic can approach Nog gently and point out that living in a fantasy isn't a good way to heal. It may be a good temporary salve, but one must reenter the real world eventually.

The inception of Vic Fontaine

The idea of Vic Fontaine was conceived by "Deep Space Nine" showrunner Ira Steven Behr . In Terry J. Erdmann's invaluable sourcebook "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion," Behr is quoted as saying that he wanted a character that was kind of like of Yoda, but who could be played by Frank Sinatra, Jr. Behr reportedly asked Sinatra to appear in the show (it seems that Sinatra was a Trekkie), but that he wanted to play an alien, not a '60s lounge singer. Darren was eventually approached and it was a wonderful match, as he brought an uncharacteristic warmth to an otherwise terse "Star Trek" series.

The way Behr approached Darren was also amusing. It seems that Behr was visiting a memorabilia convention, hoping to find a birthday present for someone, and Darren happened to be there signing autographs. Behr's friend, Fred Rappaport, knew Darren and wanted to talk to him. It turned out that Rappaport had the ideal ice-breaker all ready to go: ask James Darren about his short-live line of pasta sauces. That was enough to arrange an audition ... which Darren nailed. According to Behr:

"Jimmy Darren comes in, and he's talking about how he owns a pair of Dean Martin's shoes, and he knows where to get the right tuxedos, at Sy Devore's store, and all of that stuff, and he's being great. We're all listening to him. And suddenly he starts talking about him and Frank and Dean and gambling and making all this money, and suddenly we realize that he's doing the part. It catches us totally by surprise. We're sitting there with the script pages and don't even realize it! He had gone right from being Jimmy to being Vic — without a beat.

Darren was perfect for Vic Fontaine. Behr suggested a few other actors be auditoined just in case, but no one would hear it. James Darren was Vic Fontaine. The singer became an installation on Deep Space Nine, and everyone — viewers and characters — loved him.

R.I.P. James Darren.

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James darren dies: the ‘gidget’ and ‘t.j. hooker’ star was 88.

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T.J. HOOKER - Cast Gallery - Shoot Date: June 22, 1983. (Photo by ABC Photo Archives/Disney General ... [+] Entertainment Content via Getty Images) JAMES DARREN

James Darren, the former teen idol and pop singer who found success on film in the Gidget franchise and on television in the Aaron Spelling-produced crime drama T.J. Hooker , died in his sleep at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Monday. He was 88.

Born James William Ercolani on June 8, 1936 in Philadelphia, James Darren studied acting with Stella Adler and was discovered by casting director Joyce Selznick. After signing a contract with Columbia in 1956, he began filming his first movie, Rumble on the Docks .

Darren bowed on television as a guest star in the drama anthology The Web and built his resume with roles on the big screen in comedy Operation Mad Ball , film noir entry The Brothers Rio , drama The Tijuana Story , all in 1957, and western Gunman’s Walk in 1958.

James Darren in 1959. (Photo by Richard C. Miller/Getty Images)

In 1959, Darren played Moondoggie in the teen surf flick Gidget and also sang the title track. That led to a series of pop hits for Colpix Record, including Goodbye Cruel World .

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Gidget, lobbycard, from left: Cliff Robertson, Sandra Dee, James Darren, 1959. (Photo by LMPC via ... [+] Getty Images)

Darren’s next string of films included The Gene Krupa Story (1959), All the Young Men and Let No Man Write My Epitaph , both in 1960, and The Guns of Navarone (1961). He also returned for two additional Gidget movie: Gidget Goes Hawaiian in 1961 and G idget Goes to Rome in 1962.

James Darren holding pistol in publicity portrait for the film 'The Guns Of Navarone', 1961. (Photo ... [+] by Columbia Pictures/Getty Images)

In 1963, Darren signed a seven-picture deal with Universal, which began with drama sport film The Lively Set in 1963.

Guest spots in the 1970s included series Love, American Style , S.W.A.T. , Police Woman , Black Sheep Squadron , Charlie’s Angels, Police Story and Hawaii-Five . In 1982, Darren began his four season role as Officer Jim Corrigan on the crime drama T.J. Hooker opposite William Shatner.

LOS ANGELES - SEPTEMBER 1: Pictured from left is Heather Locklear (as Officer Stacy Sheridan), James ... [+] Darren (as Officer Jim Corrigan), Adrian Zmed (as Officer Vince Romano) and in front is William Shatner (as Sergeant T.J. Hooker) in the CBS television show, T.J. HOOKER. September 1, 1985. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)

After directing a few episodes of T.J. Hooker , Darren segued to the role of director in episodes of TV series like Hunter , The A-Team , Beverly Hills, 90210 and Melrose Place . He also had recurring roles in Melrose Place and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

Darren is survived by his wife Evy; sons Jim Moret, Christian Darren and Anthony Darren; and grandchildren Amanda, Carly, Matthew, Natalie and Nicholas.

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Den of Geek

The Star Trek Movies and TV Shows That Never Happened

We've had a lot of great Star Trek movies and TV shows over the years. But here are some interesting ideas that never trekked their way to the screen.

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Exploration. Discovery. Evolution.

These core concepts are not just at the center of Starfleet, but of Star Trek itself. The Original Series harnessed the optimism of the 1960s and projected it on screen. That ethos has allowed Star Trek to explore many new ideas through different series, films, spinoffs, and even a reboot on the big screen.

But as vast as the world of Star Trek already is, it could have been so much bigger. The story of Star Trek is, in part, the story of fits and starts. For every project that makes it to screen, there are two Trek projects that never came to fruition. Below is a list of some of the most interesting Star Trek ideas that never made it out of development.

Star Trek – The (Original) Original Series

Even non- Trekkies know that William Shatner’s James T. Kirk wasn’t the first choice as Captain of the USS Enterprise . Instead, Jeffrey Hunter plays Captain Christopher Pike in the first filmed episode, 1964’s “The Cage.” Compelled but not yet sold, NBC asked Gene Roddenberry to try again, which led to the show’s proper pilot (but not, strangely, the first episode aired), “Where No Man Has Gone Before.”

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But before Pike took command of the Enterprise , the treatment Roddenberry shopped to networks was about Captain Robert April of the USS Yorktown . Aspects of this treatment did eventually make it into the show, as Admiral Robert April appears in both The Animated Series and Strange New Worlds . And the Yorktown did take flight, getting name dropped in Star Trek IV and Voyager .

Meanwhile, although Roddenberry later reworked it into the season one two-parter “The Menagerie,” “The Cage” is different enough from Star Trek proper that it feels like the pilot of a very different series. In addition to Pike, the Enterprise of “The Cage” was operated by first officer Number One (Majel Barrett, who would go on to play Laxwana Troi in The Next Generation and voice the ship’s computer), Pike got his physical not from Bones but from the even older and grouchier Doctor Boyce (John Hoyt), and trusts not in Sulu but in navigator Lt. José Taylor (Peter Duryea). Even Leonard Nimoy’s Spock, the one familiar face, feels very different, laughing in glee at the sight of alien flora.

Odd as “The Cage” was, its elements have been repurposed for books and comics, as well as plotlines in Strange New Worlds .

Assignment: Earth (TV)

With the help of none other than Lucille Ball, Star Trek made it to air and ran for two seasons. But Roddenberry could tell that NBC didn’t like the return they got on their effects budget. Sensing an imminent cancelation, Roddenberry developed a new series to pitch to studios. Assignment: Earth starred Robert Lansing as Gary Seven, a human descended from a line of people taken from prehistoric Earth and cultivated by well-meaning aliens.

The series would have followed Gary’s attempts to prevent changes in Earth’s history, ensuring that humanity reaches its full potential. But no network (by which I mean just CBS , NBC, and ABC ) bit, so Roddenberry reworked his pilot into the final episode of season two, appropriately called “Assignment Earth.”

That episode failed to launch a new series, and while Gary Seven and his sidekick Roberta Lincoln (Terri Garr) do live on in comics and novels, Roddenberry had to save Assignment: Earth ‘s benevolent alien ideas for a little-loved 1974 movie called The Questor Tapes .

Star Trek: Planet of the Titans (film)

“Assignment: Earth” was almost the final episode of Star Trek . But a letter writing campaign led by fan Bjo Trimble convinced NBC to pony up for one more season. Of course, in 1969, Star Trek was canceled for good.

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But then a funny thing happened in reruns. Star Trek became a smash in syndication, something that could finally be measured thanks to the newly-instituted Nielsen rating system. Then, fan conventions happened, bringing the cast back together and proving that an audience for Star Trek still existed.

Paramount wanted to capitalize on the hype, but couldn’t decide on a particular project. The studio considered a second animated show, a live-action series, and a TV movie before settling on a proper theatrical film.

Written by Chris Bryant and Allan Scott, and then re-written by potential director Phillip Kaufman, Planet of the Titans would have followed the Enterprise on an adventure to the dawn of history, with Kirk and crew meeting the first humans and even giving them the gift of fire.

Prime Directive violations aside, Planet of the Titans didn’t make it out of development. However, it did get far enough along for Paramount to commission concept art from Ralph McQuarrie. McQuarrie’s designs, which included an Enterprise refit, ended up in Star Trek III and in a few episodes of TNG .

Star Trek: Phase II (TV)

When Planet of the Titans stalled, Paramount saw an opportunity to launch their long-planned TV network (the unrealized Paramount Television Service) with a beloved series. The studio brought Roddenberry back on board for Star Trek: Phase II , to launch in 1978.

As its name suggests, Star Trek: Phase II would have been a legacy sequel to the Original Series . Kirk, Bones, Chekov, and Uhura were all slated to return, with promotions for their characters, as would Chapel and Rand. The only hold out was Leonard Nimoy, who was at that time so adamant that he wasn’t Spock that he wrote a whole book about it.

To take the place of Spock, Phase II planned for a full-Vulcan crew member named Xon. A recent Starfleet Academy grad, Xon struggled with a deep distrust for humans, which added an increased level of tension to the show.

The new crew also featured a Deltan called Ilia and Kirk’s new first officer Willard Decker, son of Commodore Matt Decker from “ The Doomsday Machine .” If those names sound familiar, it’s because the franchise kept them when Phase II evolved into Star Trek: The Motion Picture .

Well, mostly. The intended romance between the empath Ilia and the swashbuckling Decker doesn’t have much premise in The Motion Picture , but Roddenberry used those dynamics as the basis for Riker and Troi in The Next Generation . In fact, the TNG episodes “The Child” and “Devil’s Due” were initially Phase II scripts, rewritten for the new crew.

And what of Xon? Many of the ideas for Xon found expression in Data, and especially T’Pol from Enterprise , where Vulcan distaste for humans was a major plot point for the first couple seasons. Xon himself got his pon farr on with Saavik in a non-canon comic book, but outside of a placard in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , Xon’s only in-canon name drop occurred when Boimler mentioned him in Lower Decks , because Lower Decks never forgets.

Star Trek II: War of the Generations

Even the most J.J. hating, “ Discovery is not real Trek ” insisting Trekkie has to admit that Wrath of Khan saved the franchise. By shifting from slow-moving awe and intellectual debates to naval combat, Harve Bennett and Nicholas Meyer made Trek a movie franchise that could compete during the blockbuster age.

But the first idea for Star Trek II would have gone even further. Star Trek II: War of the Generations imagined David Marcus leading anti-Federation rebels, a sort of forerunner to the Maquis. When Kirk goes to save Carol and confront his son, he discovers that the group’s true leader is Khan Noonien Singh.

Of course, a renegade member of the Marcus family and shady Starfleet dealings show up in the aptly-named Star Trek Into Darkness . Given the gap in quality between that film and Wrath of Khan , it’s clear that Bennett and Meyer made the right decision.

Star Trek: The First Adventure (film)

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier was originally intended as the end to the Original Series crew’s adventures. After sending the Enterprise to the center of the galaxy to meet God, Paramount decided to go back to the beginning to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Star Trek . A prequel film called Star Trek: The First Adventure— aka Star Trek: Academy or The Academy Years —went into production.

The story would have recast the main characters (as much as Shatner would have certainly argued that he could play young Kirk with the right hairpiece and girdle) to follow their first meetings. The film showed the early rivalry between Spock and Kirk and Kirk giving McCoy his famous nickname. The crew would have teamed up to save the first version of the Enterprise .

Fittingly enough, that version of the Enterprise became the NX-01 on the show Enterprise . And although Paramount shelved The First Adventure , the idea of a Starfleet Academy story stayed at the front of mind. Some of these aspects ended up in the 2009 Star Trek movie by J.J. Abrams , including Kirk’s rivalry with Spock and his friendship with McCoy. A new “origin” movie that could play with these ideas further is also currently in the works from director Toby Haynes and producer Simon Kinberg. Time will tell if that movie ends up on this list at a later date.

Star Trek and Babylon 5 (TV)

Star Trek: The Next Generation sparked a revival of sci-fi television, which led to the production of SeaQuest DSV , Farscape , and Babylon 5 . But before developing it into the TV show we now know, writer J. Michael Straczynski pitched Babylon 5 to Paramount as a Star Trek show. Some have speculated that producers Rick Berman and Michael Piller integrated parts of that pitch into Deep Space Nine , but Straczynski himself has dismissed such rumors, calling any similarities between the two shows pure coincidence.

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Paramount planned for Star Trek: The Next Generation to continue the tradition of TOS in more ways than one, with the crew of the Enterprise -D jumping to the big screen after the series ran its course. We know that the transition happened in Star Trek: Generations , in which the Nexus allows Captains Kirk and Picard to meet.

Originally, however, writer Maurice Hurley wanted to bring the Captains together by borrowing a page from Geordi’s Leah Brahms playbook. In that version of the movie, Picard would create a version of Kirk on the holodeck to help him deal with an inter-dimensional invasion.

Paramount passed on the idea and went with the Generations plot we know. However, with the revelation from Picard ‘s third season that Kirk’s remains currently reside in the Daystrom Institute, perhaps it won’t be too out of the question for a recreated Kirk to appear in the 25th century at some point, especially since Strange New Worlds has its own young Kirk in Paul Wesley.

Star Trek: IMAX (‘short’ film)

Given how much the movies love to show off the Enterprise , an IMAX Trek movie seems obvious. In 1997, Paramount wrote a script for a 40-minute IMAX short film that would have showed off state-of-the-art technology.

We don’t know much about the script at this point, other than the fact that it would have starred Chief Miles Edward O’Brien and Chancellor Gorkon, the Gorbachev-styled Klingon Chancellor who died in Star Trek VI . As much fun as it would have been to see that improbable pair hanging out together, the film never made it past the script stage.

Captain Sulu

George Takei has a famously rocky relationship with William Shatner. Surprisingly, he describes his time shooting the disastrous Star Trek V , directed by Shatner, as “surprisingly pleasant.” Still, Takei was reluctant to join up for one last run with the old crew, which is why Sulu gets promoted to Captain of the Excelsior sometime before Star Trek VI .

When the Star Trek: Voyager episode “Flashback” revisited Sulu’s actions on the Excelsior during that film, fan demand grew and producers began toying with the idea of a Sulu-focused TV movie. Some versions even considered teaming Sulu with his daughter Demora, first introduced in Generations .

However, the idea didn’t get farther than that, letting Takei go on to his true calling as elderly meme machine.

Star Trek: Enterprise Season 5+ (TV)

Even the show’s biggest defenders admit that it was a long road for Enterprise , going from hated (and unnecessarily horny) prequel show to compelling television. But by the time the series hit its fourth season and the Xindi arc really kicked in, Trekkies and casual viewers had come around to the voyages of the NX-01. Ultimately, it’s a shame the show never got to see its plans through.

According to initial plans, season five would have seen a major redesign for the Enterprise and a Romulan war. Other ideas included Alice Krige playing a human science officer who encounters a Borg (leading to her becoming the Borg Queen), and even a return to the Mirror Universe and the further adventures of Empress Sato.

Of course, the fourth season never happened and Trek disappeared from televisions until Star Trek: Discovery in 2017, which did go all in with the Mirror Universe and its evil Empress—but Philippa Georgiou ( Michelle Yeoh ) instead of Hoshi.

Star Trek: Lions of the Night

Before the franchise took the plunge with Star Trek: Prodigy , a different CG animated series was in development in 2003 and would have brought George Takei in as a voice actor. Jimmy Diggs, the writer who created the concept, referred to it as “Captain Sulu takes command of the USS Enterprise-B and must stop a Kzinti (as featured in Star Trek: The Animated Series ) invasion of Federation Space.”

Considering the warm reception of Voyager ‘s “ Flashback” and apparent interest for something Captain Sulu, it’s a massive shame this didn’t happen. Of course, Takei is still with us and could still do something like this. But even if he’s not in, we have Jon Cho’s Sulu waiting in the wings.

Star Trek 11 – Nemesis Sequel (film)

Yes, there could have been a “Justice League-style” team-up film starring all of your favorite Star Trek captains. Brent Spiner and Star Trek: Nemesis writer John Logan pitched a follow-up to the 10th Star Trek film in which Khan, the Borg, Shinzon, and lots of other baddies from Star Trek ‘s movie past return to wage war on the Federation. Of course that means Picard and his crew have to travel back in time to recruit Starfleet’s greatest heroes.

Picard saves Data just before he blows up in Nemesis and then goes even further back and saves Kirk from his death in Generations . Not enough for you? The pitch even brought back Spock and Captain Archer from Star Trek: Enterprise . Later the refitted and upgraded Federation flagship under Captain Picard’s command is joined by Admiral Janeway and the USS Voyager as well as Captain Sisko and the Defiant . A plot device or two results in the Enterprise , Voyager , and Defiant assisting Captain Riker’s USS Titan in Romulan space. Beyond the fact that this would have been the most expensive Trek movie ever made, the failure of Star Trek: Nemesis at the box office killed this all-star team-up completely.

Star Trek (11): The Beginning (film)

As much as we grouch about Star Trek prequels , the concept isn’t anything new. Back in 2005, the movie Star Trek: The Beginning was supposed to bridge the gap between Star Trek: Enterprise and the Original Series . The Beginning would have featured Tiberius Chase, Kirk’s ancestor and the man who originated his hated middle name. The series would have dealt with a war between Earth and the Romulans, which threatened to undo the young Federation.

Given the mixed reception to Enterprise , Paramount deemed it wiser to scrap all connections to that show, leaving space for the J.J. Abrams reboots.

Star Trek: Final Frontier (animated web series)

By the mid-2000s, networks were already experimenting with streaming by creating exclusive content for their websites. But instead of doing something like The Office: The Accountants —side stories from The Office streamed on NBC’s site—Paramount planned to make an entire Star Trek animated webseries for startrek.com.

Star Trek: Final Frontier took place in 2528, almost 200 years after Star Trek: Nemesis . A war with the Romulans has destroyed the Klingon Empire and badly crippled the Federation. Worse, humans have lost their major allies as Andoria was lost in the war and the Vulcans pulled out from the Federation. In this bleak future, Kirk’s descendent Alexander Chase would try to rebuild the Federation with his plucky crew.

Obviously, Final Frontier didn’t happen. But some of the ideas did get repurposed for other projects. One of Chase’s crew was to be an energy-based lifeform called Mr. Zero, who wore a containment suit. That sounds a lot like Zero from Prodigy , a Medusan who also lives in a containment suit.

Discovery ‘s later seasons also dealt with the crew trying to reestablish the Federation after it was decimated in the far future, while the destruction of Romulus resulted in the creation of Ni’Var, the new name for the planet Vulcan, on which Romulans and Vulcans now live together as one.

For those who want to know more about Final Frontier , however, there is a huge amount of archive for this particular lost Trek , with the development team behind it having made it available at www.startrekff.com .

Star Trek: Federation (TV)

The 2000s were a big decade for Bryan Singer, as his X-Men movies earned him a lot of acclaim and most did not yet know about his misdeeds. A massive Trekkie, Singer used his position to pitch a new television series, getting some help from writer Geoffrey Thorne and current Mission: Impossible director Christopher McQuarrie .

Star Trek: Federation took place in the year 3000, nearly 500 years after Nemesis , and also dealt with the dissolution of the Federation. Things get worse when a force called the Scourge wipes out several Starfleet ships and Federation colonies.

Alexander Kirk, a descendent of James T. and a survivor of the Scourge attacks, becomes the captain of the newest version of the Enterprise , who goes on a series of adventures, hoping to rebuild the Federation.

Paramount showed great interest in the idea and even penciled it in for a 2008 release. But the project didn’t get further than a full pitch document, and dropped from the calendar when the 2009 movie went into production. A lot of this pitch ended up in the latter seasons of Discovery instead.

Star Trek: The New Animated Series

After writing the screenplay for 2009’s Star Trek , Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman pitched an animated Star Trek to CBS. The duo had some success with the cartoon series Transformers: Prime , which spun out of the Transformers movies they had written, and hoped to replicate that again. But CBS worried that the movies would distract from any TV projects and passed on the show.

Star Trek: The Next Generation – The Worf Chronicles

Michael Dorn holds the record for the most appearances in Star Trek , having played Worf in TNG , the TNG movies, DS9 , Picard , and even playing Worf’s papa Mogh in Star Trek VI . And you know what? We still can’t get enough of our favorite Klingon/prune juice enthusiast.

Many Worf-focused pitches have been floated over the year, the most famous being a script by Dorn itself. Captain Worf would have seen the Bane of House Duras bringing the Federation and its old enemy the Klingon Empire closer together, while dealing with pressures from all sides. At the same time, Worf would deal with the fallout of the Dominion War and the sudden change in leadership among the Klingons, from Gowron to Martok.

Dorn’s return to the character in season three of Picard hinted at a slightly different version of events, as Worf left the Federation for a while after captaining the Enterprise . However, that run only whetted fans’ appetite for more Worf, hopefully in Star Trek: Legacy .

Quentin Tarantino’s Star Trek

One of Quentin Tarantino ‘s most infamous movie ideas that never made it to the big screen involved his desire to make a Star Trek movie , a surprising possibility for the franchise-averse director. In 2017, Paramount announced that they had given a green light to Tarantino’s script, with Abrams set to produce.

Little is known about what Tarantino’s Star Trek would have been, outside of the fact that it would have been inspired by the TOS episode “A Piece of the Action,” in which Kirk and Spock land on a planet that resembled 1920s Chicago.

However, in 2023, co-writer Mark L. Smith shared a few aspects with Variety : “It was just a balls-out kind of thing,” Smith told the outlet. “But I think his vision was just to go hard. It was a hard R. It was going to be some Pulp Fiction violence,” he explained, while assuring readers that there was “[n]ot a lot of the language.”

Tarantino walked away from the film when he decided to do The Movie Critic as his 10th and final film. But since no one but him has said he can only make 10 movies, maybe he’ll boldly go back to Star Trek at some point.

Star Trek 4

Even before the release of Star Trek Beyond , Paramount began working on a sequel, which would have brought back Chris Hemsworth as George Kirk, the father of James, who died at the start of 2009. The film would have involved Kirk recovering his father from a pattern buffer, in the same way that Scotty arrived on the Enterprise -D in the TNG episode “Relics.”

In 2016, Abrams commissioned a script by J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay, and S.J. Clarkson signed on to direct in 2018. The production hit snags because the studio could not come to terms with Chris Pine and Hemsworth about script, salary, schedule, or some combination of the three. Clarkson left the project in 2019 and was briefly replaced by Matt Shakman, who also left to helm the upcoming Fantastic Four movie.

As of this writing, a fourth Kelvin Timeline Star Trek movie is still in consideration, but there’s been no official progress.

Noah Hawley’s Star Trek

With both a Kelvin Timeline movie and Tarantino’s film stalled, Paramount hired Fargo and Legion creator Noah Hawley to begin work on a different Star Trek film. As with his well-known television series, Hawley planned to take creative liberties with the material, riffing on ideas from established Trek canon while finding his own interpretation.

Hawley’s film would have featured a new crew on a different ship, potentially played by Cate Blanchett and Rami Malek , encountering an alien virus that creates paranoia throughout the Federation. The COVID pandemic slowed the movie’s production and rendered its virus plot unsuitable. Hawley continued to discuss what could have been over the years, but has since moved on to make an Alien series for Hulu .

Star Trek: Legacy

Perhaps we should put an asterisk next to Star Trek: Legacy, because we still have hope that it will happen. The third season of Picard not only brought back together the crew of the Enterprise -D, but also checked in on other characters such as Tuvok from Voyager and ended with Seven of Nine as the captain of the Enterprise -G.

Picard season three showrunner Terry Matalas has been vocal on social media about wanting to continue the story with a new series dubbed Star Trek: Legacy . This show would focus on Seven’s adventures aboard the new Enterprise , while she encounters various people from the era, including looking in on members of Deep Space Nine and Voyager . While Trek heads Alex Kurtzman and Akiva Goldsman seem receptive to the idea of Legacy , nothing official has been announced. And with Matalas moving on to make a Vision series for Marvel , it seems like Picard season three is the end of the legacy.