original star trek cast ages

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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The Age of Star Trek Cast Members

Redditor EmpressK researched the ages of the cast members of every Star Trek series at the time that they were launched. You can view them all here. Redditor gildedheart did some number crunching to come up with the average age of members on each of the different shows:

The original series - 36 The Next Generation - 33 Deep Space Nine - 36 Voyager  - 35 Enterprise - 34 The 2009 reboot - 32

EmpressK did make one mistake: she identifies Cirroc Lofton (Jake Sisko) as 18 when he was actually 14 when the series Deep Space Nine premiered. He was the youngest cast member of any series. The oldest was René Auberjonois , who played Odo on Deep Space Nine .

-via Geek X Girls

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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.

Sally Kellerman Now

Sally Kellerman is seen at a Star Trek convention in Las Vegas in 2016. After Trek , Kellerman notched an Oscar nomination for the film version of MASH . Her latter-day credits include an episode of Hulu's Difficult People , and a recurring role on IFC's Maron .

'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

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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 Are They Now?

For the last four decades, the original Enterprise crew has lived long and prospered

On the heels of the hit film rebooting the classic Star Trek story, PEOPLE opens hailing frequencies with the classic cast of the original Trek : where they’ve boldly gone, what the Trek phenomenon means to them – and what they think of their new counterparts.

William Shatner (Capt. James T. Kirk) RECENT WORK: An Emmy-winning turn as Denny Crane on ABC’s Boston Legal ; hosts Shatner’s Raw Nerve talk show on Bio; 2008 memoir Up Til Now ; Priceline.com commercials.

NEXT UP: The documentary Gonzo Ballet , dance performances of six songs written with musician Ben Folds.

Shatner, 78, had one of the most the most visible post- Trek careers, but he still held out hope he’d play Kirk one more time in the new film, awaiting a call from director J.J. Abrams down to the last minute of editing. “I had my cell phone with me all the time,” he laughs. “But no. They opened the film without me.” He’s still open to reprising the role one day, but says wryly, “it’s in other people’s hands. It’s such an awkward and humiliating position be in!”

“I will be eternally grateful for the opportunity that it gave me, the doors that it opened and the career that I was able to have – and am able to have – as a result,” he says. “I don’t know where I would’ve been had it not been for Star Trek , but I certainly know where I am because it did happen. It’s been a very meaningful and joyful thing for me in my life.”

ON THE NEWBIE: “My impression of Chris Pine is that it’s perfect casting. He’s young and he’s handsome and he will be rich.”

Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock) RECENT WORK: 2008’s The Full Body Project , a book of his nude photography; the new Star Trek film.

NEXT UP: A recurring role on J.J. Abrams’ Fox series Fringe ; a photo exhibit at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Arts in 2010.

BACK IN THE ACT: Nimoy announced his retirement from acting in 2003, but returned to Star Trek after J.J. Abrams reawakened his passion and “reminded me what it really could be.” Still, the 78-year-old actor admits that even after putting the ears back on, “it took a little while for me to get my bearings. What I enjoyed hearing later was that the young people were all intimidated by me. I said to them, ‘Look, when I was your age and at your stage in the business, and the older guy came on the set that had been around for 30 or 40 or 50 years, I was intimidated. Now it’s their turn!'”

He remains very close with co-star Shatner (“We finish each other’s sentences”) but despite their past, oft-maligned musical efforts, don’t expect a duet. “I don’t think I’d record an album with him,” he says. “I don’t think that either of us should record any more albums!”

ON THE NEWBIE: “Zachary Quinto and I watched some episodes. We wanted to get a sense of the flavor of what it was we were doing in the ’60s. But he’s found his own way to play Spock. I think he does it extremely well.”

Nichelle Nichols (Uhura) RECENT WORK: 2005’s Are We There Yet? ; recurring role on NBC’s Heroes .

NEXT UP: This Bitter Earth with Billy Dee Williams and Richard Roundtree.

Nichols, 76, recalls that the weekend after she resigned from Star Trek to pursue her singing career, Dr. Martin Luther King convinced her – as the only black woman in a command position on television at the time – to stay. “He said ‘You have established dreams for us and you cannot take that away. This is your destiny.’ I was nearly in tears.”

Her presence inspired future achievers like Whoopi Goldberg that black people had a place in the future, and reversed others’ racist beliefs. “I had young white men and women come to me and say, ‘Your being on Star Trek broke the binds that tied me to hatred – thinking I was superior, and knowing within I was not. I wanted to be something better.’ When that comes at you, it changes your heart.”

ON THE NEWBIE: When Abrams sneaked her onto the set, Nichols says Zoe Saldana “just lost it. We sat there for about two hours and talked and talked. She said ‘I knew I could be anything I wanted to be when I saw you.’ I said ‘No one else could have been cast but you.'”

George Takei (Sulu) RECENT WORK: Recurring role as Masi Oka’s father on Heroes ; Howard Stern’s SIRIUS Radio announcer.

NEXT UP: Narration for symphony orchestra recordings; lobbying for the legalization of same-sex marriage.

Along with steady roles, Takei’s been in the public eye since announcing in 2005 that he’s gay and marrying longtime partner Brad Altman last year – just before California banned same-sex marriage. “Our marriage is [legally] solid,” he says. “But we’re concerned about others and the basic idea of equality. I’m absolutely confident that our Supreme Court will throw out Proposition 8.”

Takei, 72, says Star Trek has endured because “the core values are still pertinent and relevant. It tantalizes you to imagine what else is going to come about in the future. To be inventive, to be innovative and to boldly go where no one has gone before – that phrase really sums up the point.”

ON THE NEWBIE: “John Cho had heard many exaggerated stories about fans. I assured him ‘Yes, we have very intense and very loyal fans, but they are just as diverse as the cast of Star Trek . So enjoy it. You’re going to have a great time. I’m absolutely confident that Sulu’s in good hands.’ ”

Walter Koenig (Chekov) RECENT WORK: Recurring role as Bester on Babylon Five ; voice actor in Star Trek video games.

NEXT UP: Wrote, produced and co-stars in the indie sci-fi film InAlienable .

“I was very lucky to be awarded that role,” says Koenig, 72. “With Star Trek you could always find something to respect and feel good about in the stories that we were telling. I’m pleased that if I had to be identified so thoroughly with anything, Star Trek certainly would be one of my top choices.”

Not everyone fell under Trek ‘s sway. Koenig recalls when he and James Doohan appeared at a video store opening in North Carolina: “We had been talked into appearing in our uniforms – the ONLY time that I allowed myself to get talked into doing that. We were waiting in the hotel lobby and a woman who had just checked in came over and said, ‘Y’all mind taking my bags to the room now?’ ”

ON THE NEWBIE: “I just told Anton Yelchin to do it his way. And to invest his personal experience and the way he feels about life into the character. Make it his interpretation. These characters are not historical figures, they’re fictional concoctions.”

Deforest Kelley (Dr. McCoy) and James Doohan (Scotty) Kelley was the first of the classic cast to pass away, in 1999 at age 79, followed by Doohan, in 2005, at 85. Kelley was “the epitome of a Southern gentleman,” recalls Shatner, “a good friend upon whom you could count at any time.” Doohan, says Takei, “was a great buddy. He wore his emotions on his sleeves – plural – and was a great, embracing guy.”

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Star Trek: The Original Series Cast List

Star Trek: The Original Series cast list, including photos of the actors when available. This list includes all of the Star Trek: The Original Series main actors and actresses , so if they are an integral part of the show you'll find them below. You can various bits of trivia about these Star Trek: The Original Series stars, such as where the actor was born and what their year of birth is. This cast list of actors from Star Trek: The Original Series focuses primarily on the main characters, but there may be a few actors who played smaller roles on Star Trek: The Original Series that are on here as well.

Everything from William Shatner to Julie Newmar is included on this list.

If you are wondering, "Who are the actors from Star Trek: The Original Series?" or "Who starred on Star Trek: The Original Series?" then this list will help you answer those questions.

DeForest Kelley

Eddie paskey.

George Takei

Leonard Nimoy

Majel Barrett

Nichelle Nichols

Frank da vinci.

Walter Koenig

Grace Lee Whitney

William Shatner

James Doohan

Julie Newmar

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The Only Major Actors Still Alive From Star Trek: The Original Series

Gene Roddenberry's celebrated sci-fi TV series "Star Trek" debuted on September 8, 1966, and it recently celebrated its 57th anniversary. Initially, "Trek" wasn't terribly popular, and it only managed to make a third season thanks to a coordinated letter-writing campaign (a campaign that Roddenberry was accused of orchestrating and encouraging himself). It wouldn't be until after "Star Trek" was canceled in 1969 that its popularity would significantly begin to grow. 

Thanks to a sweet infinite syndication deal, "Star Trek" reruns were common, and a cult began to form. By the early 1970s, the first "Trek" conventions began to appear. Naturally, conventions were a great place for the show's stars and creators to congregate and share production stories with a rising tide of obsessives. Fans were able to talk to and get autographs from William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Nichelle Nichols, Majel Barrett, Walter Koenig, George Takei, James Doohan, and Grace Lee Whitney, as well as many of the show's more supporting players. 

Many decades have passed, but the surviving "Star Trek" cast members, now in their 80s and 90s, still appear at conventions to share details of their now-long and storied careers. Over 57 years ago, they were at the start of a phenomenon; none of them could have likely predicted just what a massive impact "Star Trek" would have on the pop culture landscape. Three members of the original "Star Trek" cast appeared at Creation Entertainment's 57-Year Mission convention in Las Vegas, and one of them is already confirmed for the 2024 con  next August. 

If you're eager to get an autograph or merely to hear an amusing anecdote from across many decades of interaction with the "Trek" franchise at large, the following surviving actors will still happily oblige.

William Shatner

In March of 2023, Shatner, who played the resolute Captain Kirk on "Star Trek," turned 92, yet he still makes convention appearances. Stories have been told throughout Trekkie-dom that Shatner can occasionally be spiky at cons, but has clearly embraced them, even going so far as to say that fans are the future  of anything so deeply beloved as "Star Trek." Indeed, in many cases, fans care more about carrying on the legacy of a show than the studios; in many ways, Trekkies take the show more seriously than the people who make it.

Shatner has, of course, had a textured career. Some of his earlier films include adaptations of "The Brothers Karamozov" (in which he played Alexey) and "Oedipus the King" (in which he played a masked member of the chorus), as well as genre films like "The Intruder" and "Incubus." Although Shatner is best known for "Trek" — a common side-effect for most any actor who appeared on any "Star Trek" show — he forged an interesting acting career beyond ii. He appeared in the hit cop show "T.J. Hooker," and appeared in spoof films like "Airplane II: The Sequel" and "National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1." He released several notorious albums of speak-singing, and directed several documentaries about "Star Trek," including "The Captains" and "Chaos on the Bridge." 

Shatner also authored several "Star Trek" novels and even launched his own modestly successful sci-fi book series with "TekWar" (ghost-written by Ron Goulart) in 1989. He won two Emmys in 2004 and 2005 for his role as Denny Crane in "The Practice" and "Boston Legal." He's also an equestrian enthusiast and has won a few horseback riding awards. Shatner is spry for 92.

George Takei

In 2019, George Takei , who played the practical and intelligent Hikaru Sulu on "Star Trek," authored a graphic novel all about his childhood experiences of being rounded up and imprisoned in a Japanese internment camp during World War II. Takei was born in Los Angeles in 1937 (he's the only main cast member from the original show who is an L.A. native), and recalls being held against his will by the U.S. government as a child. It may have been that experience that made Takei as political as he is. In the early 1970s, after "Star Trek," Takei ran for a set on the Los Angeles City Council, and served as an alternate delegate at the 1972 Democratic National Convention. At conventions, Takei has spoken at length about his beliefs in civic infrastructure, encouraging L.A. to improve its long-beleaguered public transportation.

Takei came out as gay in 2005, revealing that he had been with his long-term partner, Brad Altman, for the last 18 years. He and Altman married in 2008, one of the first same-sex couples to be granted a marriage license in West Hollywood, California. Takei has been an outspoken queer rights activist ever since, raising money for charities and speaking at charity events regularly. He makes appearances at fan conventions on the regular. 

As an actor, Takei began reading English-language dubs for imported Toho monster movies prior to "Star Trek." He also starred in movies like "The Green Berets" and "Mulan." On TV, Takei guest-starred on many, many programs, including a notable regular role on the hit show "Heroes." His deep voice also afforded him an opportunity to regularly contribute to dozens of animated programs, most recently in Max's "Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai."

Walter Koenig

There were rumors circulating through the Trekkie community for years that Walter Koenig was hired to appear on the second season of "Star Trek" because the then-30-year-old actor looked an awful lot like Davy Jones from "The Monkees." This wasn't the case, but Koenig provided a youthful, heartthrob quality with his character, Pavel Chekov. His character was Russian, a notable character decision to make in the mid-1960s as the U.S. was still embroiled deeply in the Cold War. Chekov was a symbol that peace would eventually come. Koenig was never anything less than 100% committed, and reacted to extreme sci-fi scenarios with fire and aplomb. 

In the early '60s, the actor worked his way through smaller roles in multiple well-known TV series like "Mr. Novak," "Gidget," and "I Spy" before joining "Star Trek" in its second season. After, he continued apace, working on TV regularly, eventually landing a recurring role on a second beloved sci-fi series  "Babylon 5." He has also stayed a part of "Star Trek" up until the present, having provided a voice cameo in the most recent season of "Star Trek: Picard," as well as reprising his role as Chekov in the semi-professional and well-respected fan series "Star Trek: New Voyages." He's also dabbled in many amusing B-movies like "Mad Cowgirl" and "Scream of the Bikini," as well as animated shows like "Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters."

Additionally, Koenig has served as an advocate for civil rights in Burma, having visited refugee camps there. Koenig still appears at conventions, happy to talk about his various projects and acting endeavors. Just please, whatever you do, don't ask him to say "nuclear wessels." The man just turned 87. He deserves a break from that. 

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Firsts and Lasts: The Cast of The Original Series

Check out the first and the last appearances of the original crew of the Enterprise.

From "The Man Trap" and "Where No Man Has Gone Before" to Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country , take a look back at the first and last appearances of Captain Kirk and his crew.

The Only 3 Actors Still Alive From The Cast Of Star Trek: The Original Series

We're coming up at warp speed to the 60th anniversary of the "Star Trek" premiere, which aired on NBC on September 8, 1966. Though the original series only ran for three years, it spawned a media franchise that's still one of the biggest in the world today and which changed the face of science fiction forever. We might not have fandom in the way we do today if not for "Star Trek," as it's largely responsible for the modern style of fan fiction, shipping, and contemporary fanzines, among other things.

Sadly, since it's been so long since the series premiered, most of the actors who made it so special have passed away in the years since. Leonard Nimoy , the man behind the inimitable Spock, passed away in 2015. DeForest Kelley, who played Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy, died in 1999, Scotty actor James Doohan passed away in 2005, and Nichelle Nichols, who played Nyota Uhura, died in 2022 at the age of 89. Many of the other supporting players from the show's three seasons have sadly also passed, but together, they leave a legacy that will continue to stand the test of time.

Not every original "Star Trek" actor has passed away , though. A few are still making their mark on the world and even acting in their old age. These are the only three actors still alive from the main cast of "Star Trek: The Original Series."

William Shatner: Captain James T. Kirk

Any level of "Star Trek" fan will know that William Shatner — Captain James Tiberius Kirk himself — is still thriving at the age of 92 at the time of writing. Not only that, but he's far from what anyone would call a retirement. His long and illustrious career includes "Star Trek: The Original Series," the later films in which he reprised his role as Kirk, other hit movies like "Miss Congeniality," a substantial stretch as a recording artist, and a number of science-fiction novels he either wrote or co-wrote, including the "TekWar" series.

One would think that after accomplishing so much, Shatner would be happy to live in peace and quiet in his 90s, but that's far from the case. He's continued to take on voice acting work, playing the role of Keldor on Netflix's "Masters of the Universe: Revolution," and his recent work out of character includes a 2022 turn on "The Masked Singer" and a role as host for the 2023 reality TV series "Stars on Mars." The latter was an appropriate job not only because of Shatner's "Star Trek" history but also his own highly publicized journey to space in 2021, which made him the oldest human to enter the cosmos.

Though Shatner is still incredibly active, he's also been pretty candid about his age in recent years. "The sad thing is that the older a person gets the wiser they become and then they die with all that knowledge," Shatner said in a 2023 interview with Variety . "But what does live on are good deeds. If you do a good deed, it reverberates to the end of time."

George Takei: Hikaru Sulu

Like his former co-star William Shatner, George Takei hasn't skipped a beat in his old age. After getting his start doing English-language voiceovers for some Toho kaiju movies in the late 1950s, along with a handful of other smaller roles, Takei climbed to fame playing Hikaru Sulu on "Star Trek: The Original Series." In the decades since the show ended, he's remained quite active as an actor and political activist.

Like Shatner and the other main actors of the original "Star Trek," Takei returned for the theatrical follow-up films that began in 1979. Most of his acting work in recent times has been in the realm of animation, however, making Takei's deep voice as iconic as his physical presence. He's played characters in everything from "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and "Star Wars: Visions" to "The Simpsons" and "BoJack Horseman." He even reprises his role as Sulu on the adult animated comedy "Star Trek: Lower Decks." In between these performances, Takei has made time for extensive political activism, frequently speaking out publicly on social issues like racial equality and LGBTQ+ rights.

At the age of 86, Takei is still balancing a lot of acting work and political spokesmanship. In 2022, he was given an honorary doctorate from the University of South Australia, and in 2023, he voiced major roles on both "Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai" and the critically acclaimed "Blue Eye Samurai."

Walter Koenig: Pavel Chekov

The final actor still alive from the main cast of "Star Trek: The Original Series" is Walter Koenig, now 87 years old, who played Ensign Pavel Chekov on the show and in the ensuing theatrical films. His work prior to being cast on the show mainly consisted of various small parts on other TV series, including "General Hospital," "Mr. Novak," and "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour." But after debuting as Chekov, Koenig's most notable work for the rest of his career has generally been in the realm of science fiction.

In addition to his many Trek appearances, Koenig played Alfred Bester on "Babylon 5." he hasn't been as active over the last decade, but he still works from time to time, like in the 2018 sci-fi movie "Diminuendo" or the 2017 animated series "Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters." In 2023, he briefly reprised his role as Chekov for "Star Trek: Picard" Season 3.

It was also announced in 2023 that Koenig was joining the "7th Rule" podcast to review episodes of "Star Trek: The Original Series." In an interview with Screen Rant promoting the show, Koenig spoke highly of his time on the series and mourned the death of Anton Yelchin, who played Chekov in the J. J. Abrams "Star Trek" films. "I met him," Koenig said. "Very bright, delightful young man. Very talented. My God, in the short time he had, he did several folds as many jobs as I ever had. So you've got to applaud his talent. Very, very sad."

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The Deadly Years

• Episode aired Dec 8, 1967

A landing party from the Enterprise is exposed to strange form of radiation which rapidly ages them. A landing party from the Enterprise is exposed to strange form of radiation which rapidly ages them. A landing party from the Enterprise is exposed to strange form of radiation which rapidly ages them.

• Joseph Pevney
• Gene Roddenberry
• David P. Harmon
• William Shatner
• Leonard Nimoy
• DeForest Kelley
• 31 User reviews
• 12 Critic reviews

• Captain James Tiberius 'Jim' Kirk

• Mister Spock

• Commodore Stocker

• Janet Wallace

• Christine Chapel

• Mr. Johnson
• Yeoman Atkins
• Mrs. Johnson

• Arlene Galway
• (uncredited)

• Lieutenant Leslie
• Enterprise Lieutenant
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia The cast wore oversized versions of their costumes as their characters aged in order to give the impression that they were shrinking.
• Goofs At the start of the competency hearing, Spock states that Captain Kirk is entitled to question the witnesses after the board has finished examining them. He then questions four witnesses as well as the ship's computer without ever giving Kirk an opportunity to do so. He even dismisses one of the witnesses from the hearing immediately after her direct examination.

Chekov : [darkly] Give some more blood, Chekov. The needle won't hurt, Chekov. Take off your shirt, Chekov. Roll over, Chekov. Breathe deeply, Chekov. Blood sample, Chekov. Marrow sample, Chekov. Skin sample, Chekov. If-if I live long enough, I'm going to run out of samples.

Sulu : You'll live.

Chekov : Oh, yes, I'll live, but I won't enjoy it.

• Alternate versions Special Enhanced version Digitally Remastered with new exterior shots and remade opening theme song
• Connections Edited from Star Trek: Balance of Terror (1966)
• Soundtracks Theme Music credited to Alexander Courage Sung by Loulie Jean Norman

User reviews 31

• Mar 15, 2023
• December 8, 1967 (United States)
• United States
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• Desilu Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
• Desilu Productions
• Norway Corporation
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• Runtime 50 minutes

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Every Borg Queen In Star Trek

10 star trek aliens who don't look human, "changing how comic fans view star trek": eisner nominated trek team is only getting better (exclusive).

Being a captain in the Star Trek universe is a huge responsibility and those few individuals who have held the rank have done so at a range of ages in every television series. In order “ to boldly go where no man has gone before ,” age might not really matter in a leader, but rather how their experiences on the final frontier shaped them into becoming a capable captain. Still, it raises some questions about just how old the captains were when they took command in their respective series.

There have been many captains in Starfleet, but each Star Trek series focuses on just a few of them and the crew they oversee. In each series, the captain has approached the role slightly differently, allowing their strengths to shine through whenever they can, while also knowing when they need to lean on others to assist them. A Starfleet captain doesn’t need to be any particular age in order to command their own crew, but they do need to have the ability to lead others, while also maintaining a cool head in the tensest moments.

Related: Why Time Is Star Trek’s True Final Frontier

There are nine captains the Star Trek franchise has spotlighted across seven television series. While they have commanded crews of various races, interestingly, all but one captain was human. The Star Trek captains’ ages range from 32 to 59 when they began their post, and there are two captains whose date of birth is unknown at this time. Here is how old every  Star Trek  captain was explained.

Captain James T. Kirk

James T. Kirk (William Shatner) sat at the helm of the legendary USS Enterprise during Star Trek: The Original Series after his predecessor Christopher Pike was promoted to fleet captain. Kirk began his tenure on the Enterprise in 2265 when he was just 32 years old. Kirk can also be seen in the controversially non-canon Star Trek: The Animated Series , which picks up in the year 2269, where the Original Series leaves off, making Kirk 36 years old at the start of the show. The Animated Series only covered about a year, so Krik was 37 when the show ended.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard

Having quickly proved himself as a competent leader in Starfleet, Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) eventually found himself as Captain of the USS Enterprise-D in 2364. Having been born in 2305 in France, Picard was 59 years old when he assumed his position as Captain in Star Trek: The Next Generation and was 65 in the year 2370 when the series ended. Though not in command of a starship in Star Trek: Picard , the former Captain is 94 at the start of the Paramount+ series.

Captain Benjamin Sisko

Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) actually began Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as a Commander aboard the space station the show takes place on. After a stint on the U.S.S. Saratoga, Sisko was assigned to Deep Space Nine in 2369, a space station located near the entry point of the Bajoran wormhole. The strategic position of DS9 allowed for further exploration into the Gamma Quadrant. Sisko was born in 2332 in New Orleans, which means he would have been 37 at the start of Deep Space Nine when he was a Commander. Sisko was officially promoted to Captain in 2371 making him 39 at that point. The show continued on to the year 2375 in the Star Trek universe, which means he would have been 43 at the end of the series.

Related: DS9: Why Benjamin Sisko Is Star Trek’s Most Underrated Captain

Captain Kathryn Janeway

The first female captain of a Star Trek series, Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) assumed control of the USS Voyager in 2371. She was born in 2336, so Janeway was 35 years old at the start of her tenure on the Intrepid-class starship. After she and her crew were catapulted 70,000 lightyears from home, Janeway famously traversed the Delta Quadrant. In the last episode of Star Trek: Voyager , the Captain finds a way to time travel in order to save her and her crew from spending decades of time away from home. Originally, it took Voyager 26 years to get back to the Alpha Quadrant, which would put her at 61 when her journey ended. But thanks to the future Admiral Janeway, she manages to steal a Klingon device that allows her to travel back in time and tell her past self what to do to get back home quicker in the Star Trek: Voyager series finale . The journey instead takes only 7 years, and Janeway is just 42 when she brings her crew home.

Captain Jonathan Archer

Star Trek: Enterprise is a prequel to The Original Series and features Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) as the Captain of the Enterprise NX-01. Archer made first contact with many races that had previously made appearances in other series based in later years, including the Klingons, Romulans, Ferengi, and Andorians, just to name a few. Born in 2112, Archer became Captain of the Enterprise in 2151, which puts him at 39 when he took up his post. The series lasted until the year 2155, so Archer would have been 43 at the end of the show.

Captain Gabriel Lorca

There have been a number of ship captains in Star Trek: Discovery , the first of which was Gabriel Lorca, or rather, the mirror of this character. As a fugitive wanted for treason by the Terran Empire, Mirror Universe Lorca managed to escape to a parallel timeline and switched with the Prime Universe Lorca. He was appointed as Captain of the USS Discovery in 2256 and unfortunately there is no record of when he was born.

Captain Christopher Pike

Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) was born in 2202 and was first seen in the Star Trek canon briefly in the pilot episode of The Original Series . His character was replaced by Shatner’s Kirk, but this wouldn’t be the last time viewers would see the well-decorated Captain as he was seen later on in The Original Series . More recently, Captain Pike was in Star Trek: Discovery as a sort of interim Captain in season 2, which takes place in the year 2257, meaning he would have been 55.

Related: Star Trek’s Pike Spinoff Can Finally Bring Back A Missing Discovery Villain

Captain Saru

The only non-human captain in a Star Trek series, Saru (Doug Jones), a Kelpien, had been acting Captain of the USS Discovery during the earlier seasons of Discovery . When the ship jumps forward to the 32nd century, Saru assumes control of the USS Discovery officially in 3189. Unfortunately, his date of birth is unknown at this time.

Captain Michael Burnham

Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) was born on Earth in 2226 and was later raised on Vulcan by Ambassador Sarek and Amanda Grayson after her parents died. Eventually, she was assigned to the USS Discovery serving under several other captains. In the year 2257, Discovery traveled in time to the 32nd century, landing in the year 3188. Burnham was appointed as captain of the ship in 3189, so with a little math, it can be figured that Burnham was 32 when she assumed command of Discovery.

With CBS Studios at the helm of future Star Trek television series, many more captains will find their way onto the small screen hoping to prove themselves just as their predecessors have. As the franchise progresses, there have already been improvements in the representation among those that have served as a captain, and hopefully, this will be explored further in the years to come. While many of the previously listed captains were eventually promoted to admiral , there will always be members of Starfleet ready to take up their mantle.

More: Star Trek: Every Female Captain (So Far)

• SR Originals

15 Famous Actors You Probably Forgot Were in Old Star Trek Movies

Star Trek has been... and always shall be... filled with famous actors.

Throughout the years, Star Trek has taken various forms. And, be it a television series or film, there have been famous faces that were not a part of the consistent ensemble. This started with Star Trek: The Original Series , which featured recognizable guest stars such as Fred Williamson, Sid Haig, Charles Napier, and Joan Collins.

Then, over a decade after that show wrapped up its brief three-season run, a film franchise kicked off. And, like the original series and The Next Generation (which began between the releases of the fourth and fifth films), there were some big names attached. They may not have always held the spotlight for long in the films, but they were there. So, who's in what? Let's find out, but note that the films subject to inclusion were only the ones that featured either The Original Series cast members or The Next Generation cast members. In other words, no Chris Pine, Benedict Cumberbatch, Idris Elba, or Zoe Saldaña here.

7 Stephen Collins in Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

Like some of the show's most deeply philosophical episodes , Star Trek: The Motion Picture tries to bite off a lot. But, in the case of the movie, it's more than it can chew. Yet, it does feature a former celebrity in a big role: 7th Heaven 's Stephen Collins as Willard Decker. Collins' Decker is always butting heads with Captain Kirk, who has suddenly replaced Decker as the captain of the Enterprise .

The Most Controversial Performer on this List

TV fans will recognize Collins not only from the long-running 7th Heaven , but also No Ordinary Family and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia . As for that latter show, he portrayed the biological father to Dennis and Dee Reynolds. Collins' career ended when he confessed to multiple instances of sexual misconduct against a minor, including once a few years before he nabbed the Star Trek role. Stream Star Trek: The Motion Picture on Max .

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

*Availability in US

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6 Kirstie Alley, Paul Winfield, and James Horner in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

With tight pacing, the franchise's best villain , Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is the best Star Trek movie to date. It also features a few familiar faces in The Terminator 's Paul Winfield and Cheers ' Kirstie Alley . The former plays Clark Terrell, the captain of the Reliant who is subjected to Khan's eel torture, while the latter plays Saavik, a protege to Spock. Not to mention, the late James Horner provided the film's music, but had a cameo role as an Enterprise crew member.

You've Certainly Heard Horner's Work

Widely regarded as one of the cinema industry's great composers, Horner tragically died in a plane crash in 2015. But he left a massive body of very impressive work, and The Wrath of Khan was one of his earliest projects. Throughout his career, Horner was nominated for Academy Awards for Aliens , An American Tail ("Somewhere Out There"), Field of Dreams , Braveheart , Apollo 13 , A Beautiful Mind , House of Sand and Fog , and Avatar . He also won both an Oscar and a Grammy for Titanic , the former for the score and the latter for "My Heart Will Go On." Stream Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan on Max.

Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan

Star trek’s j.j. abrams advised chris pine to be ‘less shatner’ while portraying james t. kirk, 5 christopher lloyd and miguel ferrer in star trek iii: the search for spock (1984).

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock may not be a fan-favorite when it comes to the original run of Star Trek movies, but it's generally viewed in a better light than the fifth film. And, unlike the fifth film, it features several big names on the cast list. These include Back to the Future 's Christopher Lloyd and RoboCop 's Miguel Ferrer .

Actors Not Unfamiliar with Sci-Fi

Lloyd portrays the main antagonist in the late Leonard Nimoy -directed film, and he impressively sheds most of the likability he possessed in Taxi and would again show two years later in Robert Zemeckis' classic sci-fi film, Back to the Future . His Kruge is a Klingon officer with his sights set on using a terraforming device called Genesis for evil. As for Ferrer, his role was far briefer, as he played a First Officer aboard a fellow Federation ship, the Excelsior . Stream Star Trek III: The Search for Spock on Max.

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

4 christopher plummer, christian slater, and kim cattrall in star trek vi: the undiscovered country (1991).

The even-numbered Star Trek films, at least of the original six, are the best. So, until Star Trek: Generations rolled, the intergalactic film franchise left off on a high note with Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country . And a big part of that is the inclusion of The Sound of Music and Knives Out legend Christopher Plummer .

Plummer Steals the Show

It's essentially all a Cold War allegory with the Klingons standing in for the Russians. And, while many of the Klingons are ready to strive for peace, there's always someone who sews discontent. That'd be Plummer's general, eye-patch-adorned Chang. But, he's not the only familiar face with considerable runtime, as there's also Sex and the City 's Kim Cattrall as the Vulcan Valeris, the ambitious new helmsman of the Enterprise . Not to mention, there's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo from Christian Slater, a fan of the franchise and son of the film's casting director, Mary Jo Slater. Stream Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country on Max .

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

3 whoopi goldberg, malcolm mcdowell, and alan ruck in star trek: generations (1994).

At one point, Star Trek writers wanted to bring William Shatner's Captain Kirk back , but with a villainous twist. That idea was nixed, but Shatner did find a way back into the universe after the initial film franchise had wrapped up. That said, his reprisal of the role in Star Trek: Generations was more or less to kill him off so the IP could change. But, it had a major similarity to the previous film: a big name in the antagonist role.

McDowell in His Element

In the case of Generations , that would be A Clockwork Orange 's Malcolm McDowell as Tolian Soran, who holds the distinction of actually killing William Shatner's Captain Kirk. Ghost 's Whoopi Goldberg also appeared as Guinan, a role she inhabited from 1988 to 1993 on Star Trek: The Next Generation . Succession 's Alan Ruck also has a substantial role as Enterprise -B captain John Harriman who, like his character on HBO's hit series, comes from a wealthy family. Stream Star Trek: Generations on Max .

Star Trek: Generations

Star trek: deanna troi’s 16 best quotes from the franchise, 2 f. murray abraham and gregg henry in star trek: insurrection (1998).

The third film to focus on The Next Generation 's cast after Generations and Star Trek: First Contact , Star Trek: Insurrection , often feels like a feature-length episode of the series that inspired it. And, while Nemesis sealed the deal, Insurrection showed that the IP was swiftly dropping out of favor with general audiences. And, yet, Amadeus ' F. Murray Abraham is excellent in the main antagonist role.

An Unrecognizable Abraham

Covered in a great deal of makeup, one would be forgiven for not recognizing the Scarface star as Ru'afo, commander of the Son'a. The same could be said of Gregg Henry as his second-in-command, Gallatin. Though, if they can discern that it's him, they'll recognize him as Peter Quill's grandfather from another little sci-fi IP called Guardians of the Galaxy . Stream Star Trek: Insurrection on Max .

Star Trek: Insurrection

1 tom hardy in star trek: nemesis (2002).

Star Trek: Nemesis ' box office tallies showed the franchise's financial viability had run its course. And, if that wasn't enough, the reaction from critics and fans solidified that. But, it features one of Tom Hardy 's earliest performances, only his second big movie after Black Hawk Down and six years before he started gaining clout thanks to his title role in Bronson .

An Early Showcase for Hardy

Explaining where audiences know Hardy from seems pointless, as he's now one of the biggest performers in Hollywood thanks to Inception , Mad Max: Fury Road , and the Venom films. And, while his role as the villainous Captain Picard clone, Shinzon, isn't as much a showcase as his work in those films, it's still an early sign of his considerable talent. Not to mention, for someone who isn't one of the top-billed cast members, he gets quite a bit of screentime. Stream Star Trek: Nemesis on Max .

Star Trek: Nemesis

Star Trek: All 5 Actors Who Played Worf's Son, Alexander

• Worf's son, Alexander Rozhenko, was played by five actors in the Star Trek franchise so far, each portraying a different stage of his life.
• Alexander struggled to embrace his Klingon heritage, causing tension with Worf, who wanted him to be a traditional Klingon warrior.
• Alexander's return in DS9 marked a turning point in Worf's character arc, showcasing their complex relationship and personal growth.

Everyone's favorite Klingon, Worf (Michael Dorn), had a son in Star Trek: The Next Generation and the character has been played by five different actors throughout the Star Trek franchise (so far). Worf's son, Alexander Rozhenko, was a surprise to the Klingon Security Officer. After a brief relationship in TNG season 2, episode 20, "The Emissary," half-human half-Klingon K'Ehleyr (Suzie Plakson) became pregnant with Worf's child. She would keep this from him until two seasons later in the TNG episode aptly named "Reunion," when the pair cross paths again. Tragically, K'Ehleyr was killed in "Reunion", leaving Worf responsible for Alexander, the son he had just met.

K'Ehleyr and Worf had vastly different principles and K'Ehleyr had not raised Alexander as a traditional Klingon. Although Worf himself was adopted by humans at a young age, he struggled to find common ground with Alexander. Appearing in eight episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and four of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Alexander became a recurring character whose presence was felt throughout Worf's narrative journey . Alexander's return in DS9, in particular, marked a turning point in Worf's character arc, although the Klingon warrior will not be winning any Father of the Year awards. Here is every actor who has played Worf's son, Alexander Rozhenko, in Star Trek.

Why Star Trek Recast Worf's Son

Demanding production schedules and Klingon aging plot holes are just some of the reasons why Star Trek recasts Worf's son Alexander multiple times.

Star Trek: The Next Generation season 4, episode 7 - "Reunion"

When Alexander made his first appearance in Star Trek: The Next Generation's "Reunion," he was a toddler played by the late Jon Steuer. Alexander's mother, K'Ehleyr, had been investigating the treacherous Klingon Duras (Patrick Massett), and Duras killed her to conceal his role in a conspiracy that had considerably harmed Worf's standing in Klingon society . After K'Ehleyr's death, Worf claimed Alexander as his kin, despite having previously stated he did not wish to share his dishonor with his son.

Jon Steuer only appeared as Alexander in this lone Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, and he left the acting industry soon after to pursue a career in music. When Alexander returned, he was played by an older actor — likely to accommodate labor laws that govern how long child actors of each age can work, including the hours they spend in a makeup chair.

Brian Bonsall

7 episodes of star trek: the next generation.

For most of the young Klingon character's run, Alexander was played by Brian Bonsall. Bonsall first appeared in the role in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 5, episode 10, "New Ground," and six more episodes throughout seasons five, six, and seven. His final appearance as Alexander was in TNG season 7, episode 21, "Firstborn." Because he played him the longest, Bonsall is the version of Alexander many Star Trek fans associate most with the character.

Many of Alexander's episodes on Star Trek: The Next Generation focused on Worf's relationship with his son, including TNG season 5, episode 20, "Cost of Living," in which Worf and Alexander go to Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) to resolve ongoing conflicts. TNG season 6, episode 8, "A Fistful of Datas" also gives Worf and Alexander a chance to bond, as they get trapped together in a Western-themed holodeck program.

Why Worfs Son Alexander Rozhenko Has Human Names, Not Klingon

Star Trek's Worf and Alexander were both raised by humans, but only the younger Klingon took a human name, causing friction between father and son.

Marc Worden

Star trek: deep space nine season 6, episode 3 - "sons and daughters" & season 6, episode 7 - "you are cordially invited".

After Star Trek: The Next Generation concluded in 1994, Worf transitioned to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , joining the cast as a regular starting in season 4 in 1995. Alexander didn't move with him to the station — as Worf explained, they had continued difficulties getting along. Because of this, Worf felt it would be better for everyone if Alexander lived on Earth with his grandparents. However, in the DS9 season 6 episode "Sons and Daughters," Worf is surprised to encounter Alexander on the Klingon ship, the Rotarran.

Although he is only around 9 years old, Alexander has matured into a man (Klingons mature faster than humans do) and is trying to reclaim a Klingon identity for himself. In his appearances on DS9, Alexander is played by Marc Worden, since the character had grown into adulthood and therefore needed to be played by an adult. After "Sons and Daughters," Worden's Alexander appeared only once more in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , in "You Are Cordially Invited," which is the last canon appearance of Worf's son in Star Trek .

James Sloyan

Star trek: the next generation season 7, episode 21 - "firstborn".

In the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Firstborn," Worf and Alexander meet a mysterious Klingon named K'mtar (James Sloyan), an advisor to the House of Mogh. K'mtar helps Worf in a fight and then tries to teach Alexander the ways of the Klingon warrior. By the end of the episode, K'mtar reveals himself to actually be Alexander from forty years in the future.

All 4 Star Trek Characters Played By James Sloyan

From a time-traveling Klingon to a Barjoran scientist, James Sloyan's guest starring roles stole the show in all four of his Star Trek appearances.

As an adult, Alexander witnessed the murder of his father, and he blamed himself for what happened. Future Alexander then traveled back in time, vowing to turn his past self into a traditional Klingon warrior in order to prevent Worf's murder. In the end, Worf acknowledges that he only wants Alexander to be happy, and the future Alexander returns to his own time, satisfied that Worf and his son will go on to have a better relationship.

Richard Martinez

A photograph seen in star trek: deep space nine season 4, episode 1 - "the way of the warrior, part 1" & season 6, episode 3 - "sons and daughters".

The last actor on this list only appeared as an image in two episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Richard Martinez was used for a framed picture of Worf and his son Alexander that can be seen in the first episode of season 4, "The Way of the Warrior, Part 1," as Worf moves into his new quarters on Deep Space Nine.

The same photo makes a brief appearance in the third episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 6, "Sons and Daughters," where Worf reunites with the now-adult Alexander. Martinez was uncredited for the short stint, and the next time Alexander appeared in the Star Trek franchise, he would be played by the adult actor, Marc Worden.

Why Worf Was Such A Bad Father To Alexander

Worf struggled to find his own identity..

Throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Worf often struggled to reconcile his Klingon heritage with his duties as a Starfleet officer. Worf's struggles with his own identity made it difficult for him to raise Alexander, and the elder Klingon tried to push his son to embrace the life of a Klingon warrior. However, Alexander's mother, K'Ehleyr, had been half-human and did not hold Klingon values as highly as Worf.

As a child, Alexander had no desire to be a Klingon warrior, and this caused tension between him and his father. After the destruction of the USS Enterprise-D in Star Trek Generations , Worf sent Alexander to live with his grandparents on Earth, believing that the young Klingon would be happier there. Alexander, however, felt that Worf had rejected him for not being the kind of son he wanted. In his last Star Trek appearance, Alexander attended the wedding of Worf and Lt. Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell), and he and Worf parted on better terms.

"Worf Is A Terrible Father": Michael Dorn Hopes Star Trek: Picard Spinoff Brings Back Worf's Son

Michael Dorn wants to see Worf's son Alexander in Star Trek: Picard's spinoff, and believes the Klingon's failings as a father would be a great story.

Star Trek: Legacy Is The Best Chance For Worf's Son Alexander To Return

Alexander could be played by a new actor..

By the time of Star Trek: Picard season 3, Worf had joined Starfleet Intelligence and claimed to be a pacifist, despite his skills with a sword. Not only did Picard season 3 reunite the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation , but it also introduced several children of USS Enterprise-D crew members. As the son of Jean-Luc Picard and Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers) played a major role in the plot of Picard season 3 and ended the season as a crewmember on the newly rechristened USS Enterprise-G.

In a February 2024 interview with TrekMovie, Michael Dorn revealed that Star Trek: Picard showrunner Terry Matalas has an idea for Alexander's return.

Although the finale of Star Trek: Picard season 3 provided the perfect setup for a spin-off, Paramount has been quiet regarding Star Trek: Legacy, despite fan demand. If Star Trek: Legacy ever happens, as a television series or a streaming film on Paramount+, Worf's son Alexander could make a return to Star Trek. In his last appearance on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Alexander was serving in the Klingon Defense Forces, but it's possible he later decided to join Starfleet. Either way, it would be interesting to see Alexander reunite with Worf in a future Star Trek project.

Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, & Star Trek: Picard are available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: The Next Generation is the third installment in the sci-fi franchise and follows the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew members of the USS Enterprise. Set around one hundred years after the original series, Picard and his crew travel through the galaxy in largely self-contained episodes exploring the crew dynamics and their own political discourse. The series also had several overarching plots that would develop over the course of the isolated episodes, with four films released in tandem with the series to further some of these story elements.

Cast Michael Dorn, LeVar Burton, Brent Spiner, Wil Wheaton, Jonathan Frakes, Patrick Stewart, Marina Sirtis, Gates McFadden

Release Date September 28, 1987

Showrunner Jeri Taylor, Michael Piller, Rick Berman

Where To Watch Paramount+

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, also known as DS9, is the fourth series in the long-running Sci-Fi franchise, Star Trek. DS9 was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, and stars Avery Brooks, Ren Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, and Cirroc Lofton. This particular series follows a group of individuals in a space station near a planet called Bajor.

Cast Terry Farrell, Cirroc Lofton, Rene Auberjonois, Nicole de Boer, Michael Dorn, Andrew Robinson, Nana Visitor, Avery Brooks, Colm Meaney, Armin Shimerman, Alexander Siddig

Release Date January 3, 1993

Showrunner Ira Steven Behr, Michael Piller

Star Trek: Picard

After starring in Star Trek: The Next Generation for seven seasons and various other Star Trek projects, Patrick Stewart is back as Jean-Luc Picard. Star Trek: Picard focuses on a retired Picard who is living on his family vineyard as he struggles to cope with the death of Data and the destruction of Romulus. But before too long, Picard is pulled back into the action. The series also brings back fan-favorite characters from the Star Trek franchise, such as Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan), Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton), Worf (Michael Dorn), and William Riker (Jonathan Frakes).

Cast Orla Brady, Michael Dorn, LeVar Burton, Brent Spiner, Jonathan Frakes, Jeri Ryan, Patrick Stewart, Alison Pill, Isa Briones, Evan Evagora, Marina Sirtis, Amanda Plummer, Whoopi Goldberg, Gates McFadden, Todd Stashwick, Santiago Cabrera, Michelle Hurd, John de Lancie, Ed Speleers

Release Date January 23, 2020

Showrunner Akiva Goldsman, Terry Matalas, Michael Chabon

One of the “Best Worst” ‘Star Trek’ Episodes Recreates the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral

Join the Enterprise in an adventure to Tombstone, Arizona.

The Big Picture

• An outlandish storyline tests the crew's limits in Star Trek: The Original Series when Melkotians send Kirk and crew to O.K. Corral, Old West.
• Spock's mind meld convinces the crew that bullets are illusions, saving them in the gunfight.
• Kirk's refusal to kill during the shootout impresses the Melkotians, leading to Federation unity.

Many television shows have filler episodes or episodes that just don't land with audiences. It happens to the best of them. Friends, Gilmore Girls , Charmed , and Supernatural all have episodes that didn't rate well with their substantial audiences. Even shows with a massive following, like Star Trek , have episodes that have silly plots with a hint of something fascinating hidden within them. Honestly, with plots that are so far-fetched, people love them and continue to come back to them over and over again. The Season 3 episode of Star Trek: The Original Series , entitled "Spectre of the Gun," is noted as one of Star Trek's best worst episodes, which depicts the famous gunfight at O.K. Corral .

Even the toughest episodes have little gems fans are always searching for. In a franchise with a huge cult following, like Star Trek, people often discuss episodes and why they love them or can't stand them. Fans will always find something to enjoy, whether it is an idea within the storyline, a character arc, or a performance by one of the actors. And that's why it's called the best worst episode. With a cast of such iconic characters like Spock , Bones, Kirk, and Uhura, it's hard not to find something to love about the episodes.

Star Trek: The Original Series

In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets.

What Happens In 'Spectre Of The Gun'?

In this infamous episode of The Original Series , the USS Enterprise heads into Melkot space. They're greeted by one of the Melkotians who tells them to leave and never return, and that will be their only warning . But of course, being Starfleet, the crew will do anything to prove they come in peace. The starship gets to the planet where Captain Kirk ( William Shatner ) , Spock ( Leonard Nimoy ), Dr. McCoy ( DeForest Kelley ), and Chekov ( Walter Koenig ) go on an away mission to befriend the Melkotians. Things don't go as planned when the Melkotians send the crew to the Old West—specifically, Tombstone, Arizona, on October 26, 1881, on the historical day at O.K. Corral. The crew assumes that the violence of Kirk's heritage is to be the pattern for their execution. Like the historical event, it is the Earps versus the Clantons and McLaurys -the Starfleet officers represent the latter two families- as they duke it out for O.K. Corral via gunfight. However, in not wanting to participate in a shootout, Kirk does everything in his power to convince everyone around him that he isn't one of the Clantons.

Still, no one believes in his wild tale. So, Spock and Bones decide to make some alternate weapons to aid in their advantage because in the original O.K. Corral shootout, the Earps win, and the crew doesn't think the story can be altered. Little do they know that it can be changed. Unfortunately, they find out after Chokov is shot and killed when, in real life, his persona is the only one that survives. They also figure out any devices they create won't work, and if they try to avoid the gunfight, they'll just be transported to the spot. That's when they put the pieces together. Spock says that "where the laws do not operate, there is no reality," meaning that nothing is real; if they don't believe the bullets are real, they can't be killed. Spock also speculates that it was Chekov's mind that killed him, not the bullets. He believed the bullets would kill him, so they did. But how can they go into the shootout with absolute certainty that the bullets won't kill them? The answer is simple. They can't without the help of a mind meld from Spock. So, that's what they do. Spock convinces them with ultimate certainty that nothing is real. Nothing happens to them when they're in the midst of the shootout; then, they get into an all-out brawl before the Melkotians tell Kirk to kill them. Kirk refuses, and the Melkotians see that Starfleet might not be so bad after all. In fact, they are impressed and want to unite with the Federation.

Hidden Gems In One Of The Best Worst Episodes

The outlandish storyline makes you question why—after Kirk and crew intrude into Melkot space—if the Melkotians are so powerful, why don't they smite them where they stand instead of sending them to the O.K. Corral in the Old West? They could have so easily obliterated the Enterprise if they didn't want to make contact at all. However, it was a good idea if they wanted to test the crew. It seems like an outlandish kind of test, but what can you expect? Everyone thinks differently.

But the episode also has some fascinating nuggets, like when Spock's mind melds with everyone to make them believe the bullets of the Earp gang are nothing but an illusion with absolute certainty. This gives the crew members no fear when dealing with the Earps, whereas before, Bones was convinced there was no way they would be able to get through the fight with absolute certainty. Bones is usually the most skeptical with Spock, but he has no problems doing the mind meld, which saves their hides in the end.

Another excellent example of fascination in one of the best and worst episodes is how Kirk and the crew finally get through to the Melkotians by showing they won't kill for revenge , no matter how much they're pressured into it. Just when you thought Kirk might break and kill the Earp brother, he doesn't. Spock even comments on it later on. Kirk responds by saying humans have evolved past the need for violence , which is hopefully the case 100 years in the future. The Melkotians appreciated the gesture and became friends with the Federation.

It's also interesting to note that the budget for this episode was lower than usual. Walter Koenig reminisced that the network had been spending too much money , as seen in the half-built Old West sets, which perfectly fit in with the storyline. Koenig loved the episode for what it gave his character : he gets the girl, dies, and comes back to life all in one episode. Chekov doesn't get the girl often but makes it work in this episode as he soaks up every moment of being fawned over and having someone to fawn over.

Star Trek: The Original Series is streaming on Pluto TV in the U.S.

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