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‘Star Trek’: All 39 Classic TV Main Characters Ranked, From Spock to Wesley (Photos)

A look back at the TV franchise’s many memorable classic characters before the explosion of streaming shows like “Discovery”…and its handful of duds

In its half-century history, “Star Trek” has challenged us to boldly go where no one has gone before. The best characters have often encouraged vigorous debate among Trekkies, as they are compared by their rank and species and evaluated for differences in their flaws and virtues. The worst — we’re looking at you, “Voyager” and “Enterprise” — leave fans wondering if there’s a point to their existence. 

A quick note, to keep the list manageable, we’re restricting the list to the main cast of the five “Trek” TV shows before the recent explosion of streaming series like “Discovery” and “Lower Decks.” That means you won’t be seeing movie villains like Khan or recurring characters like Q. But let it be said that if we did include him, Q would top the list by several light years.

39. Wesley Crusher (The Next Generation) By far the most hated character in “Trek” history. A super-genius kid who would on more than one occasion save the Enterprise while others with infinitely more experience struggled. Even the man who played him, Wil Wheaton , hated him.

38. Travis Mayweather (Enterprise) No backstory, no fears, no desires. No “Trek” crew member was more pointless and two-dimensional than Mayweather, except perhaps for …

37. Hoshi Sato (Enterprise)   … a poor man’s Uhura whose sole purpose was to serve as a translator for the crew since the technology for the Universal Translator hadn’t been invented yet. Like many of the characters at the bottom of this list, Rick Berman and Brannon Braga were unable to flesh Sato out beyond her basic premise.

36. Neelix (Voyager) And now for the “Voyager” portion of our list, starting with the ship’s mohawked chef. He never fit into the show’s plots, leaving him to spout dumb food jokes and platitudes of optimism to the weary crew.

35. B’Elanna Torres (Voyager) Next we have the Human/Klingon hybrid lieutenant, whose entire personality too often boiled down to her being a hothead. In truth, she seemed to be designed as a mix of Worf and Tasha, but failed to even come close to being as memorable as either of them.

34. Chakotay (Voyager) Another character that the writers ran out of material for. At best, Captain Janeway’s right hand man was a dull character. At worst, the attempts to honor Gene Roddenberry ‘s dedication to diversity by delving into Chakotay’s Native American background came off as too stereotypical.

33. Tom Paris (Voyager) A slightly better character who had more defined relationships with other crew members, but many of the episodes that focused on him were just variations on him being the stereotypical hotshot pilot looking for a thrill.

32. Harry Kim (Voyager) His friendship with Paris and awkward conversations with Seven-of-Nine were enjoyable to watch, but other than that he tended to be just a stiff ensign who spouted technobabble.

31. Malcolm Reed (Enterprise) The inventor of the “red alert” system. Unlike Sato and Mayweather, Reed had a bit of a character arc as he spent his time on the Enterprise coming out of his shell, but this didn’t result in Reed becoming much more than a generally affable but nondescript character.

30. Deanna Troi (TNG) Take a shot every time this Betazoid started a sentence with the words “I sense …” Troi spent several seasons in low-neckline outfits, serving as a counselor on a ship that rarely had any real conflict. Eventually, she was given a uniform like the others and allowed to play a role in missions, but only at a very late point in the series.

29. Jonathan Archer (Enterprise) When “Enterprise” started, Archer was an interesting captain. As Starfleet’s first man in charge, he was bound to make mistakes, and viewers enjoying seeing how he got out of them. Unfortunately, the struggle got stale quick, as he became the “prototype” captain instead of developing into a leader in his own right.

28. T’Pol (Enterprise) Though Jolene Blalock’s acting could sometimes be as ridiculous as her fanservice outfits, the first Vulcan Starfleet officer’s slow embrace of her illogical humans was interesting to watch, as was her struggle to cope with a disease that dissolved control over her emotions. 

27. Phlox (Enterprise) Armed with a massive grin and years of medical experience, NX-01’s Denobulan doctor is what Neelix could have been, providing both regular humor and the basis for episodes that explored his values and relationship with a human race still getting used to interacting with aliens. 

26. Jadzia Dax (Deep Space Nine) An interesting blend of previous personalities. Over the course of six seasons, Dax showed Worf’s intensity, Kirk’s swagger, and Spock’s curiosity. Part of this is due to the fact that she’s bonded with a symbiont that has the memories of countless past lives. It’s also due to inconsistent writing, particularly after she hooked up with Worf in Season 4.

25. Quark (DS9) The Ferengi started as the Alpha Quadrant’s amoral mafia, but DS9 began to show their capacity for courage and compassion, though they would be loath to admit it. In spite of his insistence that he’s nothing but a cowardly smuggler — and he can be that — Quark proves to be a valuable ally to Sisko when the chips are down.

24. Tasha Yar (TNG) Oh, where to start with Tasha. She was a rather polarizing figure, with some people appreciating her status as a more involved woman on the bridge, while others thought she was rather obnoxious. She was killed off near the end of season 1, but was brought back in the episode “Yesterday’s Enterprise,” which was praised for showing Tasha’s true potential as a character while giving her a better send-off.

23. Tuvok (Voyager) This is where the characters really get good, starting with the Voyager’s resident Vulcan. Tim Russ proved to be a worthy successor to Leonard Nimoy , portraying Tuvok as a loyal friend to Janeway and a Vulcan with a dark side beneath all the discipline and repressed emotions.

22. Doctor (Voyager) Easily the most popular character in the “Voyager” cast, this sarcastic, overworked medical hologram won fans over with his exasperated jokes and quest for respect from the rest of the Voyager crew. His non-organic status also allowed him to bond with Seven-of-Nine

21. Pavel Chekov (Star Trek) Several members of the original Enterprise crew were not fleshed out on paper, but became beloved thanks to brilliant acting and natural chemistry between the cast. Take Chekov, who became a fan favorite because of his loyalty to Mother Russia as well as the blood samples he was constantly asked to provide.

20. Nyota Uhura (Trek) Though she was vastly underutilized, Uhura’s presence on the Enterprise was a big step forward for African-American women in television. After being skipped on the chain of command for years, Uhura finally got to take charge of the Enterprise during a rescue mission in the animated series.

19. Hikaru Sulu (Trek) Like Chekhov’s Walt Koenig and Uhura’s Nichelle Nichols, the two-dimensional Sulu became legendary thanks to George Takei . For a long time, Sulu was known for being a cultured gentleman and a bare-chested fencer , but he got his big moment in the movie “Star Trek VI” as captain of the Excelsior.

18. Seven of Nine (Voyager)   Like Uhura, Troi, and T’Pol, Seven of Nine was the fanservice character of her series, but her introduction to “Voyager” is an episode for the ages. As a former Borg unit brought to Janeway’s side, Seven continued the tradition of rounding out alien races that were once bitter Federation enemies by showing just why someone would want to be assimilated.

17. Miles O’Brien (TNG/DS9) Midway through “TNG,” the writers realized there was value in fleshing out the Chekovs in their cast. Miles started as a seen-but-rarely-heard recurring character who eventually became a star on “DS9” thanks to episodes that transformed him into Starfleet’s quintessential everyman.

16.  Charles “Trip” Tucker III (Enterprise) Perhaps Trip’s ranked too high, but let’s throw “Enterprise” a bone. He was the most interesting character on the show, serving as a right hand man to Archer, a lover to T’Pol, a fighter, a scholar, and ultimately, a martyr to the Federation.

15. Julian Bashir (DS9) One of the more strongly-defined character arcs in the “Trek” canon. Bashir started the series as a cocky but inexperienced crew member who eventually developed into a mature member of the crew as the Dominion War raged on.

14. Beverly Crusher (TNG) Unlike her son, Dr. Crusher was a popular “TNG” cast member. Not only was she a compassionate medic, she was a capable fighter and leader who even got to take command of the bridge on a couple of occasions.

13. Kathryn Janeway (Voyager) The Voyager’s captain has become the basis for much debate among Trekkies. In addition to her character swinging from mother figure to ruthless general depending on the writer, Janeway threw away the Federation rulebook in ways that even Kirk would be shocked by as she tried to guide the Voyager back home. Say what you will, but Janeway is an interesting figure in the “Trek” canon, which is why she’s ranked so high. 

12. Montgomery “Scotty” Scott (Trek) The miracle worker of the Enterprise treated his ship like a beloved daughter. Whether it was attacked by Romulans or Tribbles, Scotty would always make sure that his beloved ship would make it out in one piece. Unfortunately, as the new movie “Star Trek Beyond” shows, Scotty’s counterpart in the reboot universe can’t say the same about his Enterprise.

11. Geordi La Forge (TNG) The Enterprise-D’s sweet engineer would often insist that some engineering marvel that would save the day is impossible, only to do it in minutes when pressed. His finest moments as a character came when he helped Data learn how to be more human, often to mixed results.

10. Kira Nerys (DS9) While “Trek” tackled many philosophical topics, religion was not one of them for a long time. Kira changed that, along with many other things. A firm believer in the Prophets and in terror tactics, Kira’s tough past on Bajor caused her to lock horns with the lofty ideals of the Federation members she had to work with on DS9.

9. Worf (TNG/DS9) The Klingon lieutenant started the trend of turning enemies from past series into complex characters who became vital Starfleet crew members despite cultural differences. Worf has had more appearances and story arcs than almost any other “Trek” character, including rising through Starfleet’s ranks, joining the DS9 crew, becoming a father, and preventing a civil war on his homeworld.

8. Odo (DS9) One of the most powerful twists for any “Trek” character came in “DS9,” when Odo discovered that he was a member of the race that leads the Dominion. Sisko’s number one was forced to choose a side: his race or the people they wished to exterminate. In the end, there’s only one reason he stays with the Federation: his deep love for Kira.

7. Benjamin Sisko (DS9) Commander of Deep Space Nine, Captain of the Defiant, and one of the most conflicted characters in “Trek” history. Sisko proved to be a truly fearsome captain, but gained that reputation through brutal actions that compromised his ideals. His internal conflict was a driving component behind DS9’s deconstruction of Gene Roddenberry ‘s utopia through war and racial conflict.

6. Leonard “Bones” McCoy (Trek) While he wasn’t as fleshed out as Kirk or Spock, Bones didn’t need to be. DeForest Kelley’s sardonic delivery worked perfectly with both the Captain and the Vulcan, as he served as the voice of reason to keep them both level.

5. William Riker (TNG) Number One started out as a rehash of Kirk, right down to the cocky smirk. Then came the beard, and with it a fierce sense of duty and undying loyalty to Picard. Both were put to the ultimate test in “Best of Both Worlds,” when he uttered the words that became one of the most famous cliffhangers in TV history: “Mr. Worf … FIRE.”

4. Data (TNG) The funniest and most thought-provoking supporting crew member ever. Data’s overly analytical approach to human minutae made him a charming android, and his status as a sentient A.I. gave birth to “Measure of a Man,” one of the franchise’s most important contributions to sci-fi.

3. James T. Kirk (Trek) The original captain, whose appeal hasn’t waned in the slightest over the past five decades. Kirk is the perfect mix of geek and space cowboy, serving as a sort of John Wayne figure for the sci-fi crowd. 

2. Spock (Trek) “Trek” has built its legacy on alien outsiders making observations about the human race. That began with Spock, whose Vulcan blood put him outside of our species while his human blood kept him tethered to it. From his pointy ears came endless ruminations on the nature of humanity and whether we will overcome our differences and reach the stars together.

1. Jean-Luc Picard (“TNG”) Yep, we’re planting our flag firmly in the Frenchman’s territory when it comes to the “Best Captain” debate. If Spock began the “Trek” philosophizing, Picard perfected it. He is a diplomat and a scholar, and remains so despite suffering torture and countless near-death situations. He is the embodiment of the intellect-over-brutality ideal that “Star Trek” built its legacy on.

The Origins of 11 Famous Star Trek Lines

By rick marshall | nov 6, 2015.

Few franchises have had the cultural impact of the various Star Trek television series and movies, and nowhere is that more evident than in the snippets of dialogue that have become a part of the American vernacular—and in some cases, found their way abroad, too. Here are 11 of the most notable Star Trek catchphrases, as well as a little more information about their origins.

1. "Live Long and Prosper"

The Vulcan greeting and the finger-separating hand gesture that accompanies it first appeared in the second season of Star Trek: The Original Series , during an episode titled “Amok Time.” Spock himself (actor Leonard Nimoy) has made no secret of the fact that the gesture and phrase were his idea, and that he based them on Orthodox Jewish blessings he remembered from his childhood. In the Jewish blessing, the position of the fingers forms the Hebrew letter “Shin,” which represents the name “Shaddai” (Almighty God). Nimoy put his own spin on the traditional gesture by holding up just one hand (instead of both) and changing up the verbal blessing slightly.

2. "Highly Illogical..."

While Spock never shied away from questioning the logic of those around him—usually Kirk—it wasn't until the second season that he took things up a notch and deemed the actions of the native inhabitants of planet Omega IV “highly illogical” in the episode titled “The Omega Glory.” Previously, it had always just been “illogical” or, in rare cases, “most illogical,” but it took a pair of natives attacking Kirk in a jail cell for Spock to pair his trademark raised-eyebrow reaction with the term “highly illogical.” The phrase would then be repeated in several more episodes, as well as the subsequent films and J.J. Abrams' reboot of the franchise.

Bonus: “Highly Illogical” was also the name of Leonard Nimoy's 1993 music album featuring several songs he recorded in the 1960s (including “The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins”) as well as a few new tunes.

3. "Beam Me Up, Scotty"

One of the most interesting aspects of this phrase—a request directed at Chief Engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott for transport back to the USS Enterprise—is that it was never actually uttered in any of the Star Trek television series or movies. More often than not, the command was akin to “Three to beam up” or more directly, “Beam them up,” with the closest approximation being “Beam us up, Scotty” in a few episodes of the Star Trek animated series. However, William Shatner did say this line while reading the audio version of his novel Star Trek: The Ashes of Eden .

4. "I'm A Doctor, Not A..."

Everyone knows that Dr. Leonard McCoy is not an engineer, a coal miner, or an escalator, but that never stopped him from reminding his fellow crew members. The first time DeForest Kelley uttered his famous catchphrase as we know it was in a first-season episode titled “The Devil in the Dark.” In that episode, McCoy saw fit to let Kirk know that he was a doctor, not a brick-layer. It's worth noting that an earlier episode, “The Corbomite Maneuver," had him asking Capt. Kirk, “What am I, a doctor or a moon-shuttle conductor?” but it wasn't until much later in the season that we got the full line that would later be heard in just about every subsequent series, as well as the Star Trek films. The line even made it into J.J. Abrams' 2009 reboot, with Karl Urban (as McCoy) exclaiming, “I'm a doctor, not a physicist!”

5. "Make It So"

Captain Jean-Luc Picard's signature line was a part of Star Trek: The Next Generation from the very start, with actor Patrick Stewart uttering what would become his character's most memorable catchphrase in the pilot episode, “Encounter at Farpoint.” The episode was written by Gene Roddenberry himself, so it's likely that he wrote the line for Picard, though the phrase has been in use for quite a while in military circles as a way to tell someone to proceed with a command.

6. "To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before..."

The infinitive-splitting opening narration for each episode of Star Trek: The Original Series (with the exception of the pilot episodes) was famously recited by William Shatner, but the actual origins of the line are uncertain at best. Some reports suggest that it was inspired by a 1958 White House press booklet promoting the space program, though some have speculated that it came from a statement made by explorer James Cook following an expedition to Newfoundland. Writer Samuel Peeples, who authored the pilot episode “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” is often credited with the decision to make the phrase such a significant part of the series. The line was eventually repeated—with a few minor tweaks—in each iteration of the series and films.

7. "Khaaannnn!"

Possibly the most meme-friendly line of dialogue ever to come out of the Star Trek universe, this scream of rage originated in (no surprise here) Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan . Left marooned on a dead planet by the evil villain Khan then taunted about his predicament, Kirk let loose with a primal roar—and the rest was viral-video history.

8. "I'm Givin' Her All She's Got, Captain!"

Much like “Beam me up, Scotty,” this famous catchphrase often associated with USS Enterprise Chief Engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott in Star Trek: The Original Series was never said in this exact form by actor James Doohan in the series or subsequent films. The closest approximation is a line in the second-season episode “The Changeling,” when Kirk asks Scotty to divert more power to the ship's shields. Scotty responds with, “Giving them all we got.” However, Doohan did utter every word of the famous line as part of a cameo in 1993's Loaded Weapon , in which he turns up as a panicky police officer trying to fix a coffee machine. Similarly, Simon Pegg used the same line “I'm givin' her all she's got, Captain!” in 2009's Star Trek reboot, in which he plays a young Montgomery Scott.

9. "Nuclear Wessels"

Russian crew member Pavel Andreievich Chekov's inability to pronounce the letter “V” became a recurring joke after the character was introduced in the second season of Star Trek: The Original Series as the ship's navigator. While it made for some funny moments throughout the series and subsequent movies, one of the most memorable pronunciation gaffes occurred during Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home , when Chekov begins asking passers-by in 1980s San Francisco where he can find “nuclear wessels.” Even though Walter Koenig had been playing the character for almost 20 years before The Voyage Home hit theaters, the two-word line soon became indelibly connected with his portrayal of the character.

10. "Resistance Is Futile"

This famous line was first uttered by robotic aliens The Borg in the epic third-season finale of Star Trek: The Next Generation , titled “Best of Both Worlds, Part 1.” Not only did the 1990 episode offer up one of the greatest cliffhangers in television history, but it also coined a phrase that would live forever in the nightmares of fans—mainly because it was recycled for use in countless other series and films down the road.

11. "Set Phasers To Stun"

It was established early on in Star Trek: The Original Series that the phasers used by the crew of USS Enterprise had a “stun” setting (as mentioned in “The Man Trap” episode), and both Kirk and Spock often found themselves instructing their crewmates to use the non-lethal capabilities of their standard-issue weapons. However, it wasn't until the second season of Star Trek: The Animated Series that we first heard Kirk issue the command “Set phasers to stun.” The line eventually became an oft-repeated order in subsequent series, turning up in both Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: The Next Generation , as well as many of the movies (including 2009's reboot).

This article originally appeared in 2013.

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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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Why The Number 47 Is So Important In Star Trek: The Next Generation

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" kept the iconic sci-fi franchise firmly in the mainstream mind, with over 100 memorable episodes and multiple movies detailing the adventures of the Enterprise-D and her captain, Jean-Luc Picard. "The Next Generation" is nearly as iconic and influential as the original "Star Trek" and helped launch the careers of LeVar Burton and Patrick Stewart into household names. 

Eagle-eyed Trekkies undoubtedly noticed a strange pattern throughout the show — the number 47 and its variations appear frequently in dialogue and on-screen. On  Stack Exchange , one fan claims 47 is spoken in some form over 200 times throughout the show's run and also finds its way onto computer screens and visuals. Picard receives a bottle of wine from "47," an authorization code will be Alpha-4-7, and so on. Interestingly, this running easter egg can be traced to one of the show's writers and his alma mater's strange superstition surrounding the number.

47 comes from a college tradition

The connection between "The Next Generation" and 47 began with writer Joe Menosky, according to Marketplace . Starting in Season 4, Menosky began sneaking in the number 47 as a reference to a superstition from Pomona College in California, his alma mater. Pomona has a fascination with the number 47, calling it the "quintessential random number," and references are found throughout campus. Other writers picked up on the inside joke, and soon, 47s were seen in practically every episode.

References to 47 were not just limited to TNG, as Menosky was also a writer for "Star Trek: Voyager" (via Memory Alpha ). Along with some of the movies of this era, 47 found its way into "Deep Space 9," although the writing staff eventually grew tired of the joke and began to phase out the mysterious number. The number has seen a revival recently, however, appearing in the J.J Abrams "Star Trek" movies and the MMORPG "Star Trek Online." Indeed, 47 and "Star Trek" have become intertwined, going where no number has gone before.

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All Star Trek Movies Ranked by Tomatometer

Star Trek (2009) celebrates its 15th anniversary!

We’re boldly ranking the Star Trek movies by Tomatometer, from the original film series (1979’s The Motion Picture to The Undiscovered Country ), into the handoff to films featuring the Next Generation cast ( Generations to Nemesis ), and through to the reboot series (2009’s Trek to Beyond ).

Star Trek (2009) 94%

Star Trek: First Contact (1996) 93%

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) 87%

Star Trek Beyond (2016) 86%

Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) 84%

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) 83%

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) 82%

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) 78%

Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) 55%

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) 53%

Star Trek Generations (1994) 48%

Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) 38%

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) 21%

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Graeme McMillan

Star Trek's 100 Most Important Crew Members, Ranked

This week, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original Star Trek TV series. To do so, we thought it might be a good time to rank all of the Star Trek crew members. Before we do, a few stipulations:

1: Only Starfleet personnel and related enlisted crews have been considered for placement on this list. (Which means that characters such as Quark, Morn, or, let's be honest, half of Deep Space Nine are absent.) Placement on the list is the result of long consideration of characters' service to Starfleet and/or Starfleet-related causes as shown or implied during their appearances, with one exception that shall not be discussed further. (Good luck figuring out which one is placed specifically due to personal bias.)

2: Only original on-screen media was considered during deliberation. If spin-off material such as novels and comic books had been included, both Captain Clark Terrell and Commander Elizabeth Shelby would be considerably higher up in the ranking. ( Star Trek: Vanguard and Star Trek: New Frontier FTW, as the famous 24th century saying goes.)

3: Your argument is invalid.

Key: TOS: The Original Series, aka Star Trek (1966-1969) TAS: Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973-1974) TMP: Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) TWK: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) TUC: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) STG: Star Trek: Generations (1994) TNG: Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994) DS9: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999) VOY: Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001) ENT: Star Trek: Enterprise (2001-2005) KTL: The Kelvin Timeline, aka Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), Star Trek Beyond (2016)

100. Crewman Lon Suder (VOY) 99. Admiral Alexander Marcus (KTL) 98. Lieutenant Marla McGivers (TOS) 97. Lt. Commander Gary Mitchell (TOS) 96. Dr. Elizabeth Dehner (TOS) 95. Commodore Matthew Decker (TOS) 94. Captain Ben Maxwell (TNG) 93. Kes (VOY) 92. Fleet Admiral Cartwright (TUC) 91. Lieutenant Valeris (TUC) 90. Luther Sloan (DS9) 89. Commander Bruce Maddox (TNG) 88. Captain Phillipa Louvois (TNG) 87. Ensign Taurik (TNG) 86. Ensign Sito Jaxa (TNG) 85. Lieutenant José Tyler (TOS) 84. Crewman Michael Rostov (ENT) 83. Crewman Elizabeth Cutler (ENT) 82. Ensign Walsh (ENT) 81. Ensign Tanner (ENT) 80. Lieutenant Sam Lavelle (TNG) 79. Ensign Samantha Wildman (VOY) 78. Commander Kyle (TOS) 77. Lt. Commander Michael Eddington (DS9) 76. Vice Admiral Nakamura (TNG) 75. Captain Rudy Ransom (VOY) 74. Dr. Mark Piper (TOS) 73. Chef (ENT) 72. Ensign Melora Pazlar (DS9) 71. Ensign Robin Lefler (TNG) 70. Yeoman Janice Rand (TOS) 69. Rear Admiral Gregory Quinn (TNG) 68. Captain Edward Jellico (TNG) 67. Lt. Commander Jack Crusher (TNG) 66. Dr. Philip Boyce (TOS) 65. Lieutenant M'Ress (TAS) 64. Dr. Selar (TNG) 63. Nurse Alyssa Ogawa (TNG) 62. Neelix (VOY) 61. Lieutenant Arex (TAS) 60. Nurse Christine Chapel (TOS) 59. Captain Clark Terrell (TWK) 58. Captain Robert April (TOS) 57. Number One (TOS) 56. Commander Elizabeth Shelby (TNG) 55. Lieutenant Reginald Barclay (TNG) 54. Ensign Ro Laren (TNG) 53. Cadet Tim Watters (DS9) 52. Captain Erika Hernandez (ENT) 51. Lieutenant Nog (DS9) 50. Captain Willard Decker (TMP) 49. Lieutenant Ilia (TMP) 48. Lieutenant Saavik (TWK) 47. Captain Richard Robau (KTL) 46. Captain John Harriman (STG) 45. Captain Rachel Garrett (TNG) 44. Lieutenant Demora Sulu (STG) 43. Admiral Owen Paris (VOY) 42. Admiral Maxwell Forrest (ENT) 41. Admiral William Ross (DS9) 40. Chief Medical Officer Phlox (ENT) 39. Dr. Katherine Pulaski (TNG) 38. Lt. Commander George Kirk (KTL) 37. Seven of Nine (VOY) 36. Lt. Commander Tasha Yar (TNG) 35. Captain Christopher Pike (TOS) 34. Ensign Harry Kim (VOY) 33. Ensign Travis Mayweather (ENT) 32. Lieutenant Ezri Dax (DS9) 31. Ensign Wesley Crusher (TNG) 30. Commander Pavel Chekov (TOS) 29. Lieutenant Malcolm Reed (ENT) 28. Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres (VOY) 27. Lt. Commander Hoshi Sato (ENT) 26. Lieutenant Tom Paris (VOY) 25. Dr. Julian Bashir (DS9) 24. Counsellor Deanna Troi (TNG) 23. Commander Charles Tucker III (ENT) 22. Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax (DS9) 21. Chief Engineer Geordi LaForge (TNG) 20. Dr. Beverly Crusher (TNG) 19. Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott (TOS) 18. Captain Hikaru Sulu (TOS) 17. Chief Miles O'Brien (DS9) 16. Emergency Medical Hologram Joe (VOY) 15. Constable Odo (DS9) 14. Commander Nyota Uhura (TOS) 13. Lt. Commander Worf (TNG) 12. Lt. Commander Data (TNG) 11. Commander Chakotay (VOY) 10. Commander T'Pol (ENT) 9. Captain Jonathan Archer (ENT) 8. Captain Kathryn Janeway (VOY) 7. Colonel Kira Nerys (DS9) 6. Commander William Riker (TNG) 5. Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (TOS) 4. Captain Spock (TOS) 3. Captain Jean-Luc Picard (TNG) 2. Captain Benjamin Sisko (DS9) 1. Captain James T. Kirk (TOS)

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Den of Geek

Star Trek The Original Series: 30 Interstellar Guest Stars

We rank Star Trek: The Original Series guest stars by their contributions to science fiction

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Star Trek:   The Original Series  only lasted three seasons, but it had a tremendous impact on both the science fiction genre and society in general. The show that started as a “ Wagon Train to space” helped the former frontier country make great strides in the fight for racial equality, emerging technology, and even in gathering funds and excitement for NASA’s nascent space program. Science fiction writers clamored to promote the show and the art. And, because the series was art and artfully done art at that, it also took in some of the top acting talent in the industry.

Many legendary actors appeared on Star Trek: The Original Series . Some of them, admittedly, became legends because of their appearance. Others, were already legends before beaming aboard. Some of the actors came with wonderful science fiction bona fides. Others, became bona fide science fiction players after their careers went into warp drive. There are so many guest stars to choose from, but Den of Geek would like to start with these magnificent thespians…

30. Vic Tayback

His role on star trek:.

Because I am the official Gangster Geek at Den of Geek , I would like to start with the most Damon Runyon-esque character on The Original Series : Jojo Krako, played by the gruffly great Vic Tayback in the episode “A Piece of the Action.”

One of the most fun episodes, “A Piece of the Action” reimagined Captain James Tiberius Koik as a post- post -modern Lucky Luciano, creating the Organization and setting up a capo di tutti capi. Krako ruled the empire he carved out from the Federation like a king in concrete golashes.

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William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and the rest of the regular cast are clearly having a more fun than fizbett sharps on Beta Antares IV and Tayback is mad enough to chew neutronium. Ultimately, the turf was split between Krako and Bela Oxmyx, played by Anthony Caruso, probably best known for his work in John Huston’s gangster classic The Asphalt Jungle .

Where else we know him from:

Tayback is best known for slinging hash as the owner of Mel’s diner, Mel Sharples. Tayback was the only actor to carry over from Martin Scorsese’s 1974 film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore . The series Alice , which starred Linda Lavin, ran from 1976 to 1985. Tayback directed the episode “Alice Faces the Music” and reprised his role as Mel in the spinoff series Flo .

Unsurprisingly, Tayback was born in Brooklyn, but he is well known in the borough of Queens when he played Joe Tucker, Archie Bunker’s old friend in the All in the Family episode “Et Tu, Archie?”

Tayack was a TV staple in the sixties and seventies, appearing on Hawaii Five-O , Rawhide , B ewitched , Columbo , three episodes of The Monkees (including “Son of a Gypsy”), and Get Smart   (in the episode “Appointment in Sahara,” as Jamal). He guest-starred as Bill Colton on the F Troop episode “Corporal Agarn’s Farewell To The Troops.”

He played in both comedies and dramas. In the seventies, he played Mr. Savocheck in the Barney Miller episode “Stakeout” and appeared on MacGyver , The Mary Tyler Moore Show , Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman and most other shows you could think of.

Tayback appeared in the film With Six You Get Eggroll (1968), which might have been more interesting if eggroll came with sex. He was in two Steve McQueen film classics, Bullitt (1968) and Papillon (1973), and watched Ernest Borgnine kick the shit out of hoboes in Emperor of the North Pole (1973).  Taybak was a standout in the cult film The Big Bus (1976) and had broader shoulders than “Shoulders.” He also cooked up a comic criminal for Neil Simon’s loving noir sendup The Cheap Detective (1978).

With a voice like Tayback’s, cop movies are a natural and he was in two great ones: The Blue Knight (1973) and The Choirboys (1977), which was based on an even better book by Joseph Wambaugh. He played in the gangster films The Don Is Dead (1973) and Lepke (1975).  Tayback back-talked Clint Eastwood in Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974). That voice also got him cast as Carface Caruthers in the animated feature All Dogs Go to Heaven .

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One of Tayback’s last roles was in the 1989 video music video for Ringo Starr and Buck Owens duo for the song “Act Naturally.” Tayback died in 1990.

Science fiction street cred:

Taybeck appeared on the Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode: “A Man with a Problem.” He was featured on two Tales from the Darkside episodes. He played Alan Coombs in “The New Man” and Tippy Ryan in “Basher Malone.” He was also in the little known Beverly Hills Bodysnatchers from 1989.

Tayback was also in the cast of the pilot of the failed 1982 series Mysterious Two . It starred John Forsythe and Priscilla Pointer as He and She, extraterrestrial couple that come to Earth to recruit misfits and adventurers. It also starred Nightmare on Elm Street ’s Freddy, Robert Englund, as Boone.

And if all that means nothing, Tayback reunited with Koik as Lt. Pete Benedict on the T. J. Hooker episode “Hooker’s War.”

29. Roger C. Carmel

Roger C. Carmel played Harcourt Fenton Mudd in the “Mudd’s Women” and “I, Mudd” episodes. He was the only non-Enterprise crew actor to appear as the same character in more than one episode. Or is that a lie? Everything the guy said was a lie, even when he was telling the truth.

This guy could sell a mail-order bride to a mail man, whether they could clean a pot in a sand-storm or not. Carmel reprised the character for the Star Trek: The Animated Series episode “Mudd’s Passion.” Carmel died before he was able to bring back Harry Mudd for a season one episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation .

Before Carmel made a mechanized tribute to his ever-loving spouse on Star Trek , he played Roger Buell, the henpecked husband on NBC’s 1967 sitcom The Mothers-in-Law . He also played Colonel Gumm on Batman.

Brooklyn-born Carmel brought his six-foot-four frame and mustache to almost every show on TV. He had guest roles on:  The Dick Van Dyke Show , The Patty Duke Show , I Spy , Blue Light , The Everglades , Hogan’s Heroes , Car 54, Where Are You?, Banacek , The Man from U.N.C.L.E ., The Munsters , Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea , Hawaii Five-O, The High Chaparral , All in the Family , Laverne and Shirley , Diff’rent Strokes , Three’s Company , All in the Family and Chico and the Man . He always had that mischievous glint in his eyes.

He appeared in the films Gambit , Myra Breckinridge , Breezy , Thunder and Lightning , and Jerry Lewis’ 1981 comeback film, Hardly Working . Carmel died in 1986.

Carmel played Judge Jones on The Invisible Man science fiction series that ran from 1975 through 1976. The series starred David McCallum as invisible scientist Dr. Daniel Westin, who could sometimes be seen giving ideas to a private thinktank. It was created by future TV institution Steven Bochco, along with Harve Bennett. Carmel voiced Decepticon deputy leader Cyclonus and the Quintesson Leader in the animated science fiction film The Transformers: The Movie .

28. William Campbell

William Campbell played two important characters on The Original Series : the preening and petulant Trelane in “The Squire of Gothos,” and the pompous and pet-hating Klingon Captain Koloth in both “The Trouble With Tribbles” and the “Blood Oath” episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Say what you want about Campbell, he knew how to rock a pair of sideburns.

Admiral, retired, just squire Trelane by the time the Enterprise crew beam down for a spot of tasteless tea and wooden-tasting chicken, engages Kirk in a very dangerous game, reminiscent of the classic 1932 film starring Fay Wray and Joel McCrea. He is kind of Charlie X’s spoiled cousin.

Koloth, of course, is the Klingon you most love to hate. Dripping with insinuation, he is the perfect diplomat spoiling for a fight. His first officer gets that honor, goading Scotty into throwing the first punch in an old-fashioned knock-down, drag-out fight reminiscent of the opening credits of F-Troop .

Campbell’s first film, The Breaking Point from 1950, starred the legendary tough guy actor John Garfield. Throughout the early fifties, he was a supporting player in films like Battle Circus , which starred Humphrey Bogart as a M*A*S*H army doctor who used humor and gin to anesthetize the pain of the war in Korea, The People Against O’Hara, and Holiday for Sinners .

His first starring role came in Frank Korvac William Wellman’s The High and the Mighty (1954). Campbell was the first person to sing onscreen with rock and roll legend Elvis Presley in the movie Love Me Tender (1956). On TV, Campbell was the co-star on the 1958 truck driver series Cannonball . He appeared on the series Perry Mason twice, once as a killer and once as a victim.

But Campbell is best known for his 1963 work with Roger Corman. He starred in car race picture The Young Racers in 1963 and then stuck around Ireland to star in what director Francis Ford Coppola promised to be the cheapest horror movie ever made:  Dementia 13 . The future Godfather director knew how to build suspense without cash. Campbell had an axe to grind in the movie that also starred Patrick Magee and Luana Anders.

Campbell made Corman’s horror movie Operacija Ticijan , which was finally released in heavily re-edited form ten years later on TV as Portrait in Terror . Reshot with additional footage, it was also edited into the film Blood Bath, which went on to become the cult favorite Track of the Vampire .

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William Campbell played Chad on the 1978 T he Next Step Beyond episode “Portrait of the Mind.”

27. Elisha Cook Jr.

Elisha Cook Jr. played Samuel T. Cogley in the “Court Martial” episode from season 1. Kirk’s defense attorney in the case of the missing crewman, Lt. Commander Ben Finney preferred books over computers. I don’t want to sound like some hindsight mystic, but this was probably the first time that now-clichéd joke was made, just one more example of Star Trek ’s power of predictive insight.

Today, you could fit The Bible , the Code of Hammurabi and of Justinian , the Magna Carta , the Constitution of the United States, and the Fundamental Declarations of the Martian Colonies on a zip drive, but when Cook Jr. said those words, computers still filled whole floors and sometimes buildings.

Elisha Cook Jr. is probably best known as Harry Jones, the good kid who got shot down in The Big Sleep or as Wilmer, the New York gunsel with the gaudy patter in The Maltese Falcon   — the two iconic Humphrey Bogart private detective movies. Cook was also only one who seemed to know what was going on in House on Haunted Hill .

Eugene O’Neill himself cast Cook for the Broadway run of Ah, Wilderness! as soon as the teen actor rode the vaudeville circuit to New York City. The actor then cut out his own niche in film — not to mention his own lifestyle, only coming down from his idyllic and remote home on Lake Sabrina in the Sierra Nevada mountains to shoot movies.

But which movies?  I, the Jury (1953), Shane (1953), and Stanley Kubrick’s The Killing (1956) only begin to hint at the range of the actor most people think of as a patsy, or a fall guy. Cook was a natural at comedy, like his bit part in Hellzapoppin’ (1941) and drama, like Born to Kill (1947).

On TV, Cook played private detective Homer Garrity, “Semi-Private Eye,” on Adventures of Superman , the title role in “The Hermit” episode of The Real McCoys , and Gideon McCoy in an episode of The Wild Wild West (1966). He also appeared on The Dennis Day Show , The Rebel , The Fugitive and on The Bionic Woman episode, “Once a Thief” (1977). He also played Professor Isaacson on the Batman TV series.

Elisha Cook Jr. played Uncle Albert on the TV series ALF . Science fiction was not his forte. His horror credentials, however, aren’t bad. Cook was the nervous impromptu tour guide in William Castle’s classic B-movie horror flick House on Haunted Hill (1959), which also starred Vincent Price. He played Gordon “Weasel” Phillips in the miniseries Salem’s Lot . He also appeared in Roman Polanski’s satanic classic Rosemary’s Baby (1968).

26. Melvin Belli

Melvin Belli was the friendly angel in the 1968 episode “And the Children Shall Lead.” The newly orphaned space kids see Gorgan as their beneficent beneficiary until Kirk exposes him for what he is: the king of torts in a Day-Glo lime green muumuu. Rumors starting right now tell of how Belli tried to secure the rights to the “Hail, hail, fire and snow” and sell it to the Rolling Stones, with soundtrack right in the Albert and David Maysles documentary Gimme Shelter (1970).

Gorgan is the picture of fatherly reverence in his Star Trek turn, doting on the kids as if they were his own — but especially Caesar Belli, his real life son who appeared in the episode.

Belli wasn’t an actor, but he played one on TV — and that, perhaps, would have been the life for him… if he wasn’t such a good mouthpiece. Melvin Bellicose, as insurance companies called him after he fought the good fight with Ralph Nader, was known for his celebrity clients, like Muhammad Ali, Errol Flynn, Chuck Berry, Lana Turner, Tony Curtis, Zsa Zsa Gabor and Mae West.

And of course, The Rolling Stones, for whom Belli negotiated the relocation of the December 6, 1969, Altamont Free Concert. (That went pretty well, considering.) Belli’s first gig after he graduated law school, was to go undercover as a hobo for the Works Progress Administration and ride the rails. Belli worked on early consumer rights law cases in the 1940s and 1950s.

But Belli’s most infamous client is Jack Ruby, the guy who killed the guy who killed Kennedy, who the lawyer represented for free. Belli couldn’t prove Ruby was insane when he killed Lee Harvey Oswald, but got the conviction (and the death sentence that went with it) overturned in 1966. Ruby died of cancer before the retrial.

Belli also sat ringside in 1969 when the San Francisco Zodiac Killer said he’d do a morning radio interview if Belli or F. Lee Bailey were also on air. Belli appeared and the Zodiac killer called but kept hanging up and calling back before the cops could trace where the calls were coming from. Brian Cox played Belli in the 2007 film Zodiac .

Dow Corning killed Belli’s firm in December 1995 after they declared bankruptcy to get out of a breast implant class action suit.

As for acting, Belli played a criminal defense lawyer in an episode of the series  Hunter  and produced the first Hollywood picture to be shot entirely in Japan,  Tokyo File 212  (1951).

Belli represented Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker.

25. Michael J. Pollard

Michael J. Pollard guest starred in the season one episode “Miri.” He was 27 when he played the teenager doomed to a future immune system breakdown. Pollard brought a sullen insolence to Jahn, the leader of the orphaned tribe of “onlies.” You just wanted to give him a bonk bonk on the head.

Pollard played the young gas-station-attendant-turned-getaway-car-driver C.W. Moss in the 1967 gangster classic Bonnie and Clyde . Pollard won a BAFTA Award and was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar and a Golden Globe Award for his role in Bonnie and Clyde .

Actors Studio-trained Pollard made his TV debut as a shoeshine boy in a 1959 episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents . He played his first lead the same year when he played Homer McCauley in the TV adaptation of William Saroyan’s The Human Comedy .

Pollard kind of replaced the Maynard G. Krebs character on CBS’  The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis when Bob Denver got drafted. Pollard played Jerome Krebs, Maynard’s first cousin, but never appeared on screen with Denver, because you couldn’t have two beatniks onscreen at the same time. Jerome retreated to a distance coffee house when the future Gilligan was classified 4-F and came back to the series. He also appeared on the series Window on Main Street , The Andy Griffith Show , Channing , Going My Way with Gene Kelly, Gunsmoke , The Lucy Show , I Spy and Honey West .

Pollard originated the role of the jealous boyfriend Hugo Peabody in the original Broadway cast of Bye Bye Birdie in 1960, which also included Julie Newmar (who is also on this list). Antiseptic pop singer Bobby Rydell played Peabody in the 1963 movie.

On film, Pollard was featured in the movie Summer Magic , starring Hayley Mills. He played Stanley in Norman Jewison’s The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming and had a part in Carl Reiner’s 1967 comedy Enter Laughing . He played an escaped American POW in the 1969 World War II movie Hannibal Brooks . Pollard played one of the title roles in the 1970 film Little Fauss and Big Halsy with Robert Redford.

Pollard played Billy the Kid in Dirty Little Billy (1972), appeared in the 1980 cult film Melvin and Howard, and fought fires with Steve Martin in the Cyrano de Bergerac-inspired comedy Roxanne . He also played the homeless guy that Bill Murray thought was Richard Burton in the Christmas comedy Scrooged . Pollard appeared in in Tango & Cash , with Kurt Russell and Sylvester Stallone, played Bug Bailey in the Warren Beatty’s 1990 film Dick Tracy, and played Aeolus in The Odyssey (1997).

Michael J. Pollard put the J in Michael J. Fox.

Pollard had a recurring role as Mister Mxyzptlk, a trans-dimensional imp, in the Superboy television series in 1959. Pollard played an alien boy in the 1966 “The Magic Mirror” episode of Lost in Space . He played a mortician on the Ray Bradbury Theater season six episode “The Handler.” In 1993, Pollard was in the horror film Skeeter and played Stucky in Rob Zombie’s 2003 cult horror classic House of 1000 Corpses .

24. Sally Kellerman

Her role on star trek:.

I don’t know if I’d say Sally Kellerman was a goddess, but she was more powerful than a photon torpedo rifle in “Where No Man Has Gone Before” (1966), the second pilot for Star Trek . Psychiatrist Elizabeth Dehner thought she was keeping the universe safe from intergalactic cabin fever… until she learned to move mountains with her mind.

Where else we know her from:

After sixty years in the business, Kellerman is probably still best known as being part of Robert Altman’s repertory of actors. Kellerman originated the role of Major Margaret “Hot Lips” O’Houlihan in his 1970 anti-war comedy M*A*S*H . The role got her nominated for a Best Actress in a Supporting Role Oscar. She played in Altman’s films Brewster McCloud (1970), Welcome to L.A. (1976), The Player (1992) and Prêt-à-Porter (1994).

Kellerman was also unforgettable as Rodney Dangerfield’s professor cum tutor, whispering sweet crip notes in his ear in Back to School (1986). Kellerman was, after all, the Last of the Red Hot Lovers (1972).

Kellerman started out on the road to show business as a budding rock and roller. She was a teenager when she signed a contract with Verve Records founder and head Norman Granz, but didn’t record her first album until 1972. She’d go on to record quite a few albums covering different genres and even contributing music to the soundtracks of the movies she starred in. Kellerman once said the thing she most regretted about passing on Altman’s Nashville was that she would have had a chance to sing.

Kellerman made her film debut in Reform School Girl (1957) and debuted on stage in Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People . She continued to move around stage, screen and TV for her entire career. She played in Leslie Stevens’s The Marriage-Go-Round and Michael Shurtleff’s Call Me by My Rightful Name . Kellerman played Mag Wildwood in the original Broadway production of Breakfast at Tiffany’s , which closed during preview. She also appeared in productions of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues .

Kellerman put in appearances on TV’s The Outer Limits (1965), Bachelor Father , Bonanza (1966, 1970) Chemistry (2011), and the CW teen drama series 90210 . She played Marla, an aging Hollywood actress with dementia 90210 (2008) and Marc Maron’s mother in the “Dead Possum” episode of Maron (2013). She hosted Saturday Night Live on February 7, 1981.

On film, Kellerman acted in The Third Day (1965), The Rogues (1965) Boston Strangler (1968), The April Fools (1969), the slasher film A Reflection of Fear , Lost Horizon (1973), Rafferty and the Gold Dust Twins (1975) the highly underrated screwball comedy The Big Bus (1975), Welcome to L.A. (1976), George Roy Hill’s A Little Romance (1979), Secret Weapons (1985), Moving Violations (1985), Blake Edwards’ That’s Life (1986), Boris and Natasha: The Movie (1992) and The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman (2006). She starred with Ernest Borgnine and Mickey Rooney in Night Club (2011).

Kellerman played Ingrid Larkin in “The Human Factor” episode of The Outer Limits from 1963. She returned to the series to play Judith Bellero, the wife of Richard Bellero (played by Martin Landau) in the 1964 “The Bellero Shield” episode.

She also played Laura Crowell in the “Labrynth” episode of the TV series The Invaders in 1967. In 1990s, Kellerman appeared on The Ray Bradbury Theatre TV Series as Clara Goodwater in the “Exorcism” episode. She voiced The Watchbird on the series Masters of Science Fiction in 2007.

23. BarBara Luna

BarBara Luna played Kirk’s Machiavellian mistress Lt. Marlena Moreau in the “Mirror, Mirror” episode (probably better known as the “Spock with a beard” episode). 

Moreau would be well suited for ancient Rome, a Cleopatra to Kirk’s Caesar. The good lieutenant was the only person, crew member or not, who knew about the Tantalus field, which Luna pronounces tantalizingly enough to make you want to scream like Chekhov moving up in rank in an agonizer.

The first time we see Marlena, she is splayed out on the captain’s bed, still picking up chem lab pieces from the Halkan storm after party. Luna also appeared in the fan-created Star Trek: New Voyage s internet show twice.

BarBara Luna was still in high school when she debuted on Broadway. She originated the role of Ezio Pinza in the original Broadway production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific and sang the opening song, “Dites-Moi.” Luna remained on Broadway because she didn’t want to drop out of school to go on the road, which she did as soon as she graduated, joining the touring company of Teahouse of the August Moon .

Her first film role was as Nico in Tank Battalion (1958), with Frank Gorshin and Edward G. Robinson Jr. She followed that up with parts in Cry Tough (1959), The Blue Angel (1959), and the classic Burt Lancaster movie Elmer Gantry (1960) before she was cast as Frank Sinatra’s blind love interest in director Mervyn LeRoy’s The Devil at 4 O’Clock.

Luna spent  Five Weeks in a Balloon . She also played in Women in Chains (1972), Gentle Savage (1973), The Gatling Gun (1973) and played Cat in the 1982 movie The Concrete Jungle .

Luna acted on more than 500 television shows, including Walt Disney’s Zorro , Perry Mason , The Wild Wild West , Gunsmoke , Bonanza, Mission: Impossible, Hawaii Five-O , Search for Tomorrow , One Life to Live, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Charlie’s Angels .

Through all the screen work, Luna never stopped appearing on stage. She played the role of Anita in five different companies of West Side Story . Luna’s last Broadway show was as Diana Morales in the 1976 cast of A Chorus Line . After that, she headlined her own cabaret show in New York City, the Catskills, Atlantic City and Los Angeles.

BarBara Luna played Gaby Christian, the girlfriend of a missing Southern California physics research center worker, in the “It Crawled Out Of The Woodwork” episode of the original The Outer Limits and Lisa on The Invaders . She played Koori on Buck Rogers in the 25th Century .

22. Michael Dunn

Retrospectives of “Plato’s Stepchildren” are so focused on Lt. Uhura and Kirk’s lips that they sometimes forget that the episode also featured Michael Dunn’s turn as court jester Alexander.

The Platonians were psychokinetic philosophers who believed knowledge reached its pinnacle during the time of Earth’s Greek empire, around 450 B.C. They should have paid more attention to Hippocrates because their mind games left them with Achilles’ anti-immune system. The diminutive and spiritually unarmed Alexander could lay the most powerful Platonian to waste with a hangnail, but his dignity will not allow it.

Dunn was an inspiration to shorter-statured performers. He was born with medical dwarfism that stunted cartilage production and grew to three feet, 10 inches by the time he was an adult. He also suffered from related health issues.

Reminiscent of the Platonians, Dunn’s gifts were intellectual. He was reading by the time he was three, won the 1947 Detroit News Spelling Bee, and taught himself to draw and play piano. He didn’t have a bad singing voice either. He wrote and ultimately became editor-in-chief of the University of Miami, College of Arts and Sciences’ magazine, Tempo .

Dunn was a hotel private detective, a nightclub performer, and almost joined a monastery before he started acting in New York’s off-Broadway circuit. Future Cornelius himself, Roddy McDowall, advised him to do a nightclub act with actress Phoebe Dorin called “Michael Dunn and Phoebe.” The producers of The Wild Wild West television series caught the act and immediately created the mad scientist character Dr. Miguelito Loveless, with Dorin taking on the role of the doctor’s assistant, Antoinette. They even got to sing together.

Dunn played the head of K.A.O.S., the gangster Mr. Big in the pilot episode of Get Smart , the James Bond takeoff from Mel Brooks and Buck Henry. Most of the shows of the period found room for the actor, who was featured on Bonanza , Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, and other shows.

Dunn exceled on stage, winning the New York critics’ Circle Award for best supporting actor in 1963 and getting a 1964 Tony Award nomination. Dunn was nominated for a supporting actor Oscar for playing Karl Glocken in Stanley Kramer’s Ship of Fools (1965). He also played in the 1968 film No Way to Treat a Lady with Rod Steiger and George Segal.

Michael Dunn died in his sleep on August 30, 1973 while shooting the film The Abdication on location in London. He was 38.

Michael Dunn’s death was a real-life mystery. The New York Times reported that cause of death was undisclosed. Scotland Yard had to throw water on rumors that Dunn died of foul play and that his body was stolen. Some speculated that he committed suicide, others that he died of acute alcoholism or of the drugs he was reportedly given by a London doctor. St. George’s Hospital’s autopsy report said Dunn died because the “right side of the heart was widely dilated and hypertrophied to twice its normal thickness” and labeled the death as cor pulmonale.

21. Elinor Donahue

Elinor Donahue played the entitled-but-doomed commissioner Nancy Hedford in the second-season episode “Metamorphosis” (1967).

The USS Enterprise is hurtling through space on a mission of medical mercy for the terminally ill Hedford when it is blown off course by The Companion. The Companion has been taking care of starship captain and astronomical legend Zefram Cochrane (Glenn Corbett) who disappeared in space generations ago.

Donahue is especially effective as she allows her character to go through the ugliest emotional and needy demands. The audience can’t blame her — we know she knows she’s dying and is the only person on the planet with little time to spare. But Donahue really gives in to her most selfish core as an actress to pull this off. Of course, when she becomes The Companion and selflessly gives up her own immortality for the love of one man of flesh, this becomes doubly moving.

The Companion may very well have been all evil and ugly had Donahue not used all her voices, as Peter O’Toole once commanded, to bring the two unfinished characters into a whole and living being. It is a minor tour de force for the actress, even if she spends most of the episode covered in a blanket. This one character really gives an early clue to the diverse talent of the 1960s TV acting pool.

Elinor Donahue started in films when she was five, dancing in the chorus and taking ballet in the same class as Barrie Chase, who would go on to dance with Fred Astaire. Donahue toured the remains of the vaudeville circuit and played teen bits in films like in Three Daring Daughters in 1948 until she supported Elizabeth Taylor in the 1952 film Love Is Better Than Ever . This led to better and bigger roles like Girls Town in 1959.

Donahue judged the swingingest hits on ABC’s Jukebox Jury from 1953–54 and danced with the Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz on The Ray Bolger Show . She started showing off her comic chops as one of “The Newlyweds” on The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show . Donahue played pharmacist Ellie Walker, who was sweet on the sheriff for twelve episodes of The Andy Griffith Show . Donahue continued to thrive in comedy with parts on Dennis the Menace and as F.U.’s girlfriend Miriam Welby on ABC’s The Odd Couple .

Heavenly enough to play Sister Bertrille’s (Sally Field) sister on The Flying Nun , she also played Mrs. Broderick, whose teenaged kid was a junkie on the last season of Happy Days . An addict on Happy Days ? I’m as surprised as you are.

Her dramatic roles included appearances on the western series Redigo and Have Gun Will Travel , and the psychiatry medical drama The Eleventh Hour . Donahue played Felicia, Alex’s mother on One Day at a Time in 1974. She starred in the NBC sitcom Please Stand By in the eighties. Donahue had a recurring role as Rebecca Quinn on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman .

Donahue started the 1990s as Beverly Hills boutique manager Bridget, who dresses down Julia Roberts in P retty Woman . But Elinor Donahue will forever best be known as Betty, the eldest daughter to Robert Young’s title character on Father Knows Best . Her on-screen younger siblings included Billy, James “Bud” Anderson, Jr., and Lauren Chapin. Her mother was, of course, Jane Wyatt — aka Spock’s mom.

Elinor Donahue played an Orphanage Woman in Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991) and appeared on the science fiction comedy and Robin Williams vehicle  Mork & Mindy as Dr. Joni Lincoln in 1981.

20. Jane Wyatt

Jane Wyatt played Spock’s mom, Amanda Grayson. It might seem highly illogical, but the emotional terrestrial interrupted the mating cycle of the extraterrestrial ambassador from the hot planet Vulcan, Sarek, played by Mark Lenard.

Wyatt first badgered her son and husband to the brink of death in the 1967 episode “Journey to Babel.” Eternally emotionally distant, neither parent showed up at their son’s wedding in the episode “Amok Time.” (Wyatt did show up for one episode of Mark Lenard’s series Here Come the Brides . She snubbed him on that episode too.) Wyatt made up for missing the thwarted nuptials by reprising her role in the 1986 film Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home .

Wyatt maintained that she got more fan mail for her Star Trek turns than she did for her the role that she is most known for, Stella Forrester, in the beautiful black and white mystical fantasy film Lost Horizon .

Wyatt became an icon of fifties TV by playing housewife and mother Margaret Anderson on Father Knows Best . Her own mom was a drama critic for Catholic World magazine and Wyatt was related to historical luminaries like Rufus King, one of the guys who signed the United States Constitution, and was a distant cousin of Eleanor Roosevelt. Wyatt let her own society light dim when she took an understudy gig on Broadway.

Universal Pictures signed her and put in her first movie in 1934, One More River . She co-starred in Frank Capra’s Lost Horizon in 1937 for Columbia Pictures. The Shiksa goddess also appeared in the Semitic social commentary film Gentleman’s Agreement with Gregory Peck as the journalist passing for Jewish and John Garfield as his Jewish friend just passing through.

Not content with containing her social concerns to film, Wyatt was an early critic of Senator Joseph McCarthy. The anti-Communist senator penalized her for hosting a Bolshoi Ballet performance during World War II, in spite of the fact that President FDR asked her to do it. Blacklisted from Hollywood film, she returned to the New York City stage, where communist empathizers like Lillian Hellman, laughed at the blacklist and put on plays like The Autumn Garden .

New York also had great TV studios and her comedic role as Margaret Anderson, which she played from 1954 to 1960, netted her three Emmy Awards. She also starred on the 1962 “The Heather Mahoney Story” episode on NBC’s Wagon Train , a Roddenberry favorite.

She did turns on the show Going My Way , guest-starred in an episode of Gibbsville and played Anna, the mother of the Virgin Mary in The Nativity from 1978. Wyatt also played the recurring role of Katherine Auschlander on St. Elsewhere , the eighties medical soap.

Jane Wyatt died on October 20, 2006, aged 96.

Jane Wyatt played Anne White on the 1965 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour episode “The Monkey’s Paw – A Retelling” on CBS. She also guest starred on the TV series Starman . But her role as Stella Forrester in Lost Horizon did take place on the mythical secluded utopia of Shangri-La, where no one seems to ever get old.

19. Mark Lenard

The first thing Trekkies think of when they hear the name Mark Lenard is he was Spock’s father Sarek, but that wasn’t even the beginning. Lenard played the Romulan commander who played a deadly shadow game in the first season episode “Balance of Terror” (1966). “Balance of Terror” was inspired by the classic 1957 submarine movie The Enemy Below that starred Robert Mitchum and Curt Jürgens and was directed Dick Powell. That movie was an adaptation of the book by British Naval Officer Denys Rayne.

Lenard also played a Klingon Captain in Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), making him the only star player to land a role three different alien race characters. He never played a human on Star Trek , thought he married one.

Lenard first played Sarek in “Journey to Babel” (1967) from season 3. But he also played the Vulcan patriarch in the Star Trek: The Animated Serie s episode “Yesteryear” (1973) and in the three of the Star Trek feature films: Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991). Lenard played Sarek as a young man, when he voiced the character in a flashback in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989), and as an old man in the Star Trek: The Next Generation season 3 episode “Sarek” (1990) and the season 5 episode “Unification: Part 1” (1991).

Lenard was born in Chicago. He began performing start on stage while he was in the Army. He hit New York in parts in classic plays Off Broadway. He made his Broadway debut in Carson McCullers’s Square Root of Wonderful   and played Conrad in the Sir John Gielgud production of Much Ado About Nothing .  He acted in Measure for Measure for the New York Shakespeare Festival.

Lenard followed a star west to play one of the Three Wise Men in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965). He was the Fort Grant prosecutor in Hang ‘Em High (1968), starring the Clint Eastwood. He appeared in the Woody Allen comedy Annie Hall, in the historical film The Radicals (1990), and played a lead role in the movie Noon Sunday.

Lenard was a regular as Aaron Stempel in Here Come the Brides . He had several roles in the western TV classic Gunsmoke and guest starred on Mission: Impossible a few times, once when Leonard Nimoy was playing Paris in the regular cast. He played Charles Ingalls’ older brother Peter on Little House on the Prairie in the episode “Journey in the Spring, Part I.” He also starred in The Power and the Glory with Laurence Olivier.

He returned to the stage in 1993 to play a middle-aged Huckleberry Finn against Walter Koenig’s grown up Tom Sawyer in The Boys in Autumn . Lenard died in 1996 at the age of 72.

Mark Lenard played the role of Urko, Chief of Security of the Ape Council on the 1974 television series, Planet of the Apes . He also appeared on Buck Rogers in the 25th Century , Otherworld , and the science fiction/western crossover, Cliffhangers: The Secret Empire .

18. William Windom

William Windom played Commodore Matt Decker, the sad commander of the USS Constellation, which was rendered inoperative by “The Doomsday Machine.” Decker blamed himself for his crew’s destruction and becomes almost catatonic with grief and the shock of self-recrimination. He did what he was trained to do. He went down with his ship. Or so he thought…

It is a triumphant moment when Decker is brought back to life in a vengeance-fueled showdown with Spock. Windom gives him a twinkle of madness and a sprinkle of charm. When Decker assumes command from Spock he also assumes the crablike defensive stance of a young Jake LaMotta. That is, until he has his fight scene, then Starfleet training kicks in and he does that clenched-fist karate chop thing.

Windom is best known as the dad on My World and Welcome to It , the James Thurberesque series that ran on NBC from 1969 through 1970, spanning two decades, in a kinda Simpsons way. He was also the father of The Farmer’s Daughter that traveling salesmen have been talking about since the days that Windom’s great-grandfather was the Treasury Secretary of the United States.

Windom would happily reprise the role of the sorrowful commander for Star Trek New Voyages 40 years after he rammed his ship down the throat of the planet munching machine.

Windom won the 1970 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Emmy for his turn as cartoonist John Monroe on My World and Welcome to It . When the show was canceled, Windom toured the country in a one-man James Thurber show that was ranked with Hal Holbrook’s Mark Twain, Leonard Nimoy’s Theo Van Gogh, and James Whitmore’s Will Rogers bioperformances.

New York City-born Windom was a former World War II paratrooper with Company B, 1st Battalion 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. He made his motion picture debut in the 1962 Academy Award-winning motion picture classic To Kill a Mockingbird . Windom played Mr. Gilmer, the prosecutor who went up against Gregory Peck’s Atticus Fitch, the legal defense for Tom Robinson.

Windom was in two movies that starred James Garner. The classic The Americanization of Emily (1964) written by Paddy Chayefsky and directed by Arthur Hiller, and Hour of the Gun (1967) a slow-moving but historical accurate character study of Wyatt Earp, played by Garner, and Doc Holliday after their 1881 Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Jason Robards played Doc Holliday, who stuck a badge on Windom’s down-and-out gunfighter and cut him in on reward money. The movie was directed by John Sturges as a sequel to his Gunfight at the O.K. Corral , which starred Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas in 1957.

In 1968, Windom starred with Frank Sinatra in The Detective , playing a homophobic killer. Windom also appeared in the films Sommersby with Jodie Foster, Planes, Trains & Automobiles , a vehicle for vehicles and James Candy and Steve Martin; For Love or Money , Thurber I and II , and Ernie Pyle I and II and The Emperor of the Night . He also did the voice of Puppetino in Pinocchio .

Windom played the recurring character, Dr. Seth Hazlitt, on the CBS series Murder, She Wrote and starred on the short-lived series Is there a Doctor in the House?

Windom died on August 16, 2012, at the age of 88.

The actor who played a starship captain also skippered seven of his own civilian craft to sailing trophies starting in 1953. Windom appeared on two episodes of The Twilight Zone . He played the President of the United States in Escape from the Planet of the Apes . He played the character Randy Lane in the Night Gallery episode “They’re Tearing Down Tim Riley’s Bar.”

17. Joan Collins

Joan Collins broke Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy’s hearts as Edith Keeler, the forward thinking do-gooder in the episode “The City on the Edge of Forever.” Possibly the best-written Star Trek episode, “The City on the Edge of Forever” has always been a point of contention for the original scriptwriter, Harlan Ellison. Ellison was a master writer and a major pain in the ass who got fired from Disney after suggesting they make cartoon porn on his first day on the job. I kid him, but because I am a huge fan. The guy is a beast who could scream love at the heart of the world.

Collins is probably best known for her role as Alexis Carrington Colby on the 1980s nighttime soap Dynasty and for playing the Siren on Batman . She also appeared on such series as The Virginian , Mission: Impossible , Police Woman , Roseanne , The Nanny , and Will & Grace .

Collins was nine when she made her stage debut in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House . After studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, she made the British films Lady Godiva Rides Again (1951), The Woman’s Angle (1952), Judgment Deferred (1952), I Believe in You (1952) Cosh Boy (1953), Decameron Nights (1953), Turn the Key Softly (1953), The Square Ring (1953) and Our Girl Friday (1953) before she went to Hollywood to play Princess Nellifer in Land of the Pharaohs (1955). She appeared in movies like The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing (1955) Rally Round the Flag, Boys! (1958) and Bing Crosby and Bob Hope’s last road movie The Road to Hong Kong (1962).

The sister of Jackie Collins, Joan published her first novel, Prime Time, in 1988. She wrote the bestselling novels Prime Time , Love & Desire & Hate , Infamous , Star Quality and The St. Tropez Lonely Hearts Club .

Collins also took Elizabeth Taylor’s role of  Wilma Flintstone’s mother Pearl Slaghoople in the Flintstones movie Viva Rock Vegas . She was also featured in Molly Moon and the Incredible Book of Hypnotism in 2015. The dame recently played herself in Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie .

Collins appeared in Empire of the Ants (1977) directed and co-written by Bert I. Gordon, who was influenced by the short story by H.G. Wells. In 1975, she played Kara on the Space: 1999 episode “Mission of the Darians.” She also appeared on the short-lived NBC Bermuda Triangle series Fantastic Journey , which was written by Star Trek ’s D.C. Fontana, among others.

16. Lee Meriwether

Lee Meriwether played one of the most touching roles on the entirety of the original series: the ghostly Losira in the “That Which Survives” episode. She was so beautiful, but so, so evil that she almost makes you forget what an asshole Spock can be when he takes the com. Audiences half expected the pointy eared science officer to jettison Scotty into the icy depths of space along with the spent matter-antimatter fuel.

“That Which Survives” also saw the return of Dr. M’Benga, who explains Dr. Sanchez’s autopsy report on Ensign Wyatt showed that  every cell in man’s body was disrupted from the inside out. Why Sanchez couldn’t see that in his own charts makes you wonder about the old country doctors Starfleet hires.

Meriwether was one of the two Catwoman actresses from the original B atman TV series cast to play on Star Trek . She played the feline femme fatale in the movie version from 1966. Meriwether also played Bruce Wayne’s girlfriend Lisa Carson on the Batman TV series episodes “King Tut’s Coup” and “Batman’s Waterloo.”

Lee Meriwether won the 1955 Miss America pageant before she hit screens big and small, starting as the “Today Girl” on NBC’s The Today Show . Meriwether went to high school with breathy crooner Johnny Mathis and to college with future Hulk Bill Bixby. Famed columnist Walter Winchell started a rumor that Meriwether was engaged to baseball legend Joe DiMaggio. She is probably best known for playing Buddy Ebsen’s secretary Betty Jones in Barnaby Jones , which got her an Emmy nomination in 1977.

The long list of TV credits for Meriwether runs from the Phil Silvers Show episode “Cyrano de Bilko” through Leave It To Beaver , Dr. Kildare , Route 66 , The Jack Benny Program , Perry Mason , 12 O’clock High , Hazel , The Fugitive , The Lloyd Bridges Show and Mannix . She played Dr. Egert on the Man from U.N.C.L.E. episode “The Mad, Mad Tea Party” in 1965 and the F Troop episode “O’Rourke vs. O’Reilly.”

Meriwether replaced Barbara Bain on Mission: Impossible in 1969. She also played Andy Griffith’s wife on The New Andy Griffith Show (1971) and played Ruth Martin on the soap opera All My Children . She played Lily Munster in the 1980s sitcom The Munsters Today . More recently, she was featured on the Disney Channel’s Wizards of Waverly Place , Desperate Housewives , Hawaii Five-0 , The League and Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23 .

Meriwether’s first movie was 1959’s 4D Man. She was also featured in John Wayne and Rock Hudson’s The Undefeated and starred with Andy Griffith in Angel in My Pocket , the TV movies True Grit: A Further Adventure with Warren Oates and Cruise Into Terror . She also appeared in Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt , The Ultimate Gift, The Ultimate Life (2013) and the short film Kitty .

In other medium, Meriwether voiced EVA in the video game Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots for the PlayStation 3.  She played President Winters in the video game Vanquish by Platinum Games. She appeared in the interactive comedy , Grandma Sylvia’s Funeral during its original off-Broadway run.

Meriwether played Linda Davis in 4D Man , the 1959 science fiction independent film written and produced by Jack H. Harris, who made The Blob in 1958. The film also featured Patty Duke. Davis co-starred as Dr. Ann MacGregor in The Time Tunnel from 1966 to 1967.

15. Julie Newmar

Julie Newmar played the Capellan princess Eleen, escort to the High Tier Akaar. She levels a paternity charge at Dr. “Bones” in the 1967 episode “Friday’s Child.” Eleen was a much less touchy part than the part of the other Catwoman on this list. As a matter of fact, touching the princess is a capital offense, which brings a lot of laughs to the medical examination scenes. It’s a real face-slapper.

Newmar is an icon. Best known for her purrfect take on Catwoman, when she first started out Eddie Cantor labeled her gams “the most beautiful legs” in the Ziegfeld Follies. Newmar’s moves slayed audiences in Slaves of Babylon (1953) and hypnotized Li’l Abner (1959) as Stupefyin’ Jones. She got whatever she wanted as Lola in Damn Yankees! (1961). She played herself in the loving movie tribute To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995). Is that too funky or what?

Julie Newmar’s spin as Katrin Sveg in the 1958 Broadway production of The Marriage-Go-Round won her the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play. She danced in gold paint as the “gilded girl” in Serpent of the Nile (1953), tempted Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954), individually and as a group and was one of the Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954).  She was also a ballerina with the Los Angeles Opera.

Newmar was probably on every TV show in the sixties. She brightened The Phil Silvers Show , Route 66 , F Troop , Bewitched , The Beverly Hillbillies , The Monkees and Get Smart . She took wet work contracts on Robert Wagner in both It Takes a Thief and Hart to Hart and almost glamboozled Columbo . In the seventies she boarded The Love Boat , and gave rise to daydreams on Fantasy Island . She sublet an episode on Melrose Place in the 90s and let a leaf-blower push her into a role on Jim Belushi’s According to Jim .

Julie Newmar was the devil incarnate in The Twilight Zone episode “Of Late I Think of Cliffordville.” She played the title role as “Rhoda the Robot” in the TV series My Living Doll from 1964 to 1965. She appeared on The Bionic Woman and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century in the 1970s. But Newmar’s real bona fides come as an inventor. She has two patents for cheeky derriere pantyhose and one for a brassiere with a cloaking device.

14. Diana Muldaur

Diana Muldaur played three different characters on two different episodes of the original series. In 1968’s second season, she played Science Officer Dr. Ann Mulhall and the godlike astral projecting alien Thalassa in the episode “Return to Tomorrow.” In the season three episode, “Is There in Truth No Beauty?” she played Dr. Miranda Jones, the blind and telepathic translator for Medusan ambassador Kollos, a creature so ugly people go mad when they look at him.

Muldaur also played Chief Medical Officer Dr. Katherine Pulaski in the second season of Star Trek: The Next Generation but she was so mean to Data that she was beamed into the icy cold of space after the one season. That mean spirit would serve her well when she got served to play the ruthlessly ambitious attorney Rosalind Shays on L.A. Law . Muldaur was also the first woman to serve as president of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, which she did from 1983 to 1985.

Muldaur started on soap operas, playing Ann Wicker on CBS’  The Secret Storm . She played the character Jeannie Orloff in NBC medical drama Dr. Kildare , which starred Richard Chamberlain. She appeared on Bonanza , I Spy , The Courtship of Eddie’s Father , before she first teamed with Burt Reynolds on the “An Act of Violence” episode of The F.B.I . episode in 1965. Muldaur and Reynolds continued their onscreen collaboration for the shows Hawk (1966) and Dan August (1971).

In 1967, Muldaur guest-starred on the Gunsmo ke episode “Fandango,” with James Arness, that was sampled on Pink Floyd’s The Wall . Muldaur got her first big break in 1969 when she was cast as Belle in the Lana Turner comeback series The Survivors from Harold Robbins. The show was cancelled after 15 episodes.

Muldaur went on to guest star in Alias Smith and Jones , Kung Fu in 1973, the pilot episode of Charlie’s Angels and a Hawaii 5-0 episode with Ricardo Montalban. She also played the title role in the “Mrs. Bannister” episode of The Rockford Files with James Garner. She also appeared on Police Woman , Quincy M.E., The Streets of San Francisco , Fantasy Island , The Love Boat , The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries and Hart to Hart and Murder, She Wrote . She starred with Gary Collins in the NBC series Born Free about Elsa the Lioness.

In film, Muldaur appeared with Burt Lancaster in The Swimmer (1968), the psychological thriller The Other with Uta Hagen in 1972 and with John Wayne in the crime drama McQ (1974). She also played in the 1977 independent film Beyond Reason with Telly Savalas. She also appeared in Terror at Alcatraz (1982) with The Smothers Brothers, Murder in Three Acts (1986) with Peter Ustinov and Locked Up: A Mother’s Rage (1991) with Jean Smart and Angela Bassett.

She played Helen Keller’s mother in the 1979 made-for-television movie The Miracle Worker with Melissa Gilbert and Patty Duke Astin as well as the Black Beauty mini-series (1977 ), Pine Canyon is Burning (1977), The Word (1978), and Joseph Wambaugh’s Police Story: A Cry for Justice (1978) with Dennis Weaver and Larry Hagman.

Diana Muldaur is also a former sister-in-law to Maria Muldaur, the singer best known for spending “Midnight at the Oasis.”

Muldaur guest starred as Claire, one of the invaders on The Invaders . She finds some good in some earthlings on the episode “ The Life Seekers.” She also played Marg in Gene Roddenbury’s television movie Planet Earth (1974) with John Saxon. She was in the apocalypse thriller Chosen Survivors (1974) with Jackie Cooper. Muldaur also played Helen Banner, David Banner’s sister on The Incredible Hulk in 1979 and a nun on the series in 1981.

13. Michael Ansara

Michael Ansara originated the role of the Klingon warrior Commander Kang, in the “Day of the Dove” episode in 1968. “We have no devil, Kirk, but we know the ways of yours,” he cautioned.

Kang was the only man in the known universe who could get Klingons to “cease hostilities” with, well just those two words and then slap Kirk on the back so warmheartedly the captain had to stop holding in his gut. Such menace. Such humor. Completely unforgettable.  Ansara played Commander Kang on three versions of Star Trek and reprised the role on the Deep Space Nine episode “Blood Oath” in 1994 and the Voyager episode “Flashback” from 1996.

The actor, who died at the age of 91 just a few years ago, was married to a TV icon: Barbara Eden of I Dream of Jeannie from 1958 until 1974. Before Eden, Ansara was married to the mom on The Patty Duke Show , Jean Byron.

Ansara was born in Syria and came to the United States with his American parents at the age of 2. He went to Los Angeles City College with plans of becoming a doctor but put away his scrubs after he got a gig at Pasadena Playhouse where he studied with Charles Bronson, Aaron Spelling and Carolyn Jones, who played Morticia Addams on the original The Addams Family TV series.

Ansara is also known for his role as the Native American Cochise on the ABC series Broken Arrow and the Apache Deputy U.S. Marshal Sam Buckhart on Law of the Plainsman . Ansara played Pindarus in the 1953 version of Julius Caesar , which starred Marlon Brando. He played Judas in The Robe and he was in the movie and TV series Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea . He also appeared in Jupiter’s Darling from 1955, The Comancheros with John Wayne from 1961, The Greatest Story Ever Told from 1965, Guns of the Magnificent Seven from 1969, The Bears and I from 1974 and The Message from 1977.

On TV, Ansara played in The Untouchables, Perry Mason, I Dream of Jeannie with his wife, Hawaii 5-0, Murder, She Wrote, James Michener’s Centennial miniseries and played Sam Buckhart on two episodes of The Rifleman .

Ansara appeared on Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Perry Mason, and The Outer Limits . On Lost in Space, he was the father to the alien boy Quano, played by Kurt Russell, who competes against Will Robinson in a battle of strength and courage. Ansara was also the voice of Mr. Freeze on the cartoon series Batman . It’s not science fiction, but you have to love his appearance in the 1974 low-budget horror classic It’s Alive .

12. William Marshall

Don’t be a dunsel, by the time Star Trek is set, whatever replaces the thing that replaces the app will make the M5 obsolete. William Marshall played Doctor Richard Daystrom, the genius who invented the title machine in the episode “The Ultimate Computer.”

Dr. Daystrom is, ultimately, a tech bubble victim. He models a computer on his brain, which means everything he is belongs to some corporate conglomerate in the military industrial complex. He programs it to put 430 people out of work but he blows it all during the beta phase. Today, Dr. Daystrom would be played by a teenager, most computer savants peak in their early 20s.

Daystrom went into the project with the loftiest of goals. He converted righteous indignation into FITS files so people would no longer need die in space, or on some alien world and go on to achieve greater things. In Marshall’s hands, universal problems become tragic Shakespearean soliloquys. He doesn’t hide the deep pain or the overriding, well, bypassed through auxiliary control ego, burning behind his remote intellect. Marshall also played on the “The Vulcan Affair” episode of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. entitled.

That Shakespearean quality was the product of a lifetime of training from the actor who redefined the role of Othello on stage. Marshall would be considered one of the great classical actors if he wasn’t so well known for a certain iconic horror exploitation role.

He studied theatre at the Actors Studio and with Sanford Meisner. He made his Broadway debut in 1944 in Carmen Jones the World War II-era reimaging of Bizet’s opera Carmen . He also understudied for the legendary Boris Karloff as Captain Hook in the 1950 Broadway run of Peter Pan. He played the lead role of De Lawd in the 1951 revival of The Green Pastures and played definitive versions of Paul Robeson and Frederick Douglass on stage and television.

Marshall’s first film role was as a Haitian leader in Lydia Bailey (1952). He played the gladiator Glycon in in the 1954 film Demetrius and the Gladiators with Victor Mature and lead a Mau-Mau in Something of Value (1957). He played Attorney General Edward Brooke in The Boston Strangler (1968).

For television, Marshall starred on the short-lived series Harlem Detective in the early fifties. He appeared on the British spy series Danger Man , played an opera singer on Bonanza , and was a consort to royalty on The Wild Wild West episode “The Night of the Egyptian Queen.” He would play the King of Cartoons on Pee-wee’s Playhouse in the 1980s.

Marshall was named as a communist in the anti-communist newsletter Counterattack in the early fifties, but kept working and began teaching acting, which he did throughout his career.

Besides Star Trek , Marshall didn’t have much science fiction fare, but that’s okay because he is a horror legend. He played the iconic role of African-prince-Mamuwalde-turned-vampire in the 1972 blaxploitation classic Blacula and its sequel Scream Blacula Scream (1973). Blacula cleaned up Harlem in the first movie and got down with voodoo priestess Pam Grier in the sequel. 

11. Susan Oliver

Susan Oliver may be the most recognizable face from the original Star Trek series after the regular cast. Oliver’s Orion slave girl ended the credits of almost every episode, that green lady with the blue eyes searing itself into our consciousness. But the undulating Orion lava lamp was just one of the characters Oliver had to inhabit as Vina, the malformed survivor of a craft that crashed on remote planet a generation before the Enterprise got the distress call.

The first time the public saw Vina was in the first season two-part episode “The Menagerie” (1966), but Oliver’s performance predated everyone on the show except Mr. Spock. Vina was the seductive space hostage in the first Star Trek pilot episode, “The Cage,” which was shot in 1964. That’s when the interstellar savior Captain Christopher Pike commanded the Enterprise and was played by the actor Jeffrey Hunter.

No amount of color correction could stop Oliver from becoming so much of a Star Trek icon. A 2014 documentary about her life was called The Green Girl .

Oliver’s dad was a journalist and her mom was a famous astrologer and Oliver rode the stars to her television debut on the live drama series Goodyear TV Playhouse on July 31, 1955. She made her Broadway debut in Robert E. Sherwood’s 1957 comedy Small War on Murray Hill .

The Green Lady had her first and only starring role in The Green-Eyed Blonde in 1957. Oliver played the wife of country music legend Hank Williams, played by George Hamilton, in the 1964 biopic Your Cheatin’ Heart and starred opposite Jerry Lewis in The Disorderly Orderly .

She put in appearances on all the late fifties and sixties staples: Father Knows Best , The Americans , Johnny Staccato , Route 66 , Dr. Kildare, The Naked City , The Barbara Stanwyck Show , Burke’s Law , The Fugitive , Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. , I Spy , The Virginian , and The Name of the Game . Oliver played a spoiled runaway in “The Maggie Hamilton Story” on NBC’s Wagon Train , Gene Rodenberry’s earthly inspiration for Star Trek .

Oliver turned to directing by the late 1970s. She was one of the original 19 women admitted to the American Film Institute’s Directing Workshop for Women. She wrote and directed the short film Cowboysan in 1977. Oliver directed two TV episodes of M*A*S*H and one of its sequel series, Trapper John, M.D.

Oliver put in her requisite appearance in The Twilight Zone . She made her last onscreen appearance in the November 6, 1988 episode of Freddy’s Nightmares but it was a nightmare experience of her own that earns her the biggest bona fide of all: Oliver was an actual aviator. She had a horrific air experience on February 3, 1959, the same day Buddy Holly died in an airplane crash.

Oliver was on a transatlantic flight on a Pan Am Boeing 707 when it dropped from 35,000 feet to 6,000 feet. She could’t fly for a year after the experience until she was hypnotized to deal with it. She decided that if she had to fly, which she did often because she was an actor, she was going to do it herself and took an impromptu lesson from pilot Hal Fishman and then got a private pilot certificate. She even survived a crash when a Piper J-3 Cub, with her as second chair in the cockpit, ran into telephone wires.

She was the fourth woman to fly a single-engine aircraft solo across the Atlantic Ocean and the second to do it from New York City in 1967. She was on her way to Moscow but had to land in Denmark. She did it in her own Aero Commander 200.

In 1970, Oliver was named Pilot of the Year. Captain Pike was never named Pilot of the Year.

10. Yvonne Craig

The other Orion slave girl on Star Trek was Marta, played by Batgirl herself, Yvonne Craig, in the episode “Whom Gods Destroy” from 1969. Marta was only green on the outside. Inside, she was an experienced lover who had an interesting way of keeping men faithful. After she slept with them, she stabbed them, to death, happily, manically. Oh, did I mention that this was on a planetary penal colony for the craziest kids in the galaxy?

That crazy kid played Commissioner Gordon’s studious librarian daughter Barbara Gordon starting in September 1967, the third and last season of the ABC TV series Batman . Gordon learned those Batgirl moves when was the youngest dancer to study under ballerina Alexandra Danilova at the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, a decade before.

Craig first teamed up with the actor who played her commissioner father, Neil Hamilton, when he played her stepfather in the 1958 episode of Perry Mason , “The Case of the Lazy Lover.” She followed that up with the films The Young Land , The Gene Krupa Story , which also featured Susan Oliver, and Gidget and a guest-starring part in the TV series Mr. Lucky in 1959.

Two years later, she would act against the Joker, Cesar Romero, in the film Seven Women from Hell . Craig was in two Elvis movies It Happened at the World’s Fair (1963) and Kissin’ Cousins (1964), which was not the story of Jerry Lee Lewis. Craig also put her ballet chops to good use in the film In Like Flint (1967) which starred James Coburn.

On TV, Craig was five of The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis from 1959 and 1962.  She saved the world from brain drain on The Man from U.N.C.L.E ., was an exotic dancing assassin on Wild Wild West, and an Arabian dancing nurse on McHale’s Navy as well as starring in the first episode of Love, American Style . She also taught Robert Wagner a few tricks in It Takes a Thief and played on The Mod Squad , Kojak and The Six Million Dollar Man .

Craig called her autobiography From Ballet to the Batcave and Beyond in 2000. She died on August 17, 2015, at age 78.

Yvonne Craig starred as Dr. Marjorie Bolen, an expert on space genetics in the hypnotizing 1966 cult sci-fi film Mars Needs Women , which also starred Bruce Dern and an actor named Tommy Kirk. How weird is that? She guest starred on the 1970 Land of the Giants episode “Wild Journey.” She put the past on rewind for series stars Gary Conway and Don Marshall, who also both played on original series classics.

9. Don Marshall

Don Marshall played the emotional quasar analyst Lt. Boma in the season one episode “The Galileo Seven” (1967). Boma was one of the first characters to get hostile towards Mr. Spock. He gets sick and tired of the machinelike first officer and his logic. Marshall turns what could have been an example of interspecies prejudice into a debate over the essence of humanity.

It is fascinating, or at least interesting, how the sands of righteousness shift during the episode. At one point, Boma and the other terrestrials outvote the officer in his first command over how to deal with the natives of the planet. Spock adheres to his belief that indigenous life should remain unmolested and certainly not killed. The others would attack to save themselves.

Boma is actually insubordinate, in the military sense, when he insists on a decent burial for crewmember Lattimer. He even makes Bones and Scotty gasp when he says he’d stick to that insistence even Mr. Spock’s body was back there.

Marshall brings a reality to his acting in the role in little mannerisms like the way he breaks off from a report to thank Dr. McCoy for a tissue for his bleeding nose. His eyes are constantly focused and measuring, searching for more than what he sees on the surface. You can actually see him looking for reasons to hate Spock and to rationalize the damage that was overlooked when they put the Vulcan’s  head together.

Don Marshall got the acting bug while he was studying engineering in the army in the late fifties and studied Theatre Arts at Los Angeles City College. His first onscreen role was in the movie The Interns (1961). As Chris Logan, he helped his wife, played by Nichelle Nichols, get their kids get ready for their first day of school in a newly racially integrating south in the TV production Great Gettin’ Up Mornin’ (1964).

Nichols’ communications officer Uhura, Greg Morris’ tech geek Barney Collier on Mission: Impossible, and Marshall’s characters changed the face of black characters on television. They were cast as competent, confident experts whose reliability is beyond doubt.

Marshall was in the 1965 pilot for the series Braddock . He played Luke in three 1966 episodes of Daktari and appeared in episodes of Tarzan , Dragnet and Ironside . Marshall had a recurring role as Ted Neumann, Julia Baker’s sometime boyfriend, on the 1968 series Julia . Marshall played Captain Colter in a 1976 episode of The Bionic Woman . He performed a C-section on Little House on the Prairie in 1976.   

Marshall played an FBI man in the 1978 TV special Rescue from Gilligan’s Island and guest starred on such series as Finder of Lost Loves , Capitol and the 1992 drama Highway Heartbreaker . Warren Oates’ bigoted Cpl. Leroy Sprague sprayed racial abuse on Marshall’s Pvt. Carver LeMoyne in Robert Day’s suspenseful Korean War film The Reluctant Heroes (1971).

Traveling backward and forward in time, Don Marshall played Julio in the two-part “Planet of the Slave Girls” episode of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century in 1979. He played Dr. Fred Williams The Thing with Two Heads (1972). Directed by Lee Frost, the sci fi-horror-exploitation movie starred Ray Milland, the man with the X-Ray eyes himself, as a rich racist white guy who gets his head handed to  him by Rosey Grier. Marshall’s doctor sews Milland’s head onto Grier’s body with the help of future special effects legend Rick Baker.

But this is that you’ve been waiting for: Marshall played Dan Erickson on Land of the Giants . Coming from Irwin Allen, who brought us the classic science fiction series Lost in Space and The Time Tunnel , Land of the Giants was a kind of Gilligan’s Island in space. Seven people thought they were on a routine trip that should have taken about three hours. They get blown off course by a storm and cast away in a remote environment. They even had an eccentric millionaire, Alexander Fitzhugh, played by Kurt Kasznar. The series also starred Gary Conway as Spindrift Captain Steve Burton, Don Matheson, Stefan Arngrim and Heather Young. Deanna Lund, who played Valerie Ames Scott, turned down the chance to play Mia Farrow’s friend in Rosemary’s Baby to be on the show.

Land of the Giants was made with a kind of breathless excitement. This was evident from the very first seconds of the theme song, which was written by John Williams. Marshall went beyond the call for the series, learning to box and play trumpet when he acted against Sugar Ray Robinson in one episode, and injuring himself several times while doing his own stunts. 

8. Ricardo Montalbán

Ricardo Montalbán’s Khan Noonien Singh is such a big part of Star Trek ’s lore and allure, you almost don’t want to think of him as a guest star. He’s just too big, and we’re not just talking about the actor’s physique, which some people think was fabricated muscle. It wasn’t. That was pure Montalbán.

Khan was first rescued from his interstellar penal star ship in the episode “Space Seed” and reprised the role Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) where he put things in Chekhov’s ears. Khan recognized the ensign’s face, even though Walter Koenig wasn’t on the original episode.

Montalban brought enough macho sensuality to the role of the genetically altered superman to make Captain Kirk holler his name to the heavens. The only other time we heard William Shatner scream so passionately was in the coda to his interpretation of Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man.”

In a career that spanned seven decades, the Mexican actor’s talents were richer than Corinthian leather. Montalbán is best known as Mr. Roarke, the ever-charming host to rich adventurers on the television series Fantasy Island from 1977 until 1984.  He and Hervé Villechaize, who spotted planes as his sidekick Tattoo became cultural icons.

Montalbán’s first role was in the play Her Cardboard Lover , staged in New York City in 1940. He started in the chorus line of forties jukebox movies and got his first starring role as a singer-guitarist in the He’s a Latin from Staten Island (1941). Montalbán’s first Hollywood lead came in Border Incident , a film noir movie made in 1949.

He went on to be cast in diverse roles like his New England cop in the film noir Mystery Street (1950) and his role as the Japanese national Nakamura in the film version of James A. Michener’s Sayonara (1957). Montalbán played in dramas like Across the Wide Missouri (1951), musicals like The Singing Nun (1966) and in such comedies as Love Is a Ball (1963), The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988). Robert Rodriguez created the role of the grandfather in the movies Spy Kids 2 and Spy Kids 3 for Montalbán, who needed a wheelchair after spinal surgery left him paralyzed from waist down in 1993.

The busy actor appeared on most of the shows that have been listed here. He played a Japanese character named Tokura in the Hawaii Five-O episode “Samurai” from (1968).  Montalbán guest-starred as a genetically engineered cow in the Family Guy episode “McStroke.” He played Guitierrez on the animated series Freakazoid and did the voice of Señor Senior, Sr., in five Kim Possible television episodes from 2002–2007.

Montalbán graced the stage regularly in between film and TV roles including a run of the Lena Horne Broadway musical Jamaica that lasted from 1957 to 1959. Montalbán also starred the weekly 30-minute radio program Lobo del Mar ( Seawolf ) that aired Spanish-speaking countries from the late sixties until the early 1970s.

Montalbán co-founded the Screen Actors Guild Ethnic Minority Committee with actors Carmen Zapata, Henry Darrow and Edith Diaz in 1972. He won an Emmy Award for his role in the miniseries How the West Was Won (1978) and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild in 1993. Montalbán’s last role was in an episode of American Dad! from 2009. It was aired posthumously.

Ricardo Montalbán played the kindly circus owner Señor Armando who saves Zira and Cornelius’s baby Milo in Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) the third of the five original Planet of the Apes movies. It starred Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter and Sal Mineo as the primate space travelers.

7. Kim Darby

Kim Darby played the title role in the first season episode “Miri,” which debuted on October 27, 1966. Set on a planet that is almost identical to earth, the teenaged Miri is one of the “onlies” who survived a virus that wiped out all the grups, or grownups. As soon as one of the children passes adolescence, the virus kicks in, and eats their sanity — and their lives.

Darby and Michael John Pollack, brought the fresh energy of the new generation to the original series. They were the same age as a lot of the viewers and brought an instant empathy. “Miri” is one of the best acted episodes on the series. But the generational gap between Grace Lee Whitney’s melodramatic Yeoman Janice Rand and Shatner’s over-attentive parental skipper, and the young actors is evident.

Even the kid who cries over his bike brings a new acting method. Most of the “onlies” were played by children of the series crew. William Shatner’s daughter Lisabeth, Grace Lee Whitney’s two sons, and Gene Roddenberry’s daughters joined Greg Morris’ ( Mission: Impossible ) kids Phil and Iona and John Megna, who also played Charles Baker “Dill” Harris in To Kill a Mockingbird in 1962 and would go on to play a young Hiram Roth in The Godfather: Part II , to fill in the town.

Kim Darby is best known for her role as Mattie Ross in the classic western True Grit (1969), which also starred movie legend John Wayne and future rhinestone cowboy Glenn Campbell. If you ever read the Mad magazine spoof “True Fat,” you know that Darby was able get through the whole picture without using contractions. A contraction is a convenient way to shorten a group of full words – which as you can see – I have not done in six possible spots in this clumsy paragraph you are reading. Now seven.

Darby was the daughter of the “Dancing Zerbies,” Inga and Jon, who nicknamed their daughter Derby. Darby danced and sang under the name Derby Zerby until she took the name Kim from the book by Rudyard Kipling and changed Derby to Darby and started acting. She made her screen debut as a dancer in Bye Bye Birdie (1963).

Darby also saddled up for the TV series Gunsmoke , Bonanza and The Road West , all in 1967. Her first TV role was on an episode of the NBC series Mr. Novak in 1963. She went on to guest star on The Eleventh Hour , The Fugitive , The Donna Reed Show , Ironside and The John Forsythe Show . In the seventies she appeared on Crazy Like a Fox , Family , The Love Boat , The Streets of San Francisco , Riptide , and Becker . She played the blind crime witness Stacia Clairborne in a 2014 episode of the series Perception .

Darby co-starred in the first television miniseries, Rich Man, Poor Man . She played Virginia Calderwood who wrote the dirtiest love letters in high society. Darby starred as Sally Farnham in the made-for-TV movie Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (1973). She also appeared in the feature motion pictures The One and Only (1978), Better Off Dead (1985), and Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995).

Kim Darby and William Shatner starred in the January 22, 1972 ABC Movie of the Week The People . The film was based on Zenna Henderson’s science fiction novella “Pottage,” with snippets of her stories “Ararat,” “Gilead,” and “Captivity.” Darby played Melodye Amerson, who teaches a bunch of telepathic aliens at a school in an isolated community. Darby also appeared on the “Sein und Zeit” episode of The X-Files in 1999. She played Kathy Lee Tencate who falsely cops to the murder of her son, who is one of several children who disappeared mysteriously.

6. Nancy Kovack

Nancy Kovack played the magical, mesmerizing Kahn-ut-tu woman Nona in the 1968 second season episode “A Private Little War.” Nona saves Kirk’s life after he is attacked by a mugato monster and all she asks in return is his soul.

Of all the seductions of the star fleet skipper, hers is my favorite. A combination or mysticism and herbal psychedelics, she really gets under the skin. Who cares if she’s Tyree’s woman, Nona bleeds for her conquests. Too bad she can’t use that magic to ward off the overly interested. Anyone else ever wonder if one of her attackers was Mickey Dolenz from the Monkees when you were a kid?

Nancy Kovak is probably best known for her role as Medea in the 1963 classic start-stop-motion picture adaptation of Jason and the Argonauts . She started out as one of the Glea Girls on The Jackie Gleason Show in the 1950s. She worked on all the major programming of the decade, including Perry Mason , I Dream of Jeannie , Batman , I Spy , Bewitched , Get Smart , and Hawaii Five-O . She was nominated for an Emmy Award for her turn in the title role on the Mannix episode “The Girl Who Came in with the Tide.”

Kovak is a good example of how small the guest acting troupe of the 1960s could be and how often Star Trek guests, and stars, overlapped. She appeared in an episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour that also featured Frank Gorshin and Richard Hale and an episode of Twelve O’Clock High that guest starred Gary Lockwood. She also appeared on Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea , concurrently with James Doohan, and Family Affair , which starred Brian Keith, who would guest star on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

Kovak was featured in two episodes of The Man from U.N.C.L.E . one that featured Yvonne Craig and another that starred Ricardo Montalban. She was in the 1964 “Parties to the Crime” episode of Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theater with Jeffrey Hunter and Sally Kellerman and the 1969 It Takes a Thief episode “38-23-26” with Malachi Throne. She was featured in the films Sylvia (1965) with Majel Barrett; Enter Laughing (1967) with Michael J. Pollard and the 1966 spy thriller The Silencers with Roger C. Carmel and James Gregory.

Kovack starred in the films Strangers When We Meet (1960), The Wild Westerners (1962) and the horror flick Diary of a Madman (1963). She was in the 1966 Elvis Presley movie Frankie and Johnny . She lightened it up with the 1965 Three Stooges comedy The Outlaws Is Coming .

Kovack married conductor Zubin Mehta. Interesting side note that may only be interesting to me, when the master orchestra leader conducted Frank Zappa’s classical pieces for the London Symphony Orchestra, Zappa cues him in by saying “Hit it Zube.”

Nancy Kovack played Teresa Stone, the wife of astronaut Clayton Stone, played by James Franciscus, in the science fiction masterpiece Marooned from 1969. The movie was directed by John Sturges and also starred Gregory Peck, Richard Crenna, David Janssen, Gene Hackman and fellow Star Trek guest actress Mariette Hartley. The film was based on the 1964 novel by Martin Caidin that told the story of three Gemini astronauts who can’t get back to earth and are suffocating in space.

The film updated it to the Apollo program and came out four months after the moon landing. It remains one of the most realistic science fiction films ever made. If you haven’t seen it, find it and remedy that.

5. Frank Gorshin

Frank Gorshin was the face of prejudice in the 1969 episode “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield.” Well, half of it anyway. He and Lou Antonio, probably best known as Koko in Cool Hand Luke , faced down the Enterprise command while they faced off against each other in an allegorical battlefield on race.

Gorshin brings a kind of imperial madness to Bele. Fighting a battle that ended in the mutual destruction of each of their races, he learns nothing. Bele is ever the aggressor as he brushes aside petty distractions like extinction. Gorshin’s Bele grieves for a heartbeat and then he’s back at his prisoner’s throat. He holds nothing back. Most actors want some part of their character to be liked, but Gorshin brings enough glee to his venom that you can tell he doesn’t care how much you hate him.

Gorshin is a fearless actor. He got that way doing standup and facing every kind of crowd. He was the comedian who went on The Ed Sullivan Show the night The Beatles premiered. That takes balls.

Gorshin is best known as the manic super-criminal The Riddler who terrorized Gotham City with cryptic clues on the original Batman TV series, although the affable John Astin quizzed the caped crusaders for one episode. Gorshin based The Riddler on Richard Widmark’s gleefully threatening Tommy Udo from the film noir classic Kiss of Death (1947).

Gorshin could barely speak English when he started doing impressions of the movie stars he watched while he was a teenaged usher at a Pittsburgh movie theater. He mimicked his way through nightclubs and the United States Army Special Services unit until he landed himself on screen.

Gorshin never stopped performing live. Gorshin’s made his big screen debut in Between Heaven and Hell and then made some B-movies like Hot Rod Girl (1956) and Dragstrip Girl (1957). He played the bass player Basil in the Connie Francis movie Where the Boys Are (1960). He snatched Hayley Mills’ kitty in That Darn Cat ! (1965). Gorshin played a mob boss behind bars in Otto Preminger’s Skidoo (1968).

On TV, he brought menace to The Untouchables , false valor to COMBAT! and comedy to all the variety shows. He also appeared on The Name of the Game (1969) Ironside (1974), Hawaii Five-O (1974), Get Christie Love! (1975), Charlie’s Angels (1977) and Wonder Woman (1977). The Edge of Night (1981–82), The Fall Guy (1984), Murder, She Wrote (1988) and Monsters (1989).

Gorshin’s last television appearance was in “Grave Danger,” an episode of the CBS series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation which aired two days after his death. The episode, which was directed by Quentin Tarantino, was dedicated to his memory. While he was known for his impressions, his role on CSI was as himself.

Gorshin appeared on Broadway in Jimmy (1969) and Guys and Dolls (1971). His role as George Burns in the hit one-man Broadway show Say Goodnight, Gracie (2002) was nominated for a 2003 Tony Award for best play

Like many comedians, Gorshin lived and died on the road. Early in his career he got into a car accident between gigs and lost the role of Petty Officer Ruby in Run Silent, Run Deep to Don Rickles. On April 25, 2005, Gorshin finished a Memphis road performance of Say Goodnight, Gracie and had difficulty breathing on the plane back to Los Angeles. Gorshin died on May 17, 2005, at age 72.

Gorshin played the drunken hustler Joe Gruen who stashes aliens bodies after a UFO crash in Saucer Men (1957). He also put his Tommy Udo in space when he played interplanetary assassin Seton Kellogg on the Buck Rogers in the 25th Century episode “Plot to Kill a City.” Gorshin played Dr. Owen Fletcher, who kept Madeleine Stowe’s psychiatrist Kathryn real in Terry Gilliam’s science fiction noir masterpiece 12 Monkeys (1995).

4. Teri Garr

Terri Garr played Roberta Lincoln, the harried, day-gig secretary to Gary Seven in the 1968 episode “Assignment: Earth.” The episode was made as a way to sneak a Gary Seven series onto TV without a pilot. Oh, they couldn’t say that, of course, but what the logical command exec could say was that Mr. Seven and Ms. Lincoln had some interesting experiences in store for them.

What can we say about Miss Lincoln that wasn’t put so eloquently on her computer files? Employed by Garys 347 and 201. She was 20 years old and wondered if she’d make thirty. She was five feet, seven inches and 120 pounds. Her hair was tinted honey-blonde for the Gary gig. Although her behavior appears erratic, she really has a high I.Q. She had interesting birthmarks.

Terri Garr is a more than just a roll in the hay with a young Frankenstein, she is a treasure who brings deeply kooky characters humanity and perception. We liked her in Tootsie no matter how big her teeth were. She knew when to say when to mashed potatoes in Close Encounters of the Third Kind . She really brought home the pressures of computing sales tax in a beehive bun in Martin Scorsese’s After Hours . The scene where she suddenly changed music from the Monkee’s “Last Train to Clarksville” to Joni Mitchell’s “Chelsea Morning” is a minor comic miracle. It was also possibly a nod to her first speaking role in a feature, in the Monkees film Head (1968), which was written by Jack Nicholson.

Garr started out as a dancer like her mom, who was a Rockette. Her father performed on the vaudeville circuit. Terri’s hips swiveled near Elvis in nine movies including Viva Las Vegas. She danced on rock and roll shows like the T.A.M.I. Show , Shindig! and Hullabaloo . She had an uncredited role on Batman, appeared on The Andy Griffith Show , Mayberry R.F.D. , It Takes a Thief , McCloud , M*A*S*H , The Bob Newhart Show , The Odd Couple , Maude , Barnaby Jones , and played Phoebe Abbott, the estranged birth mother of Phoebe Buffay, in three episodes of Friends .

In film, she was nominated for the Supporting Actress Oscar for Tootsie (1982) and also starred in Oh, God! (1977), The Black Stallion (1979), Mr. Mom  (1983), The Sting II (1983), and Let It Ride (1989). Garr is National Ambassador for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and National Chair for the Society’s Women Against MS program (WAMS). She disclosed that she suffered from the disease in October 2002.

Terri Garr was Richard Dreyfus’s short-suffering wife in Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). Written and directed by Steven Spielberg, the film reinvigorated science fiction movies with the most positive vision of extraterrestrial relations since Star Trek itself. Garr was more scientifically fictional as the lab assistant Inga in Young Frankenstein (1974), a timeless classic of science fiction horror comedy. Mel Brooks’ lab raised the standard of cinematic biomedical accoutrements.

3. Ted Cassidy

Ted Cassidy is full of surprises. He lent his deep voice to several great characters on Star Trek . He provided the voice for the false face Balok presented in “The Corbomite Maneuver” before it turned out to be the kid from Gentle Ben , Opie Cunningham’s little brother. He played the android Ruk in the episode “What Are Little Girls Made Of?” He was also the voice of the Gorn in the episode “Arena.”

Three classic characters, as deep and rich as the actor’s dulcet tones. We can still hear him promising to be “merciful and quick” or determining an equation while pushing Kirk’s head through a rock ceiling. Cassidy’s presence is undeniable. But the Star Trek references continue. He was a goon on the very first episode of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. It was called “The Vulcan Affair.”

Cassidy is best known for playing Lurch on The Addams Family , who he also played on the Batman episode “The Penguin’s Nest” and on The New Scooby-Doo Movies (1972). He is only slightly less known for also lending his hand to the role of Thing. While it is pretty much common knowledge that he only mimed playing the harpsichord on the show, he was actually a very good keyboardist.

You probably also didn’t know he was regularly voicing Hanna-Barbera cartoons while he was doing The Addams Family or that he recorded a dance tune, called “The Lurch,” that he got to perform on the same Shindig! that Boris Karloff did the “Monster Mash.” And it might surprise you that Cassidy was a child genius who was in third grade by the time he was six and hit high school and 6 feet 1 inch by the time he was 11.

Cassidy started as a disc jockey on WFAA in Dallas and was broadcasting when President Kennedy was assassinated. Cassidy got some of the earliest eye witness reports when he interviewed W.E. Newman, Jr. and Gayle Newman.

Cassidy’s first TV role was the lowest of budget science fiction. He played an outer space creature named Creech on WFAA-TV’s “Dialing for Dollars” segments that ran between the afternoon movies. He went on to appear as Injun Joe on The New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn , Gentle Sam on Daniel Boone and Mr. Ted, the muscular flower gardener on The Beverly Hillbillies . Cassidy also played Jeannie’s cousin and her sister’s master on two different episodes of I Dream of Jeannie . He also narrated the opening and assorted grunts and growls on The Incredible Hulk .

Cassidy was in the movies Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), the first pair-up between Paul Newman and Robert Redford, Mackenna’s Gold (1969), The Limit (1972), Charcoal Black (1972), The Slams (1973), Thunder County (1974), Harry and Walter Go to New York (1976), The Last Remake of Beau Geste (1977) – an underrated and very silly Marty Feldman movie – and Goin’ Coconuts (1978).

Cassisdy co-wrote the script to the 1973 college orgy movie The Harrad Experiment with Michael Werner. Cassidy died on January 16, 1979 at age 46.

It probably isn’t surprising that Cassidy did more than his share of science fiction. He appeared in the Lost in Space episode “The Thief from Outer Space” with Malachi Throne, who usually starred in It Takes a Thief and who appeared in Star Trek ’s “The Menagerie.”

Cassidy appeared in the pilots for Gene Roddenberry’s Genesis II and Planet Earth as Isiah. He replaced André the Giant as The Six Million Dollar Man ’s resident Bigfoot in “The Return of Bigfoot” (1976), and “Bigfoot V” (1977). Cassidy voiced Meteor Man in Birdman and the Galaxy Trio , and Ben Grimm, the other Thing in The New Fantastic Four . He did temporary voice tracks for the TV movie pilot for Battlestar Galactica .

Cassidy also did the voice of Godzilla, the king of all monsters, in the 1979 Hanna Barbera/Toho cartoon series Godzilla .

2. Gary Lockwood

Gary Lockwood played the helmsman Lieutenant Commander Gary Mitchell in the second pilot episode “Where No Man Has Gone Before” (1966) which also co-starred Sally Kellerman. The pair thought they were god-like after shiny space junk triggered extreme abilities like telekinesis and telepathy. Star Trek incorporated paranormal activities that can be activated in mortals and explored inner and outer space and found that the depths of each were boundless. Star Trek ’s first episode promised great things.

Gary Lockwood started out as a stuntman before he got a bit part in Warlock (1959), a western, not a horror movie. He got his first real credit in the Elvis Presley movie Wild in the Country from 1961. He would also turn up in Elvis’ 1963 musical-comedy It Happened at the World’s Fair . He first got noticed for his supporting role in Splendor in the Grass (1961).

Lockwood’s first two TV series, Follow the Sun and Bus Stop , each only last a season in 1961. Lockwood also played a soldier with a crush on Mary Stone (Shelley Fabares) on The Donna Reed Show . All three shows were on ABC. For CBS he starred in an episode of the anthology series The Lloyd Bridges Show and in the “The Case of the Playboy Pugilist” episode of Perry Mason in 1963.

Lockwood first worked with Gene Roddenberry when he played Lieutenant William T. Rice in the NBC series The Lieutenant , which co-starred The Man from U.N.C.L.E. ’s Robert Vaughn as Captain Raymond Rambridge. It ran from 1963-1964 and was cancelled after 29 episodes.

He also appeared on 12 O’Clock High in three episodes including “V For Vendetta,” The Kraft Mystery Theater , The Legend of Jesse James , The Long Hot Summer and Gunsmoke with James Arness. Lockwood co-starred with his then-wife Stefanie Powers on an episode of Love, American Style and guest starred with her and Robert Wagner on the “Emily by Hart” episode of the series Hart to Hart .

Gary Lockwood played Dr. Frank Poole, one of the two astronauts in 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Stanley Kubrick’s science fiction masterpiece based on Arthur C. Clarke’s short story “The Sentinel.” 2001 might be the only film more influential on the development of science fiction than Star Trek itself. Without 2001, there would be no Star Wars, no Close Encounters of the Third Kind , Alien , Blade Runner , Contact nor The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension . There might not even be a Steven Spielberg or a George Lucas. Well, they would have been born, but may never have taken to space.

Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey was truly groundbreaking. It rendered everything that came before it in science fiction obsolete. The man who some believe faked the moon landing didn’t just change movies, he changed technology. The HAL 9000, one letter removed from IBM, invented Siri. The astronauts went to the space station and the spaceship Discovery on a space shuttle that looked astonishingly like the one that would one day be invented and developed for exactly that reason. They even had the first iPads.

2001: A Space Odyssey could be a silent film. It opens and closes with almost half-hour long sequences without any dialogue and the dialogue that is in the film is so sanitized it is almost insipidly unnecessary. Also, the movie trusted itself so much they never had to show an alien, they just had to let the audience know that the possibility existed.

1. James Gregory

James Gregory played Tantalus director Tristan Adams in the season 1 episode “Dagger of the Mind,” which first aired November 3, 1966. Developing a machine called the neutralizer at a rehabilitation facility for the criminally insane, Dr. Adams is one of the best mad scientists on sixties television. He brainwashes his assistant Van Elder until he can’t get through his own name and then makes the captain worship him as a god and weep over a neglected Noel at a Christmas party. The power-mad psychiatrist ultimately loses his mind to the neutralizer. The episode also showed Spock doing the Vulcan mind meld for the first time.

Gregory is a no-nonsense professional artist who never lost his Bronx accent. He spent 83 days in Okinawa during his three-year stint in the Navy and Marine Corps during WWII. Gregory made his Broadway debut with acting legends Paul Muni and Jose Ferrar in a 1939 production of Key Largo . That play would be brought to the screen with Humphrey Bogart and Edward G. Robison in the roles.

Gregory was also in the original cast of The Desperate Hours that prompted Bogart to bring Paul Newman’s then-signature stage role to life on film. He also acted in All My Sons , played Biff in Death of a Salesman on Broadway through five different actors playing Willy Loman, including Lee J. Cobb.

Starting in 1939, Gregory worked in over 25 Broadway productions over sixteen years. He made his motion picture debut in Naked City in 1948. Gregory acted with everyone. He held his own with screen icons from Sinatra, Presley, Barbara Streisand and John Wayne, as well as acting legends like Claude Raines, Vincent Price, Barbara Stanwyck, Angela Lansbury, Andy Griffith, Kim Hunter, Robert Montgomery and Lillian Gish.

Gregory shocked audiences when his Morgan Hastings character cold-bloodedly killed his own son in The Sons of Katie Elder . He also played Sgt. Schaeffer in the sixties gangster classic Al Capone , starring Rod Steiger. Gregory starred as Cmdr. C.R. Ritchie, John F. Kennedy’s commanding officer in the film PT 109 (1963) with Cliff Robertson. He was Dean Martin’s spy boss MacDonald, in the Matt Helm detective film series.

Starting in the mid-fifties, Gregory put in appearances on almost every major live TV production on both coasts. He set a record for acting in five live productions in 10 days. He also did radio work, including a starring role as Captain Vincent J. Cronin on 21st Precinct. Gregory was the lead Det. Barney Ruditsky in the 1959-61 television series The Lawless Years .

Gregory brought the same work ethic to taped television, being featured or guest starring in Twilight Zone , Columbo , McCloud , The Big Valley, Gunsmoke , Bonanza , The Virginian and Playhouse 90 . He played the comic Major Duncan on F Troop, President Ulysses S. Grant on The Wild, Wild West and would go on to play Iron Guts Kelley, a five-star general with a lucky gun, on M*A*S*H .

He based his most known character on Barney Ruditsky, a famous New York City rackets detective from the 1920s. Gregory played the brusque but wildly sentimental Inspector Luger for eight seasons on Barney Miller . The perennial bachelor spent Thanksgivings eating heated up leftovers, forged credentials on mail-order bride orders and almost took one in the head from the same sniper that Wojo ducked. He loved those guys.

James Gregory paid his science fiction dues on Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents , but he became SciFi legend when General Ursus proclaimed “the only good human is a dead human” in Beneath the Planet of the Apes . Gregory tosses off a grandiose tour de force from the top of a horse. His eyes under the gorilla makeup are a wonder in the scene where Dr. Zaius steals his glory by bravely confronting the bleeding Lawgiver. All the actors in the original Planet of the Apes movies managed to bring humanity to their primates, but Gregory mined his primal urges to celebrate the animal. He is feral. He is an ape among apes.

The Manchurian Candidate , directed by John Frankenheimer and starring Frank Sinatra and Laurence Harvey, is one of the greatest films of all times. Remembered as a taut political thriller it has the heart of a science fiction classic. The film explores the science of brainwashing. The mechanics of breaking down all the men under Sergeant Marco’s command is told with astonishing accuracy because it was based on extremely well-researched source material.

The 1959 book by Richard Condon is even more shocking than the movie. The film is a wonder of psychological traps laid bare by some of the best camerawork in motion picture history. Gregory’s Sen. John Iselin is despicable. One of the worst creatures to ever crawl out of the swamp that is Washington DC and the actor goes to town with it. He is as real as the headlines of the day. 

Tony Sokol | @tsokol

Culture Editor Tony Sokol is a writer, playwright and musician. He contributed to Altvariety, Chiseler, Smashpipe, and other magazines. He is the TV Editor at Entertainment…

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22 Famous Star Trek Quotes that Will Live Forever

If you haven’t watched Star Trek , you’ve at least heard about it. The sci-fi television series created by Gene Roddenberry has earned millions of fans over the years.

Roddenberry was allegedly inspired by Gulliver's Travels and a TV series called Wagon Train to create Star Trek.  Each episode of the series is built as an incredible adventure, but also as a morality tale, considering that the episodes depict cultural realities and conflicts like war and peace, sexism, human rights, religion, economics, loyalty, racism and technology.

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Due to this approach, Star Trek is not only about space adventure and exploration. The franchise is also recognized for being one of the first TV series with a multiracial cast and applauded for its attitude toward civil rights.

The Star Trek world was full of wisdom and great lines, but here are 22 of the most meaningful quotes from its characters . 

A man either lives life as it happens to him, meets it head-on and licks it, or he turns his back on it and starts to wither away. -- Dr. Boyce

Logic is the beginning of wisdom, not the end. -- Spock

You may find that having is not so pleasing a thing as wanting. This is not logical, but it is often true. -- Spock

Live now ; make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again. -- Jean-Luc Picard

Sometimes a feeling is all we humans have to go on. -- Captain Kirk

With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censored, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably. -- Jean-Luc Picard

The prejudices people feel about each other disappear when they get to know each other. -- Captain Kirk

If we're going to be damned, let's be damned for what we really are. -- Jean-Luc Picard

Insufficient facts always invite danger. -- Spock

Perhaps man wasn't meant for paradise. Maybe he was meant to claw, to scratch all the way. -- Captain Kirk

In critical moments, men sometimes see exactly what they wish to see. -- Spock

Compassion: that's the one thing no machine ever had. Maybe it's the one thing that keeps men ahead of them. -- Dr. McCoy

Change is the essential process of all existence. -- Spock

Without followers, evil cannot spread. -- Spock

Our species can only survive if we have obstacles to overcome . You remove those obstacles. Without them to strengthen us, we will weaken and die. -- Captain Kirk

Curious, how often you humans manage to obtain that which you do not want. -- Spock

One man cannot summon the future. But one man can change the present! -- Spock

To all mankind -- may we never find space so vast, planets so cold, heart and mind so empty that we cannot fill them with love and warmth. -- Garth

You know the greatest danger facing us is ourselves, and irrational fear of the unknown. There is no such thing as the unknown. Only things temporarily hidden, temporarily not understood. -- Captain Kirk

A species that enslaves other beings is hardly superior -- mentally or otherwise. -- Captain Kirk

Now, I don't pretend to tell you how to find happiness and love, when every day is a struggle to survive. But I do insist that you do survive, because the days and the years ahead are worth living for! -- Edith Keeler

Live long and prosper! -- Spock

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Woman with twin boys and a black and white picture of actor Cole Sprouse.

Mother's Day is celebrated with flowers, heartfelt cards, and family gatherings. It's a day dedicated to honoring the women who raised us, yet for many, it's a day filled with mixed emotions.

The bond between a mother and child is often seen as sacred, but not everyone has that idyllic relationship with their mom. If you find Mother's Day challenging, you're not alone.

Cole Sprouse's Strained Relationship with His Mother

Many people know Cole Sprouse from his work on the Disney Channel's The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and later on the hit show Riverdale . However, behind the scenes, his relationship with his mother, Melanie Wright, was far from perfect.

Cole and his twin brother, Dylan Sprouse, became child stars at a young age when they starred in Adam Sandler's Big Daddy . But their early success came with challenges that shaped the rest of their lives.

Cole's mother had aspirations for her sons' careers and saw their acting success as a way to find both artistic recognition and financial stability. In a 2023 interview on the Diary of a CEO podcast, Cole described his mother as "the tortured artist type" who struggled with mental health and addiction.

"This industry encourages the worst qualities of you as a person: selfishness, greed. A lot of these things that we have come to know as cardinal sins. It’s one of those things that encouraged a kind of selfishness that’s directly opposed to the fundamental idea of motherhood. And as I grew older, in my case, the court had to step in and send my brother and me towards my father." - Cole Sprouse

As her erratic behavior became more severe, it affected the family's financial stability and eventually led to Melanie Wright losing custody of her children.Cole's father stepped in to provide a more stable environment, allowing the twins to continue their acting careers while regaining a sense of normalcy.

However, the scars of his mother's struggles left a lasting impact on Cole. With time and distance, the now 31-year-old shared that he does not "blame" his mother, but though we may forgive, that doesn't mean we necessarily forget.

So what do you do when you don't want to live in the past, but don't know how to move forward?

Navigating Boundaries with "Mother Wounds" In Toxic Relationships

Not every mother-child relationship is healthy, and sometimes setting boundaries is the best way to cope with toxic behavior. These toxic behaviors can be subtle and challenging to identify, especially when they come from someone who should offer love and support. If interactions with your mother leave you feeling drained, confused, or constantly judged, you might be experiencing what is often called a "mother wound."

Common signs of toxic parents include manipulative behavior, controlling tendencies, constant criticism, or creating an environment where you feel like you're "walking on eggshells." If these traits sound familiar, it's essential to establish and enforce boundaries to protect your mental and emotional well-being. Although setting boundaries can feel uncomfortable, it's a crucial step in reclaiming your sense of self-worth and finding peace of mind.

Remember, setting boundaries with a toxic parent isn't about blame or changing them; it's about taking control of your response to harmful behaviors. You can choose to limit contact, skip family gatherings, or even cut ties if that's what's best for you. These boundaries can be a lifeline, helping you heal from your "mother wound" and move forward without guilt or anxiety.

Finding Support and Creating New Traditions

If Mother's Day is difficult for you, know that seeking support is a healthy response. Just as Cole Sprouse found stability with his brother, father, and the acting community, you can find support through friends, family, or therapy. Organizations like Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families (ACA) provide a safe space to talk about your feelings and share your story with people who understand. Whether through therapy, support groups, or a circle of close friends, connecting with others can help you feel less isolated.

Given the variety of reasons why Mother's Day can be painful, it's crucial to find your own way to navigate the day. Traditional celebrations might not resonate with you, and that's okay. Consider creating new traditions that bring you joy. This might include spending time with people who feel like family, engaging in activities that bring you peace, or even volunteering to help others in need. Mother's Day doesn't have to be about conventional celebrations. It's about honoring your journey and creating new memories that reflect your values and desires.

Mother's Day is just one day on the calendar. It doesn't define you or your relationship with your mother. Allow yourself to feel whatever emotions arise, without judgment or pressure to conform to societal expectations. If you need to take a break from social media or avoid certain topics, give yourself permission to do so.

You are not alone. Many people have complex relationships with their mothers. As you navigate Mother's Day in your unique way, remember that you have the power to shape your own future. Focus on what brings you joy and strength, and know that you can create a life that reflects your values and dreams. By doing so, you honor your journey and create a future that brings you comfort and strength.

Man Spending His Birthday All Alone Calls 911 - He Didn't Think Cops Would Show Up

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Two Barbershop Owners Chase Lost Girl Down The Street

At the Look Sharp Barbershop, Rafael Santana and Osvaldo Lugo were known for their precision haircuts, but one afternoon, they had to use their quick reflexes for a whole different kind of emergency.

A flash of pink passed by the window, and suddenly the barbers were racing out the door, scissors abandoned, to save a life.

They Sprung Into "Dad Mode"

Rafael Santana and Osvaldo Lugo were working through a typical afternoon at the Look Sharp Barbershop when the ordinary suddenly turned urgent.

Santana, a father of four, glimpsed a blur of pink racing down the sidewalk. Instantly, he knew something was wrong. When he saw the little girl running alone and heading towards a busy intersection, he shouted to Lugo, and both barbers dropped their clippers and sprinted out the door. As the pair chased after the girl, it felt like time was stretching out.

"I kept thinking to myself, 'You better get to her on time.'" Osvaldo Lugo

Despite the potential danger, the barbers' fatherly instincts kicked in, propelling them forward in this heart pounding race. Lugo's surveillance camera recorded the entire dramatic chase, capturing the urgency and determination in every step.

In the video, you can see Santana and Lugo swiftly closing the distance between themselves and the child, with seconds to spare. Fortunately, they managed to intercept her just before she reached the crosswalk. It was a close call, but their quick reflexes and courageous actions made all the difference. Take a look for yourself.

Watch Osvaldo Lugo's Video:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Osvaldo Lugo (@obthebarber)

Then The Police Department Stepped In...To Thank Them!

After Rafael Santana and Osvaldo Lugo's courageous act saved a child from running into traffic, the impact of their quick-thinking reverberated throughout East Hartford. The local police department didn't waste time acknowledging the bravery of these two barbers. Within hours, the East Hartford Police Department posted a heartfelt message on their official Facebook page , publicly commending Santana and Lugo for their swift action and calling them heroes.

The post, which quickly garnered attention from the community, praised the barbers for their decisive response in a critical moment. "Heroic Barbers to the Rescue!" the post began, highlighting the quick-thinking actions of Santana and Lugo that prevented what could have been a devastating incident. The police department made it clear that the actions of these two men had not only saved a child's life but also demonstrated the power of everyday heroes in the community.

But the recognition didn't stop there. The police department took an extra step by awarding both Santana and Lugo with hero certificates, an honor typically reserved for citizens who go above and beyond to keep their community safe. This public show of appreciation not only demonstrated the significance of their actions but also reminded others the importance of staying vigilant and looking out for one another.

Despite the recognition, Santana and Lugo remained humble. "We did this out of love, and we'd do it a million times again," Santana said. "We protect and serve our community at all costs."

Not All Heroes Wear Capes — But Sometimes They Have A Pretty Sick Fade

Not all heroes wear capes, but sometimes they have clippers and a fresh fade.

Rafael Santana and Osvaldo Lugo might be known for their styling skills, but now they're also known for their swift actions and heroism. The certificates hanging in their barbershop serve as a reminder that heroes are all around us, and sometimes, the people you trust with your hair might be the same ones who could save your life.

"We're just dads with lucky timing," Lugo said, emphasizing that their heroic act was instinctual. Santana agreed, saying that being a father makes you alert to the world around you.

As the barbers returned to their chairs, they knew they'd done more than just save a haircut that day — they'd saved a life. The barbershop's regulars now have a story to tell, and it's not just about a great cut. It's about two barbers who became heroes when it mattered most.

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Introduction

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic sci-fi show take a look at some of the guest stars the show brought in who ended up being household names.

Long before Tom Hardy starred opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in films like “Inception” and “The Revenant,” he played Shinzon, the villain in “Star Trek: Nemesis.” Shinzon was a clone of Patrick Stewart’s Jean-Luc Picard.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

An appearance on “Star Trek: Voyager” was one of the first non-wrestling roles that Dwayne Johnson took. He played the Pendari Champion who defeated Jeri Ryan’s Seven of Nine in combat.

Kim Cattrall

Before playing the fabulous Samantha Jones on “Sex and the City,” Kim Cattrall donned prosthetic ears to play the Vulcan helmsman Valeris in “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.”

Kirsten Dunst

“Spider-Man” and “Fargo” star Kirsten Dunst appeared in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” at the age of 11. She played Hedril, a young member of a telepathic alien race known as the Cairn.

Christopher Lloyd

Most well-known for his role as Emmett “Doc” Brown in the “Back to the Future” trilogy, Christopher Lloyd also played the Klingon Commander Kruge in “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.”

Christian Slater

Christian Slater played an unnamed officer in “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.” Slater is known for “Interview with a Vampire,” “True Romance,” and most recently “Mr. Robot.”

Sarah Silverman

Comedian Sarah Silverman appeared in an episode of “Star Trek: Voyager” where the crew was sent back in time on Earth. Silverman played a scientist based in Los Angeles.

Jason Alexander

“Seinfeld’s” Jason Alexander also appeared on “Star Trek: Voyager” as Kurros, a member of a group of scholars who traversed the galaxy looking for employment in solving problems.

Teri Hatcher

“Desperate Housewives” and “Lois and Clark” star Teri Hatcher appeared in an episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” as a Starfleet lieutenant.

Kelsey Grammer

Frasier himself, Kelsey Grammer, appeared in an episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” as the captain of ship caught in a time loop and on a collision course with the Enterprise.

Bebe Neuwirth

Kelsey Grammer’s TV wife — Bebe Neuwirth — also appeared on “The Next Generation.” She played an alien nurse who promised to help Commander Riker escape confinement in exchange for sexual favors.

Kirstie Alley

Another “Cheers” star — Kirstie Alley — played Saavik in “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.”

Jeffrey Dean Morgan

Jeffrey Dean Morgan is familiar with playing the villian. Before he was cast as baseball bat-wielding Negan in “The Walking Dead,” Morgan played a Xindi-Reptillian tasked with destroying Earth in “Star Trek: Enterprise.”

Iggy Pop, the punk legend who created “The Passenger,” “Search and Destroy” and more, appeared in “Star Trek: Deep Space 9” as a Vorta negotiator named Yelgrun.

Famke Janssen

Eight years before Famke Janssen and Patrick Stewart would star together in “X-Men” the actress appeared in an episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” where she seduced Stewart’s Jean-Luc Picard.

Seth Macfarlane

Based on the sheer number of references in his shows “Family Guy,” “American Dad” and films “Ted” and “Ted 2,” it’s evident that Seth Macfarlane is a Trekkie. Happily, Macfarlane was able to appear in two episodes of “Star Trek: Enterprise” as a Starfleet engineer.

“NewsRadio” alum Andy Dick was in an episode of “Star Trek: Voyager” as a holographic ship doctor.

Ashley Judd

“Heat” and “Divergent” star Ashley Judd guest starred in two episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” Judd also had her first on-screen kiss on the show with Wil Wheaton’s Wesley Crusher.

Terry O’Quinn

Before Terry O’Quinn headed to the island in “Lost” as John Locke, he appeared in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” as an admiral and friend of William Riker.

Daniel Dae Kim

Another “Lost” alum appeared in “Star Trek.” Daniel Dae Kim, who would go on to play Jin in “Lost,” appeared in an episode of “Star Trek: Voyager” and later as a different character in three episodes of “Star Trek: Enterprise.”

Vanessa Williams

“Eraser” and “Shaft” star Vanessa Williams guest starred on “Star Trek: Deep Space 9” as Arandis, an inhabitant of a pleasure planet.

Stephen Hawking

Theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking appeared in an episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” as a holographic version of himself playing poker with Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton.

“Parks and Recreation” and “Step Brothers” star Adam Scott had a blink and you’ll miss it role in “Star Trek: First Contact” as a crew member.

Kurtwood Smith

“That 70s Show’s” Kurtwood Smith has appeared in numerous Star Trek projects. He was an Efrosian Federation president in “Star Trek VI: Undiscovered Country,” as the predecessor to Odo in an episode of “Star Trek: Deep Space 9,” and as Annorax in two episodes of “Star Trek: Voyager.”

Mick Fleetwood

Mick Fleetwood, of Fleetwood Mac fame, underwent heavy make-up for a role in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” as an Antedean dignitary.

Tom Bergeron

Tom Bergeron, host of both “Dancing with the Stars” and “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” appeared in two separate episodes of “Star Trek: Enterprise.”

Jane Wiedlin

“Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home” featured a cameo from Trekkie and The Go-Go’s vocalist Jane Wiedlin.

The former “Entertainment Tonight” host and musician played a Klingon hologram who helped Worf complete his second right of ascension ceremony.

Tom Morello

Tom Morello, of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave fame, appeared twice in the “Star Trek” universe. He had a small cameo in the “Star Trek: Insurrection” and then appeared in an episode of “Star Trek: Voyager.”

Corbin Bernsen

“L.A. Law” and “Psych” alum Corbin Bernsen played a member of the omnipotent Q Continuum in an episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”

James Avery

“Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s” Uncle Phil, James Avery, played a Klingon general in an episode of “Star Trek: Enterprise.”

Paul Sorvino

Paul Sorvino, who starred in “Goodfellas,” “Romeo + Juliet” and the father of Mira Sorvino, played Worf’s foster brother in an episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”

Billy Burke

“Twilight” star and “Revolution” alum Billy Burke made his first TV appearance on an episode of “Star Trek: Deep Space 9” as a Cardassian soldier.

Abdullah II ibn al Hussein

Perhaps the most powerful guest star to appear in the show, King of Jordan Abdullah II ibn al Hussein had a non-speaking role in “Star Trek: Voyager” while he was still a prince.

John Larroquette

Best known for playing a lecherous lawyer on “Night Court,” John Larroquette played the Klingon Maltz in “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.”

Neal McDonough

Before “Arrow” and “Marvel: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D,” Neal McDonough played Lt. Hawk in “Star Trek: First Contact.”

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Which Star Trek Captain Has the Best Managerial Technique?

It’s impossible to be objective when selecting your favorite Star Trek captain. It requires making a call wrapped up in sentiment and timing. Which captain did you first encounter? Which one best reflected back to you the person you wanted to be? It’s easier to try to attempt a clear-eyed consideration of which one would be the best boss. Sure, there are captains sure to take you on wild adventures, but would you enjoy the ride if your life depended on their decision-making? On the flip side, there are captains that could get the job done without really inspiring that much enthusiasm, the Starfleet equivalent of a decent boss who clearly spends the back half of every shift with an eye on the clock.

It’s a worthwhile thought exercise, and one at the heart of Star Trek: Discovery , which focuses not on a captain but Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), a science officer struggling to work her way back from a snap judgment that ended with her in disgrace. Burnham has so far served under several captains, and the series has depicted the effect this has had on both her and the officers around her. (And, thus, has more entries below than any other version of Trek .) We considered the captains featured in various film and TV branches of the Star Trek universe, including Star Trek: Lower Decks ’ animated captain, and tried to rank them based on who would provide the best work experience — and who would be most likely to bring you back home in one piece.

12. Captain Philippa Georgiou, Mirror Universe (Michelle Yeoh)

Seen in: star trek: discovery.

Managerial style: Imperious and unforgiving, though that description is complicated by the fact that being imperious and unforgiving is baked into her main mirror universe job as emperor of the Terran Empire. (Or, more accurately, her job as Imperial Majesty, Mother of the Fatherland, Overlord of Vulcan, Dominos of Qo’noS, Regina Andor, Philippa Goergiou Augustus Iaponius Centarius.) There, she fought for and won the top spot in a kill-or-be-killed system in which might makes right, and deception and backstabbing are the norm; to that end, she expects those working under her to understand the rules of the game. In other words, she’s awful. But, on the other hand, she really seems to enjoy being awful, not to mention the fringe benefits of having clawed her way to the top (fine food, sex slaves, etc.). Those who can get on her murderous wavelength might also have a good time — for as long as it lasts.

Key career moment: When the always adaptive Emperor Georgiou made her way from the mirror universe to the prime Star Trek universe she used the opportunity to save the day after getting thrown into a battle between the Federation and the Klingons. But this wasn’t a simple heel-face turn; as always, it was more a matter of calculation than altruism. The move won her freedom from those who knew her true origins and earned her a spot in the Federation’s super-secretive deep-state operation Section 31. What could possibly go wrong?

Would she be a good boss? Put simply, working for this Philippa Georgiou, at least in the mirror universe that made her, would mean constantly fearing for your life as part of a pitiless, fascist organization hell-bent on conquering the universe with little regard for its employees’ quality of life. (Actually, when it’s all spelled out like that, it sounds like a pretty easy transition from corporate America.)

11. Captain Gabriel Lorca (Jason Isaacs)

Managerial style: In a word, cryptic. After she’s accepted aboard the Discovery following her mutinous turn against her mentor Captain Georgiou (the prime universe one, not the evil dictator; more below), Michael Burnham spends much of Discovery ’s first season trying to figure out what’s up with her new captain, a man fond of fortune cookies and averse to bright lights and chairs. Pro: Lorca took a chance on her when no one else would. Con: He also seems kind of evil. That likelihood aside — and it’s eventually revealed that, spoiler ahead, he made his way to the prime universe from the mirror universe after somehow taking the original Lorca’s place — he commanded the Discovery with curiosity, a sure hand, and an apparent sense of fairness. Shame about all the murder and scheming.

Key career moment: The season one episode “Into the Forest I Go” captures every side of Captain Lorca as he bravely goes into battle against Klingons, questionably decides to risk the health of a crew member (and with him, the whole crew) to win the battle, then takes everyone into the mirror universe to further his scheme of galactic conquest. It’s quite a journey, and one that reveals his true self at the end.

Would he be a good boss? No, but serving under Lorca would never be boring.

10. Captain Christopher Pike (Jeffrey Hunter)

Seen in: star trek: the original series.

Managerial style: Glum as hell. Some behind-the-scenes info: Jeffrey Hunter’s Captain Pike was supposed to be the protagonist of the original Star Trek series. NBC passed, but gave Gene Roddenberry the unusual opportunity to make a second pilot, this one featuring the now-familiar classic series cast (with only Leonard Nimoy’s Mr. Spock sticking around). But Roddenberry wasn’t done with Pike or the original pilot. It became central to the two-part episode “The Menagerie,” which recounts Pike and the Enterprise ’s adventures on Talos IV, home to the Talosians and their reality-bending psychic powers. Hunter’s a fine actor, but it’s not hard to see why NBC was reluctant to green-light a series focusing on Pike, who’s introduced complaining about the burden of command. “You bet I’m tired,” he tells the ship’s doctor. “Tired of being responsible for 203 lives. Tired of deciding which mission is too risky and which isn’t and who’s going on the landing party and who doesn’t. And who lives … and who dies.” He sounds ready to boldly curl up in a fetal position.

Key career moment: The signature moment for this incarnation of Pike comes at the end of the episode when, having been burned and disfigured beyond recognition, he’s allowed to return to Talos IV and live out his days in the unreal paradise he rejected years before, even though he already seemed pretty much over reality as we know it from the start.

Would he be a good boss? Spock and the others seem to respect him, so perhaps his doubts don’t interfere with his ability to command, even if working under him seems like it would make for a pretty weary trudge through the cosmos.

9. Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula)

Seen in: star trek: enterprise.

Managerial style: Archer’s chill, which is both his greatest strength as a leader and occasionally his greatest weakness. A former Boy Scout, lifelong water-polo enthusiast, and caring dog owner, Archer sometimes seems like he’s happy enough to be exploring the stars but might be even happier if he was just hanging out and shooting the breeze with some pals. This might be more impression than reality; Star Trek lore has him going on to become a decorated admiral and to be regarded as one of the greatest explorers in the early days of Starfleet and he certainly does a lot of exploring during the show’s four-season run. But Scott Bakula rarely plays him as a man who has greatness in his future. Archer usually seems a little annoyed that the Enterprise ’s adventures have cut into his downtime. He’s not as melancholy as Jeffrey Hunter’s Captain Pike, but he occasionally seems just as checked out. Nonetheless, he was always good in a crisis, and could be a surprisingly shrewd diplomatic. It just always seemed to take a major event to stir his interest.

Key career moment: In the second-season episode “A Night in Sickbay,” Archer hangs out with his ailing dog Porthos when he should be tending to his diplomatic duties. It borders on dereliction of duty, even if it is pretty endearing. It’s also a pretty good encapsulation of how Archer’s mind works.

Would he be a good boss? Sure. Probably. Why not? He’d be okay enough.

8. Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine)

Seen in: star trek , star trek into darkness , star trek beyond.

Managerial style: If you like predictability, order, rules, regulations, and military precision, the last place you’d want to be is the Kelvin Universe Enterprise under the command of James T. Kirk. Chris Pine’s just-getting-started Kirk is young, impetuous, and brilliant — but mostly young and impetuous. It’s smart work, playing like the Kirk we know from the original Star Trek run before any of the rough edges had gotten sanded off. Pine’s Kirk is a lot of fun to watch, but it also seems like serving under him would be terrifying most of the time.

Key career moment: Forced to choose between rescuing an alien race and violating the Prime Directive in the opening scenes of Star Trek Into Darkness , Kirk barely seems to consider it a choice at all. It’s just the first of many times he breaks the rules over the course of the film (plus its predecessor and successor). Sure, it all works out (even if Kirk does briefly wind up dead later in the movie), but it could have gone horribly wrong. This Kirk commands from the gut, occasionally while listening to Beastie Boys. He’s cool and fun, but…

Would he be a good boss? … Do you really want to work for a Starfleet captain best described as “cool” and “fun” while exploring the furthest reaches of a dangerous universe?

7. Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis)

Seen in: star trek: lower decks.

Managerial style: Directness defines Captain Freeman’s command style. She knows exactly what she wants and she’s not afraid to ask for it, sometimes forcefully. She’s no-nonsense but not in a power trip–y way. She just wants things to run smoothly even if experience has taught her that it never does. (Or, at least it never does onboard the second-tier U.S.S. Cerritos , the California class starship she commands.)

Key career moment: Commanding a ship on which her gifted-but-rebellious daughter, Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome), is serving as an ensign has been a continual challenge for Captain Freeman, forcing her to balance her duties as captain against her concerns as a mother. She’s mostly opted to model good behavior for her daughter by following the rules of Starfleet. In Lower Decks ’ third-season premiere, Mariner and her pals take desperate, and illegal, measures to clear Captain Freeman of a crime she’s been wrongly accused of. Ultimately, the system works, making Mariner’s misadventures unnecessary. Mother/Starfleet knows best.

Would she be a good boss? Probably. She’s terse but fair and clearly knows what she’s doing. But as the head of a ship prone to animated high jinks, it’s tough to judge Captain Freeman against other Star Trek captains. Her informed, steady-handed command doesn’t always work in her favor when dealing with some of the cartoonish absurdity the Cerritos keeps encountering. On the other hand, nothing truly terrible ever happens to those under her command, so serving on the Cerritos would likely be one of Starfleet’s safer assignments.

6. Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner)

Seen in: star trek: the original series , star trek: the motion picture, star trek: generations.

Managerial style: You’re probably better off working for the slightly older Kirk played by William Shatner in Original Series and its accompanying film series. (Okay, he’s significantly older in the film series.) This Kirk hasn’t lost the spirit evident in the younger Kirk, only it’s now tempered — at least a bit — by experience. Working for this Kirk isn’t without dangers of its own, particularly if you’re wearing a red uniform. He’s perfectly willing to send an away team into danger. Just as often, however, he’s the one leading the team, and it’s hard to underestimate the esprit de corps created by a leader willing to put himself in harm’s way mission after mission. Prepare to work hard, and maybe die, but feel like you’re part of a mission that could change the universe for the better.

Key career moment: Prepare also to listen to speeches. Kirk is a man of action and a man of romance, but above all, he’s a man of ideals who’s willing to go to great lengths to protect those ideals. But first, he’ll try to persuade his opponents with words. In “The Omega Glory,” for instance, Shatner’s Kirk lectures the primitive residents of a planet whose development paralleled Earth until it took a wrong turn on the glories of the U.S. Constitution, and he does it one emphatic syllable at a time: “We. The People …” Etc.

Would he be a good boss? Chances are you’d love working for Kirk up to the moment he got you killed.

5. Captain Philippa Georgiou, Prime Universe (Michelle Yeoh)

Managerial style: Collegial but firm, the prime universe Georgiou might rank even higher on this list if we had a large sample of what she was like as a captain. In the early episodes of Discovery she appears to be competent, respected, quick on her feet and close to her crew, especially Michael Burnham.

Key career moment: But not apparently close enough to stop Burnham from committing a mutinous act that she deems necessary to prevent a war with the Klingons. Whether this is a failure on Georgiou’s part — a missed chance to take a key suggestion from a subordinate — or overzealousness on Burnham’s remains a question left open by Georgiou’s subsequent death.

Would she be a good boss? It seems like she would, especially since her death continues to haunt Burnham throughout the series. On the other hand, maybe listen to your trusted shipmate when she says she knows what she’s talking about?

4. Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks)

Seen in: star trek: deep space nine.

Managerial style: Firm, fair, and perpetually distracted. Burned out on Starfleet life after losing his wife in the Battle of Wolf 359, Sisko only reluctantly takes command of Deep Space Nine, a space station located close to a galactic hot spot near a wormhole and, until shortly before he assumed command, ruled by the Cardassians. But Sisko soon finds himself drawn into the leadership of the station and the politics of the region when the spiritual leader of nearby Bajor names him the Emissary of the Prophets. It’s all a lot to balance, even before new adversaries start to show up from the Gamma Quadrant — and on top of it all, Sisko has to serve as a single father to a teenage son. Maybe that’s why he sometimes seems so overworked. He’s a fine, inspiring leader, but he also has a lot on his plate, running a space station while also acting as the first line of defense against enemies known and unknown — and maybe serving as messiah to a whole race of people. Many Deep Space Nine stories require Sisko to be reactive rather than proactive, whether dealing with a tavern keeper running a black market under his nose or the outbreak of a full-scale war. Strong and competent, Sisko could handle anything, but the series made him handle an awful lot.

Key career moment: Deep Space Nine introduced shades of moral grayness to Star Trek only suggested by its predecessors, never more than in the course of the protracted Dominion War arc, a dangerous conflict in which Sisko sometimes had to cheat and bend the truth for the greater good. Brooks’s performance always suggested that Sisko did a lot of soul-searching before making any decision, but once made he never looked back, the mark of a strong leader if ever there was one.

Would he be a good boss? Chances are that, apart from the occasional curt acknowledgment, you might only talk to him once or twice as he moved from one crisis to another. Still, you’d end up respecting the hell out of Sisko.

3. Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart)

Seen in: star trek: the next generation, star trek: generations, star trek: nemesis, star trek: picard.

Managerial style: Picard manages like a benevolent but firm god. Speaking in an authoritative voice (the accent helps), his every directive sounds as if handed down from above. But there’s a difference between having the trappings of authority and having the record to back it up, and from his first outing on the Enterprise — in which the decision to separate the starship’s saucer section showed just how many lives were depending on him making the right choices — he makes it clear how seriously he took his job and how seriously he expects others to take theirs.

Key career moment: In some respects, the definitive Picard moment can be found in Star Trek: The Next Generation ’s final episode, “All Good Things …” in which Picard, for the first time, joined his senior staff for their regular poker game, with an expression of regret that he’d never gotten around to it before. Except in rare moments, Picard always holds himself at a distance as captain, even if Stewart’s performance always emphasizes the complex, passionate human beneath the commanding exterior. He stays remote by design and it worked, but that choice isn’t without consequences.

Would he be a good boss? Picard would be an awe-inspiring boss in every sense. You’d learn a lot working with him, even if you never felt like you truly knew him.

2. Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount)

Seen in: star trek: discovery, star trek: strange new worlds.

Managerial style: In sharp contrast to Hunter’s Pike, Anson Mount plays Christopher Pike as a man who’s just happy to be out among the stars with shipmates he considers to be more like friends than co-workers. Where on Discovery, Pike was reminiscent of a cool camp counselor who just wants everyone to have a good time — as long as they follow the rules and listen to his orders — Strange New Worlds has layers of soulfulness and empathy only glimpsed before. (Maybe learning you’re headed to a horrific fate does that?) In moments of crisis, Pike comes off as unshaken but commanding, and willing to use force against his enemies when necessary. He’s easygoing until circumstances force him to be otherwise. Then he’s not. He carries himself around his crew with authority while still radiating concern. This is a self-assured, modern captain who cooks an amazing gumbo and doesn’t worry that his subordinates will lose respect if they see him wearing an apron.

Key career moment: In Strange New Worlds ’ first-season finale, Pike believes he’s found a workaround to avoid the accident in which he’ll sacrifice his well-being to save others. Then Pike is visited by an older version of himself who confirms that, yes, he can escape maiming before taking the captain on an It’s a Wonderful Life –like tour of the future created by his attempt to escape his fate. It’s not pretty and it means others will suffer in his place. So, of course, he resigns himself to his destiny without telling anyone. Always the greater good with this guy.

Would he be a good boss? Working for Pike seems like a dream, honestly. He seems like the kind of boss who’d teach you new skills and then suggest unwinding with a game of ping-pong that he wouldn’t try all that hard to win (though he totally could if he wanted to). Two seasons into Strange New Worlds, and the series keeps revealing new layers of competence and compassion. Call him No. 2 with a bullet (or a phaser blast, if that makes more sense).

1. Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew)

Seen in: star trek: voyager.

Managerial style: Democratic, at least up to a point. Forced to navigate an unexplored quadrant of the galaxy while commanding a crew made up of enemies forced to work together in an attempt to find their way home, Janeway has the highest level of difficulty of any of the captains on this list. She rises to the occasion by hearing out all points of view, reconciling opposing stances when possible, working toward compromise, then ultimately making an informed decision after listening to her crew. Stuck in an impossible situation, she stays coolheaded and thoughtful no matter how trying the circumstances become.

Key career moment: The biggest challenge faced by Janeway and the Voyager crew comes not in the form of hostile races or dwindling supplies — though those don’t help — but from the many moments that invite them to abandon their principles. In the second season’s “Alliances,” Janeway seeks a way to sidestep conflict with the Kazon (sort of the Gamma Quadrant’s dollar-store version of the Klingons). She considers first an alliance with a Kazon faction, then teaming up with the Trabe, a seemingly much more civilized race. Then, despite the wishes of a faction of her officers, she ultimately rejects both choices when she learns the Kazon can’t be trusted and that the Trabe are just as bad in their own way. It might mean taking longer to get back home, or maybe never getting home at all, but she remains determined that her crew hang on to their best selves no matter what.

Would she be a good boss? Yes. Janeway would be the sort of boss you might have to complain about behind her back, but she’s also the sort of boss you’d end up naming your first child after.

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Star Trek 2009 Cast & Character Guide

Chris pine remembers “incredible” star trek audition, says he’d “love to do” another movie, chris pine & starship enterprise cast’s best performances after j.j. abrams star trek.

• J.J. Abrams' Star Trek (2009) outranks three Star Wars movies on Rotten Tomatoes' Best 300 Movies of All Time list.
• Star Trek (2009) rebooted the film franchise with new thrills and effects, influencing the live-action series on Paramount+.
• Abrams' transformation of Star Trek into Star Wars led to directing The Force Awakens.

J.J. Abrams' Star Trek (2009 ) ranks higher than three Star Wars movies on Rotten Tomatoes Best 300 Movies of All Time list. Star Trek (2009) rebooted the dormant film franchise after the critical and box office failure of Star Trek: Nemesis in 2002. Abrams' reboot infused the Star Trek movie franchise with new visceral thrills and blockbuster visual effects , and it was followed by two sequels, 2013's Star Trek Into Darkness and 2016's Star Trek Beyond . Star Trek (2009) is also the basis for the visual and storytelling styles of the live-action Star Trek on Paramount+ series.

In May 2024, Rotten Tomatoes released an updated list of the "300 Best Movies of All Time". Among a slew of Academy Award-winning pictures, superhero films, and critical darlings, four movies from Star Trek and Star Wars - two of the most popular and enduring science fiction franchises ever - made the list. Incredibly, amidst competition including the beloved classics Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope and Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back , as well as Star Wars: The Force Awakens , Star Trek (2009) came out on top according to Rotten Tomatoes.

J.J. Abrams directed Star Trek (2009) and 2015's Star Wars: The Force Awakens as well as 2019's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

J.J. Abrams' Star Trek relaunched the movie franchise and reintroduced audiences to Captain Kirk and the crew of the USS Enterprise.

J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek 2009 Ranks Higher Than 3 Star Wars Movies On Rotten Tomatoes 300 Best Movies Of All Time

Higher than star wars: a new hope, the empire strikes back & the force awakens.

Star Trek (2009) ranks at #120 on Rotten Tomatoes' Best 300 Movies of All Time List. Star Trek is 3 spots higher than Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, George Lucas' original Star Wars movie from 1977. Star Trek (2009) is also 19 spots higher on Rotten Tomatoes' ranking than Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, which has long been considered the greatest Star Wars movie of all. Finally, Star Trek is a whooping 158 spots above Star Wars: The Force Awakens , which was also directed by J.J. Abrams.

Star Trek (2009) is the only Star Trek movie on Rotten Tomatoes' Best 300 list. Surprisingly absent from Rotten Tomatoes' ranking is Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , which Trekkers generally consider as the greatest Star Trek movie. The Wrath of Khan only has an 87% Fresh Rate on Rotten Tomatoes, shockingly, compared to Star Trek (2009) 's 94%. In a sampling of other genre films Rotten Tomatoes ranked, Star Trek (2009) also slots higher than Avengers: Endgame (#142), Raiders of the Lost Ark (#159), Best Picture Academy Award winner Oppenheimer (#199), and 2012's The Avengers (#286).

Star Trek Outranking Star Wars On Rotten Tomatoes Is Ironic

J.j. abrams turned star trek into star wars.

Star Trek (2009) outranking the three Star Wars movies on Rotten Tomatoe s' 300 Best Movies of All Time list is ironic because J.J. Abrams' reboot is seen as his turning Star Trek into Star Wars . Abrams is a lifelong Star Wars fan who was not familiar with Star Trek when he took the gig to direct 2009's reboot. Abrams' visual wizardry and emphasis on kinetic action over the thoughtful morality plays Star Trek is known for made Star Trek (2009) extremely appealing to mainstream audiences, as did his recasting the iconic crew of the Starship Enterprise with younger actors like Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and Zoe Saldana.

Star Trek actually has more movies than Star Wars.

J.J. Abrams' turning Star Trek (2009) into Star Wars helped land him the job of directing Disney's Star Wars: The Force Awakens , which was a billion-dollar success. Meanwhile, Star Trek (2009) is the 11th Star Trek movie ; despite being primarily a TV franchise, Star Trek actually has more movies (13 with more on the way) than Star Wars (11 with more on the way). Star Wars' TV ventures are increasing, but Star Trek far outpaces the galaxy far, far way with more than 900 episodes and counting of its various TV series. Rotten Tomatoes will likely revamp its list in the future but, for now, Star Trek (2009) has the surprising bragging rights of ranking higher than a pair of the most beloved movies in the Star Wars franchise in the 300 Best Movies of All Time.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes

Star Trek (2009) is available to stream on Paramount+

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Top 10 Best Star Trek Female Characters, Ranked From Romulans to Illyrians

It’s not easy coming up with the  best Star Trek female characters , because there are so many to choose from. We wish we could name every one of them since there have been amazing female characters throughout the original Star Trek series, The Next Generation, and the recent Strange New Worlds. But this bodes well for the franchise, providing an excellent balance between male and female characters that’s helped elevate Star Trek beyond the confines of any world. Without further ado, let’s check out the list.

10. Romulan Commander

The first time the Federation’s deadliest enemy was introduced was in the original series episode The Enterprise Incident. Kirk gives in to his daring nature and takes his Enterprise ship into Romulan territory, where he encounters a squadron. What makes this character even more significant is the fact that she remains unnamed to this day and yet is such an important milestone for Star Trek canon and history.

While Kirk attempts to gather intel on the Romulans, the commander is fascinated by Spock and tries to persuade him to join her. It becomes apparent she might have a romantic inclination toward him. After inviting Spock to dinner, she explains how Romulan women are passionate when compared to logical Vulcan women. Spock is put on edge, but resists her offer and maintains his loyalty. All along, Spock was helping Kirk steal the invaluable cloaking device to help advance the Federation’s technology. At the end of the episode, the Romulan commander is captured aboard the Enterprise and held as a prisoner. In a moment of privacy, Spock admits that his romantic interest in her was not pretended.

9. Philippa Georgiou

Georgiou is a Malaysian human who became one of the Starfleet Academy’s most decorated officers and the captain of U.S.S. Shenzou. During a routine activity, her crew encountered the hostile Klingon Empire and things quickly escalated into an event known as the Battle at the Binary Stars before becoming the catalyst to the Klingon-Federation War. Georgiou lost her life to the leader of the Klingons, T’Kuvma, as she tried to capture him on his ship in an attempt to prevent the war. She is a smart and driven commander who will go down in Star Trek history for her sacrifice.

8. Elizabeth Shelby

Commander Elizabeth Shelby has a bit of notoriety to her name, mostly owing to her rivalry with Commander William T. Riker. After confidently believing she would replace him as Captain Picard’s first officer, Riker didn’t take too kindly to her after his promotion to commander of U.S.S. Melbourne. To Shelby’s chagrin, she ended up becoming Riker’s first officer. Elizabeth has a similar personality to Admiral James T. Kirk in that she is a risk-taker when the greater good is involved.

As such, she ended up going over Riker’s head when leading an away team to investigate a Borg attack, and went so far as to lead another team to rescue Picard when the Borg kidnapped him. She eventually moved up the ranks to be a commanding officer herself, and it would be great to find out more about her in future shows.

7. Deanna Troi

Deanna Troi is a standout character not just due to her exoticness, but also because of her half-human, half-Betazoid hybrid race. This mixed-race is what gave her telepathic abilities (though decreased in their effectiveness), and those powers were perfect for the crew’s counselor. She brought prominence to this Starfleet position and proved the most valuable assets to have in space are communication and empathy.

On many occasions, her abilities helped smooth things out during turbulent encounters, and she survived many different scenarios including being surgically altered, impersonating Romulans, and figuring out when others were lying. Deanna eventually married Riker and did more than enough to secure her legacy in Star Trek canon and history.

6. Michael Burnham

Michael has great importance to Star Trek canon, bringing more diversity while also being the main protagonist on the Star Trek: Discovery series despite not acting as the captain. Her story overshadows her captain Gabriel Lorca, and while she served under Captain Phillippa Georgiou, she would commit mutiny and injure Phillippa in order to force the U.S.S. Shenzhou to preemptively attack the Klingons. After being a part of the Klingon-Federation war’s inciting incident, Captain Lorca reduced her sentence since he wanted crew members dedicated to defeating the Klingons.

Her backstory is unique in that she was a human raised by Klingons, and none other than Spock’s father, Sarek, specifically. Not a typical Star Trek character, Michael is a complicated woman, most likely created under modern characterization precepts, and it will be interesting to see how her story develops.

5. Beverly Crusher

Talk about an intimidating name. Beverly Crusher is an all-around amazing female character, and not at all an aggressive one like her last name might suggest. She served as the chief medical officer on both Enterprise-D and Enterprise-E, and was a main crew member on Star Trek: The Next Generation. She was also a loving mother to Wesley Crusher and after her husband’s tragic passing, developed a close bond with Picard that blurred the lines between friendship and romance.

Beverly Crusher is controversial in that many wished she was further developed than what was allowed on screen in the Star Trek the Next Generation shows and movies. Her closeness to Picard also rallied fans to request her to have a main role in the Picard series, and many non-canonical books were written about the pairing, and the life they share together, along with their son.

4. Seven of Nine

Seven of Nine’s name should state the obvious; there’s nothing quite like her. Although human, she was a former Borg drone, meaning she was part of the Borg Collective until she was liberated by Kathryn Janeway and her U.S.S. Voyager crew. As an assimilated Borg, she was taken by them and enhanced with cybernetics. In the case of Seven of Nine, or Annika Hansen, she was abducted at the age of six and dubbed Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero One.

After her complex and traumatic upbringing, she becomes nuanced and complicated aboard the U.S.S. Voyager. She brings many deep, dramatic, and thematic elements to Star Trek, portraying a character that demands respect, patience, and understanding. After all, consider the fact that she was kidnapped as a child, forced to become a Borg drone, and then has difficulty assimilating with her human peers (let alone other races), while also having to suppress an urge to rejoin the Borg. For the show, she brought plenty of tense moments, as well as emotional scenes, funny moments, and butt-kicking action.

3. Nyota Uhura

Uhura has seen different incarnations throughout the various Star Trek series and movies, and Strange New Worlds has really taken her to the next level. Her latest on-screen portrayal brings a balanced sense of vulnerability, strengths, weaknesses, and backstory. Although she begins as a communications officer aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise, she eventually achieves the rank of commander of the U.S.S. Leondegrance for her remaining services to the Starfleet.

She can also be considered the first true standout female character or lead and deserves it completely. Uhura brings a great amount of diversity and unique themes to explore. As the expert linguist on her crew, and with her potential to grow, we’re looking forward to seeing more of her on a regular basis.

2. Number One / Una Chin-Riley

As her designated name states, Number One is the first officer to Pike, and ranks just shy of the number one spot on this list. In the original series, she was only referred to as Number One but was later named Una Chin-Riley in several non-canon Star Trek novels. It’s great how Strange New Worlds finally solidifies her name as canon. Also in the new series, Una is given a more involved role and is attached to a key plot involving Pike’s destiny. Since she’s an Illyrian, she’s genetically modified, which is also why she looks like a human, while her kind normally does not.

From the beginning of the Strange New Worlds series, Starfleet makes it clear that they are anti-genetically modified beings. This puts her in a terrible position, and in direct defiance of Federation law. Regardless, she’s already had spotlight episodes where she’s saved the crew from a deadly virus, and has special empathy when it comes to forming bonds with fellow crew members. The fact that she risks it all to help her crewmates and perform her duties to better mankind makes her all the more compelling and one to root for.

1. Kathryn Janeway

Kathryn Janeway is an iconic female character that hasn’t received as much attention as she should, especially in recent Star Trek lore and media. In Starfleet history, she remains one of the most highly decorated captains and is notoriously known for her obsession with coffee. On a more serious note, one of her most notable accomplishments is how she took command of the U.S.S. Voyager as it made its way through the dangerous Delta Quadrant, which is home to the Borg Collective. Thanks to her leadership, the Voyager was able to bring the crew safely back to earth through a Borg transwarp conduit.

Her time as a commander also gained her another milestone which she achieved during her space exploration. It’s been estimated in various episodes how she’s made first contact with more alien races than James T. Kirk. She eventually gets promoted to the rank of Admiral after helping prevent another technologically advanced species from the Delta Quadrant, the Vau N’Akat, from destroying the Federation. To top it off, she defeated the Borg Queen and has a diverse background full of hobbies, passions, and scientific skills. Most of all, she comes across as being a balanced leader; one who is smart, decisive, and strong, but also kind, caring, and understanding. No other female character has been involved in so many Star Trek critical events and achieved so much, which makes her deserving of this top spot.

That’s our list of the top best Star Trek female characters , but the great thing about this franchise is that it has always been a pioneer for portraying powerful women of diverse races, ages, and cultures. There are way more than 10 great female characters in the Star Trek mythos, and new prominent female characters are being introduced all the time. If you’re a Star Trek fan, you owe it to yourself to check out the video game, Resurgence .

35 Actresses You Forgot Appeared In ‘Star Trek’

For the past 50 years, the  Star Trek  franchise has captured audiences imaginations on both the big and small screen, with six TV series and a dozen feature films, as well as some upcoming  projects in the pipeline . During that half-century, Star Trek has managed to accrue quite the ensemble of guest stars, playing everyone from alien races from far-off worlds to people from Earth’s past and present. We’ve previously looked at some of the great actors who have popped up , so here’s a rundown of 35 actresses that are forever part of Star Trek history.

Michelle Forbes

Having had recurring roles in several TV staples like  True Blood  and  Homicide: Life on the Street , Forbes is also known for playing Ensign Ro Loren in Star Trek: The Next Generation , a part she got after impressing producers with a one-off performance as the character Dara earlier in the show’s run.

Ashley Judd

The now-famous Judd got her start in front of the camera as Ensign Robin Lefler in two episodes of  Star Trek: The Next Generation’s fifth season. While she’s since made it to Hollywood’s A-List as an actress, she comes from a famous family, with both her mother and step-sister singing vocals in the country supergroup The Judds.

Julie Warner

Warner had acted in a handful of TV roles prior to Star Trek: The Next Generation , where she played Cristy Henshaw, a civilian resident of the Enterprise D and an on-again, off-again girlfriend to Lt. Geordi La Forge (Lavar Burton).

Olivia d’Abo

The cool older sister from The Wonder Years,  Olivia D’Abo, did a one-episode spot as Amanda Rogers in Star Trek: The Next Generation, who started aboard the Enterprise-D as the intern to Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), before it was revealed that she was a descendant of Q. Which meant she had to come to terms with that whole super-powerful, four-dimensional being thing.

Famke Janssen

The original Jean Grey from the   X-Men  film franchise had her first small-screen role as Kamala, a Kriosian who falls in love with Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) during an episode of  Star Trek: The Next Generation .

A minor TV star throughout the ’90s and early-2000s, Cox was barely recognizable behind all the prosthetics as Sarjenka, a Dreman girl in communication with the android Data (Brent Spiner), who urges Picard’s help in saving her world. Data even manages to show some affection toward her after she’s returned home having had her memory of the Enterprise erased, because sometimes the Prime Directive is harsh.

Kirsten Dunst

Having just finished starring as Peggy Blumquist on the second season of  Fargo  on FX , Dunst has literally grown up on the silver screen. Which meant she had a pretty impressive acting resume by the time she guest starred as the telepathic Cairn Hedril in the seventh season of Star Trek: The Next Generation .

Brenda Strong

The character of Rashella, played by Brenda Strong, was an Aldean who aimed to repopulate her near-sterile planet using the Enterprise-D’s resident children in an early episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation . Strong has since returned to the sci-fi genre these days, guest starring in The CW’s brilliant original series The 100 .

Pamela Adlon

Before she was the cranky, apprehensive girlfriend on FX’s Louis , Pamela Adlon, (then Pamela Segall), she played Oji in a single episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation . A member of the less-advanced Mintakin tribe, she’s left in awe of how the technology aboard the Enterprise-D was able to heal her father, Liko, leaving Picard to re-explain to her the concept of mortality.

Bebe Neuwirth

Neuwirth, best known as Frasier’s ex on Cheers , played Nurse Lanel in the fourth season of The Next Generation . Stationed aboard the Malconian medical facility, she helps First Officer William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) escape, but only on the condition that he helps her cross ‘sex with an alien’ off her bucket list.

Teri Hatcher

Early on in her career, with only a couple roles under her belt, this  Desperate Housewives star had to settle for an uncredited part as a transporter chief in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation’s second season.

Whoopi Goldberg

Yes, you remember Whoopi Goldberg’s Guinan, the El-Aurian bartender of Ten-Forward, the Enterprise-D’s lounge from Star Trek: The Next Generation , but maybe some people don’t. While she was part of the race known as The Listeners, making her the ideal barkeep, she was also known to dole out sagely advice to Starfleet personnel now and then.

Kim Catrall

Vulcan Starfleet officer Valeris was, at first, written in as Saavik, the character first played by Kirstie Alley in 1981’s  Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan  — a role Catrall herself auditioned for. She agreed to appear in Trek’s sixth installment, The Undiscovered Country , but only after learning that she’d be playing an entirely new character all her own.

The actress/supermodel played Martia in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country , a double-crossing shape-shifter who, over the course of the film, would also take the form of a massive alien, a young girl, and eventually Captain Kirk himself, the last one giving us one of the most self-aware  Star Trek  jokes of all time.

Yvonne Craig

In the mid 1960s, Yvonne Craig went from playing Batgirl on TV’s Batman to playing Marta, a member of the Orion race and one of  Star Trek’s quintessential green seductresses. However, despite her very best efforts, she fails to both seduce and stab Captain Kirk.

Jane Wiedlin

Wiedlin was already famous as the singer/guitarist in the definitive ’80s band The Go-Gos, but she had an extremely brief cameo in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home as Trillya, a Communications Officer sending out a desperate distress call out to Starfleet. Thankfully, she got a bit more screen time as Joan of Arc in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure .

Catherine Hicks

Dr. Gillian Taylor, a 20th century in-house whale expert in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, was played by soap opera mainstay Catherine Hicks, who’d go on to play family matriarch Annie Camden for 11 seasons on  7th Heaven .

Kirstie Alley

In her big-screen debut, Alley played Saavik, the Vulcan Starfleet officer in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan . She’d turn down the chance to reprise her role in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock over a financial dispute, which meant the role was recast with actress Robin Curtis. She’d go back and forth between roles on the big and small screen, and would eventually make TV history by replacing Shelly Long on the long-running Cheers .

The Oscar-winning actress and comedy icon had a role as secretary Roberta Lincoln in Star Trek ‘s Cold War episode “Assignment Earth.” And, like many in the 20th century the Enterprise crew seems to encounter, she ended up playing a fateful role in the future of humankind.

Julie Newmar

One of the three actresses to play Catwoman opposite Adam West in Batman,  Newmar had a role on Star Trek as Eleen, a pregnant Capellan who was forced to flee her home after a coup against her husband left him dead. She ended up returning to the role of Catwoman by voicing the role in Rocksteady Video Games’ Arkham Knight last year.

Sally Kellerman

After CBS elected to re-film the  Star Trek  pilot, they made a few changes. One, they cast William Shatner as James T. Kirk, another was their hiring Sally Kellerman to play Elizabeth Dehner, a Starfleet officer who develops uncanny abilities after encountering the psionic barrier.

Joan Collins

While she’s most readily associated with 80’s TV staple Dynasty , she stars in one of Star Trek’s most beloved episodes, “City On The Edge of Tomorrow,” playing the big-hearted Edith Keeler. When Kirk and Spock go back in time to rescue Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley), Kirk ends up falling in love with her, despite knowing the pivotal role she plays in the future of mankind (of course!).

Dina Meyer played the Romulan Commander Donatra in Star Trek: Nemesis  back in 2002, the same year she was cast as Barbara Gordon in the series Birds of Prey , a Batman adaptation sans-Batman. She’s probably best remembered, though, as the ill-fated Dizzy Flores in the 1997’s Starship Troopers .

Heather Langenkamp

You wouldn’t know it from looking at her, but that’s Nightmare on Elm Street’s Heather Langenkamp underneath all those prosthetics playing Moto, a Starfleet Security Officer in Star Trek: Into Darkness . The actress was initially working on the film as a make-up artist before she landed the role.

Lark Voorhies

Voorhies, known for an entire generation as Lisa Turtle from Saved By The Bell , was also part of the Star Trek universe as Leanne, a civilian resident of the Deep Space 9 station who was romantically involved with Jake Sisto (Cirroc Lofton) for a spell.

Gabrielle Union

Former teen heartthrob Gabrielle Union stuck fairly close to typecasting for her one-episode role in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as N’Garen, a young Klingon weapons officer.

Sarah Silverman

This comedy superstar played 20th century scientist Rain Robinson on Star Trek: Voyager in the mid-1990s during the two-part episode “Future’s End,” which like all female scientists from the 20th century, ended up falling for a Starfleet office. Silverman has managed to stay in the spotlight throughout the bulk of her career, balancing her standup with guest starring roles in shows like Masters of Sex , as well as lighthearted material, like her frequent voice work on Bob’s Burgers .

Virginia Madsen

While she was immensely popular in the mid-80s, actress Virginia Madsen has continued to work consistently, proving her ability to blend herself into any part. Such was the case with her role in Star Trek: Voyager as Kellin, a Ramuran tracer who, because of the traits of her species, ends up having a rather complicated love affair with one of the crew members.

Sharon Lawrence

During her run as Sylvia Costas on NYPD Blue , Lawrence starred as Amelia Earhart, the female pilot and 20th century icon who was written in as a character on  Star Trek: Voyager.  The show goes so far as to solve her mysterious disappearance, which was the work of the alien species the Briori.

Rachael Harris

Another well-known staple in the world of comedy, Harris played Martis, an Ocampan who gives birth to her daughter, Kes, who would later become a crew member of The USS Intrepid on   Star Trek: Voyager .

The Orange is the New Black actress, perhaps best remembered from  A League of Their Own, pops up in a Star Trek: Voyager  episode as Noss, a mysterious stranger who lives on an uncharted planet, teaching Tom Paris and Tuvok how to survive on the desolate world she calls home.

Joanna Cassidy

Cassidy has been acting since the late-1960s, and eventually added Star Trek to her resume as the Vulcan T’Les, an instructor at the Vulcan Science Academy in Star Trek: Enterprise back in 2004 . 

Wynona Ryder

For the J.J. Abrams ‘  Star Trek reboot, Winona Rider played the part of Amanda Grayson, the human mother of Spock (played by both Zachary Quinto and Leonard Nimoy), who was killed while trying to evacuated her adopted home planet.

Jennifer Morrison

Yes, Emma Swan from NBC’s Once Upon A Time played Winona, the mother of Captain Kirk (now played by Chris Pine), in Star Trek and the sequel Star Trek: Into Darkness .

Alfre Woodard

A survivor of the third world war, Alfre Woodard played Lily Sloane, a human who helps Zefram Cochrane (James Cromwell) build the first ever warp drive, drawing intergalactic attention to planet Earth in Star Trek: First Contact . Of course, the Enterprise-D is drawn in to help stave off some unwanted attention from the time-traveling Borg.

Star Trek's Best Characters Have a Strange Connection Most Fans Never Realized

• Traditional Earth drinks, alcohol and synthehol play significant roles in portraying characters' personalities in Star Trek .
• Star Trek characters love a good drink, with coffee, raktajino and tea being iconic choices of the franchise's most well-known characters.
• Various Star T rek series showcase a wide array of alcoholic sci-fi beverages, including Romulan ale and Klingon bloodwine.

It's no exaggeration to say that there is a lot of Star Trek . With three different movie series and 12 TV shows that total over 25 straight days of Star Trek viewing, plus dozens of video games and a near-infinite number of novels, Star Trek is undeniably one of the most expansive and popular franchises in human history. While there are obviously many themes, both aesthetically and narratively, that cross over between the various entries in the Star Trek eras, there's one somewhat surprising trope that the shows and movies have kept up for decades that connects its famous characters: Star Trek characters love a good drink .

Sci-fi beverages aren't exclusive to Trek , of course, but while Star Wars ' blue milk and Fallout 's Nuka-Cola are enjoyed by their universes' characters en masse, Trek is unique in that it often associates a character or a group of characters with a specific drink . The franchise also goes above and beyond having one or two iconic drinks, with several famous beverages introduced across its nearly 60 years of existence. It's a wet universe in Star Trek , and the Trek franchise shows no signs of drying up anytime soon.

Coffee in Nebulas and a Space Station Addicted to Raktajino Star Trek Loves Caffeine

'here comes captain kirk': william shatner open to star trek return, the star trek tv shows.

• Coffee in particular features heavily in Star Trek: The Original Series as well as Deep Space Nine and Voyager .
• However, Captain Jean-Luc Picard's love for Earl Grey makes it the most iconic Star Trek drink.

Among its many messages on the problems with modern society and what a better future could look like, Star Trek also tells the present one thing in particular: Humans will still love caffeine even when they live among the stars and can replicate any beverage they wish. In fact, coffee shows up in Star Trek even before its first aired episode , appearing at a picnic with Captain Pike in the original Star Trek pilot episode now called "The Cage." That Trek pilot episode was rejected and Pike was replaced with Captain Kirk, but yet again, a coffee break shows up in the second, successful pilot episode "Where No Man Has Gone Before," which became the first aired piece of Trek ever.

Coffee continued to be a part of Star Trek : The Original Series throughout its run, but whereas the crew of the Enterprise NCC-1701 was certainly known to have a cup, their love for coffee doesn't compare to the people running Deep Space Nine decades later. In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , there's a genuine craze for a unique Star Trek version of coffee made by Klingons, called raktajino. Probably similar to a very strong cappuccino, raktajino features prominently in Deep Space Nine , one of the best Trek series to rewatch , as the favorite beverage of a number of main characters, including Captain Sisko, Major Kira, Dr. Bashir, Constable Odo, Lieutenant Dax and Jake Sisko. The beverage, which is served in a specially designed cup, shows up in no less than 32 Deep Space Nine episodes, plus a few from the other series.

Despite their love for raktajino, the entire cast of Deep Space Nine would have a hard time competing with the amount of coffee that one particular Star Trek hero drinks. Captain Kathryn Janeway of Star Trek: Voyager is seen ordering "coffee, black" often in Voyager , an affectation that apparently came directly from actor Kate Mulgrew's love for it herself. In fact, Janeway's coffee obsession became a major character trait very quickly in Voyager , leading to the famous line "There's coffee in that nebula" in Episode 6 "The Cloud," and later in Season 4 episode "The Hunters" Janeway saying:

"Coffee: the finest organic suspension ever devised. It's got me through the worst of the last three years. I beat the Borg with it."

Coffee is the drink of choice of the galaxy at large in Star Trek , but perhaps the most famous caffeinated drink in Trek history is tea. Two captains of the Enterprise famously loved tea, but while Jonathan Archer of Enterprise was known for his love of a pitcher of cold sweet tea, Captain Jean-Luc Picard is the tea-drinking icon of Trek , repeatedly ordering "Tea, Earl Grey, hot." in Star Trek: The Next Generation . While Picard's life is full of legendary moments , the tea line is so famous that it's now synonymous with Picard, TNG and Star Trek itself.

Saurian Brandy and Romulan Ale Boozing It Up with the Star Trek Crews

One of the most underrated star trek films is far better than fans remember.

• Star Trek has a long history of its characters having an adult drink after-hours.
• There are a number of alcohols that were invented specifically for Star Trek , some of which are famous.

Poverty may have been eliminated in The Federation of Star Trek , but apparently, the stresses of galactic exploration and frequent space combat leave a strong urge in future people to have a drink. Alcohol makes appearances in every Trek series (except the two aimed at children), starting with The Original Series and now making prominent appearances in the recent Star Trek: Lower Decks and hit show Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . Across the hundreds of years shown in Star Trek , numerous drinks are shown being imbibed, often in ways that become central to the story.

If "Tea, Earl Grey, hot" is the most famous drink-related line of dialogue in Star Trek , Romulan ale is certainly the most famous beverage created for Trek . The alcoholic drink, illegal in The Federation for much of the time that the shows cover, first shows up in Season 3 Episode 2 of The Original Series , where the stoic Spock is seen having a glass with a Romulan commander. Though the drink isn't named in the episode, the bright blue hue of the banned Trek beverage is unmistakable, and it goes on to be a repeated liquid of choice in multiple series.

Trek writers have been quite creative in their drink inventions : Throughout the various series, drinks like Saurian brandy, Arcturian fizz and Aldebaran whiskey are introduced, often coming in bright colors with an inventive sci-fi bottle. In particular, the crew members of Star Trek: Lower Decks are often seen carousing in the USS Cerritos' bar with a glass of something neon. The extremely strong Klingon bloodwine also features centrally in several Trek episodes. One memorable bloodwine appearance is Season 2, Episode 1 of Strange New Worlds , in which Spock and his partner La'an engage in a drinking competition with Klingons, which La'an wins.

Of course, while sci-fi drinks are a lot of fun, old-fashioned Earth alcohol still plays a prominent role in Trek . Beer is mentioned a number of times, such as when Captain Kirk goes back in time and has a Michelob, and Quark on DS9 is often shown mixing colorful cocktails at his bar. But it's whiskey and wine that play the most memorable parts in Trek , particularly with Captains Pike and Picard. Pike is a known oenophile, often drinking a glass with his home-cooked meals, and Picard himself comes from a history of winemakers, with the Picard family winery making frequent appearances in TNG and Picard . Bourbon seems to be Pike's choice of drink, though, and perhaps even Picard's in his later years, as the two are repeatedly shown sipping a tumbler of the stuff in recent shows.

Staying Sober with Star Trek's Synthehol

Star trek: discovery ending is a blessing in disguise.

• Getting drunk doesn't fit well with the rules of Starfleet, so much of the drinking seen in Star Trek is actually synthehol, a drink that is not as intoxicating to humanoids.
• Synthehol is a Ferengi invention and makes frequent appearances in the various Star Trek shows and movies.

There's no question that characters in every major Trek series get intoxicated on alcohol, or even addicted to caffeine, which can be difficult to reconcile with the straight-laced image of The United Federation of Planets. As consummate professionals working in a quasi-militaristic structure where thousands of lives are almost constantly on the line, substance use doesn't often mesh well with the universe of Trek . That's where another Star Trek invention comes in: syntheho l.

Most of the time when a character is seen drinking in Star Trek , if it's not explicitly stated that they're drinking alcohol, it's implied that it's synthehol, or "synthetic alcohol." Synthehol was invented by Ferengi to reproduce the sensory experience of alcohol, but it is easily broken down by enzymes in humanoid bodies. Interestingly, it's never been clear whether synthehol has no intoxicating ability at all for humanoids or whether it's only effective while actively imbibing, clearing up quickly once one stops. Either way, synthehol is incredibly popular in the Star Trek universe , to the point that Quark of Deep Space Nine , Trek 's most famous Ferengi , is referred to as the "Synthehol King" for the amount of it he sells.

Star Trek Is a Galaxy Full of Adventure and Adventurous Beverages

Star trek: strange new worlds gets renewed, lower decks to end with season 5.

• Having a favorite drink is a frequent feature of some of Star Trek 's best characters.
• Liking a particular drink humanizes Star Trek 's characters and makes them more relatable to the viewer.

Though each show and era has its own special qualities, Star Trek 's focus on galaxy-spanning adventures that center around a utopia-like version of humanity focused (ostensibly) on science, exploration and helping others has fascinated generations. There are many factors that go into this, from rich characters to inventive sci-fi writing to willingness to tackle contemporary social issues, but perhaps primary among all of its secret weapons are Trek 's attention to detail and its interconnected stories .

In this regard, as unassuming as they may seem in isolation, the various and varied drinks of Star Trek are part of the backbone of the storied franchise. Sitting down to have a drink, especially having a favorite that brings one a particularly nice moment amongst the stressful parts of life, is inherently human, something almost everyone can relate to.

By giving viewers a moment with Picard sipping Earl Grey while reading the reports of the day, Janeway smiling at the smell of coffee in the morning, the crew of Deep Space Nine drinking raktajino and bantering together at their local shop or the pals of Lower Decks blowing off steam with a round of cocktails after nearly dying yet again, Star Trek connects its characters across the centuries . And more so, Trek characters having affectations for drinks connects viewers to characters , using a very human action to put viewers right there in Ten Forward with Riker, Picard and Troi, having a sip of something nice.

The Star Trek universe encompasses multiple series, each offering a unique lens through which to experience the wonders and perils of space travel. Join Captain Kirk and his crew on the Original Series' voyages of discovery, encounter the utopian vision of the Federation in The Next Generation, or delve into the darker corners of galactic politics in Deep Space Nine. No matter your preference, there's a Star Trek adventure waiting to ignite your imagination.

Created by Gene Roddenberry

First Film Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Latest Film Star Trek: Nemesis

First TV Show Star Trek: The Original Series

Latest TV Show Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Cast Nichelle Nichols, Scott Bakula, Kate Mulgrew, Jonathan Frakes, Patrick Stewart, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Avery Brooks, Deforest Kelley, James Doohan

TV Show(s) Star Trek: Animated, Star trek, Star Trek Voyager, Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek Lower Decks, Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Prodigy, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek: Lower Decks

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50 Surprising Star Trek Guest Stars

You won't believe who is under the Antedian fish suit...

Star Trek is all about exploring new worlds, which is a great way to meet new characters. From 1966 all the way through today, the Star Trek franchise has brought in some of the most exciting guest stars on television. Let’s take a look back at 50 guest stars you may have not known were on Star Trek . Trust us, some of these will surprise you.

List of Star Trek Starfleet starships

This is a list of Federation starships from the Star Trek universe. The list is organized first by ship class , then registration number , name , and finally where that vessel was referenced. These vessels appear or are mentioned in the original Star Trek series ( TOS ), Star Trek: The Animated Series ( TAS ), Star Trek: The Next Generation ( TNG ), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ( DS9 ), Star Trek: Voyager ( VOY ), Star Trek: Enterprise ( ENT ), Star Trek: Discovery ( DSC ), the Star Trek films , Star Trek games , and Star Trek literature . This list tries to avoid using information found in Star Trek fan fiction . Many of the sources for this list are considered non-canon and the list relies heavily on the non-canon The Star Trek Encyclopedia . [1]

Akira class

Ambassador class, andromeda class, antares class, apollo class, archer class, bradbury class, cardenas class, centaur class, challenger class, cheyenne class, chimera class, columbia class, constellation class, constitution class, crossfield class, daedalus class, defiant class, deneva class, dreadnought class, einstein class, engle class, erewhon class, excelsior class, freedom class, galaxy class, galen class, hokule‘a class, hoover class, intrepid class, istanbul class, korolev class, magee class, malachowski class, mediterranean class, merced class, merian class, miranda class, mulciber class, nebula class, new orleans class, niagara class, nimitz class, norway class, oberth class, odyssey class, olympic class, prometheus class, renaissance class, rigel class, saber class, sequoia class, shepard class, sovereign class, soyuz class, springfield class, freedom class (kelvin timeline), steamrunner class, surak class, sydney class, theophrastus class, universe class, vesta class, walker class, wambundu class, wells class, yorkshire class, zodiac class, undetermined class, non-starships and support vessels, danube class runabout, peregrine class fighter, yellowstone class runabout, shuttlecraft.

Named for Greek mythological figure and nearby Andromeda Galaxy .

Named for star Antares .

Named for the ancient Greek solar deity and the American Apollo program ( NASA ).

Scout ship introduced in the Star Trek: The Original Series tie-in novel series Star Trek: Vanguard and its follow-up Star Trek: Seekers . Retroactively named after Captain Jonathan Archer from Star Trek: Enterprise .

Name honors science fiction author Ray Bradbury .

Named for United States Air Force brigadier general Robert Cardenas .

Named for the mythical chimaera .

In the script of the TNG episode " The Battle ," Geordi La Forge identified the Stargazer as a Constitution Class, but it was dubbed to Constellation after the script was changed.

Named for the USS Constitution . (The TOS USS Enterprise dedication plaque refers to this ship class as the "Starship Class".)

Constitution class refit

Ostensibly a refit of the Constitution class, this ship is referred to as " Enterprise class" in Andrew G. Probert's non-canon Star Trek The Motion Picture: 14 Official Blueprints . [52] [53]

Named for American naval officer and test pilot Albert Scott Crossfield who became the first human to fly at twice the speed of sound.

Named for an iconic figure from Greek mythology .

Named for the fictional planet in the TOS episode " Operation: Annihilate! ".

Named for Albert Einstein

Named for American test pilot and astronaut Joe Engle who test-flew the joint NASA–Air Force North American X-15 rocket airplane and the space shuttle Enterprise before eventually commanding the space shuttle Columbia .

This fictional spacecraft design was introduced to the Star Trek sci-fi universe in 1984.

The name may have been supposed to honor the space station that was later simply called ISS .

Presumably named for the Polynesian waʻa kaulua replica

Named for United States Air Force fighter pilot Bob Hoover who revolutionized modern aerobatic flying and in many aviation circles has been described as one of the greatest pilots ever to have lived.

Named for the most populous city in Turkey .

Named for spacecraft designer Sergey Korolyov .

Featured in the Star Trek: Titan novels. All known Luna -class starships were named after moons in the Sol System.

Named for Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot and poet John Gillespie Magee Jr.

Named for United States Air Force pilot Nicole Malachowski who became the first female member of the United States Air Force Thunderbirds .

Named for the character in the play The Tempest by William Shakespeare . Also the name of a moon .

Name (in universe) denotes astronomical phenomenon and (real world) pays tribute to the Nebula Award for science fiction writing.

Named for the City of New Orleans . Designated as frigates .

Named for World War II Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz

Ships are named for the NASA Space Shuttle orbiters .

Named after the rocket scientist Hermann Oberth .

Introduced in Star Trek Online .

This class is sometimes erroneously named " Hope class" from an early version of the dedication plaque from the USS Pasteur . [1]

Named for the star Rigel .

Named for American astronaut Alan Shepard who became the first American to travel into space.

Named for the Soviet spacecraft

Named for Vulcan philosopher Surak .

Introduced in Star Trek: Destiny and first visualized in Star Trek Online .

The class was named for NASA test pilot Joe Walker .

Named in honor of science fiction author H. G. Wells .

[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

Star Trek: Voyager is an American science fiction television series created by Rick Berman, Michael Piller, and Jeri Taylor. It originally aired between January 16, 1995 and May 23, 2001 on UPN, lasting for 172 episodes over seven seasons. The fifth series in the Star Trek franchise, it served as the fourth sequel to Star Trek: The Original Series . Set in the 24th century, when Earth is part of a United Federation of Planets, it follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager , as it attempts to return home after being stranded in the Delta Quadrant on the far side of the Milky Way galaxy.

Enterprise or USS Enterprise is the name of several fictional spacecraft, some of which are the main craft and setting for various television series and films in the Star Trek science fiction franchise. The most notable were Captain James T. Kirk's USS  Enterprise   (NCC-1701) from the original 1960s television series, and Captain Jean-Luc Picard's USS  Enterprise   (NCC-1701-D) from Star Trek: The Next Generation .

Starfleet is a fictional organization in the Star Trek media franchise. Within this fictional universe, Starfleet is a uniformed space force maintained by the United Federation of Planets as the principal means for conducting deep space exploration, research, defense, peacekeeping, and diplomacy,. While the majority of Starfleet's members are human and it is headquartered on Earth, hundreds of other species are also represented. The majority of the franchise's protagonists are Starfleet commissioned officers.

In the Star Trek fictional universe, shields refer to a 23rd and 24th century technology that provides starships, space stations, and entire planets with limited protection against damage. They are sometimes referred to as deflectors , deflector shields , and screens .

The Star Trek fictional universe contains a variety of weapons, ranging from missiles to melee. The Star Trek franchise consists primarily of several multi-season television shows and a dozen movies, as well as various video games and inspired merchandise. Many aspects of the fictional universe impact modern popular culture, especially the lingo and the idea of a spacecraft launching space torpedoes and firing lasers, and have had a wide influence in the late 20th to early 21st century. Star Trek is popular enough that its science fiction concepts have even been studied by real scientists, and NASA described its science in relation to the real world as "entertaining combination of real science, imaginary science gathered from lots of earlier stories, and stuff the writers make up week-by-week to give each new episode novelty." For example, NASA noted that the Star Trek "phasers" were a fictional extrapolation of real-life lasers, and compared them to real-life microwave based weapons that have a stunning effect.

USS Voyager is the fictional Intrepid -class starship which is the primary setting of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager . It is commanded by Captain Kathryn Janeway. Voyager was designed by Star Trek: Voyager production designer Richard D. James and illustrator Rick Sternbach. Most of the ship's on-screen appearances are computer-generated imagery (CGI), although models were also sometimes used. The ship's motto, as engraved on its dedication plaque, is a quote from the poem "Locksley Hall" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson: "For I dipt in to the future, far as human eye could see; Saw the vision of the world, and all the wonder that would be."

" Caretaker " is the pilot episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager . This series premiere was first broadcast as one double-length episode on January 16, 1995, as the first telecast of the fledgling UPN network. It was later split into two parts for syndication, but released in the original one-episode format. Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet and Maquis crew of the starship USS Voyager after they were stranded in the Delta Quadrant far from the rest of the Federation.

Runabouts are a class of small, multi-purpose starships in the Star Trek science-fiction franchise, primarily the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , which aired on syndicated television between 1993 and 1999. They were the primary means of transport for the crew of the DS9 station. As the station had three launch pads, its normal contingent of runabouts numbered three, though a high rate of loss often reduced that number until a new ship or ships could be assigned.

USS Enterprise – NCC-1701-D is a 24th-century starship in the fictional Star Trek universe and the principal setting of the Star Trek: The Next Generation television series. The Enterprise -D also appears in the pilot episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ("Emissary"), the series finale of Star Trek: Enterprise , and the movie Star Trek Generations .

Enterprise is a fictional spaceship that appears in the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise . It had the in-universe registration of NX-01 and appeared earlier in the franchise timeline than any other Starfleet ship named Enterprise .

Earth Spacedock is a fictional space station orbiting Earth in the Star Trek universe, designed originally by David Carson and Nilo Rodis of Industrial Light and Magic in the 1980s. It is large enough to contain several starships of that fictional universe, and in real life the Spacedock consisted of a series of sets, miniatures, and designs that were used for various films and television shows in the 1980s and 1990s. Written spacedock , it is first seen in the 1984 theater film Star Trek III: The Search for Spock , and subsequently in the fourth, fifth, and sixth Star Trek movies.

The Star Trek franchise has produced a large number of novels, comic books, video games, and other materials, which are generally considered non-canon.

Shuttlecraft are fictional vehicles in the Star Trek science fiction franchise built for short trips in space, such as between a planetary surface and orbit. Also referred to as shuttles , their introduction preceded the development of the Space Shuttle.

Michael Okuda is an American graphic designer best known for his work on Star Trek .

Richard Michael Sternbach is an illustrator who is best known for his space illustrations and his work on the Star Trek television series.

" Starship Mine " is the 144th episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation , the 18th episode of the sixth season. The episode features Tim Russ in a minor role, before he played the role of Tuvok on Star Trek: Voyager .

Peter Lauritson is a long-time film producer and director and television producer and director who first became involved with the Star Trek franchise with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan . He went on to become a producer for Star Trek: The Next Generation , and supervising producer for Deep Space Nine , Voyager and Enterprise . He directed three episodes of those series, including the Hugo Award-winning "The Inner Light", as well as being second unit director for two Star Trek films.

Star Trek is an American media franchise based on the science-fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry. The first television series, called Star Trek and now known as " The Original Series " , debuted on September 8, 1966 and aired for three seasons on NBC. It followed the voyages of the starship USS Enterprise on its five-year mission, the purpose of which was "to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before!". The USS Enterprise was a space exploration vessel built by the United Federation of Planets in the 23rd century. The Star Trek canon includes the Original Series , an animated series, five spin-off television series, the film franchise, and further adaptations in several media.

The Star Trek franchise features many spacecraft. Various space vessels make up the primary settings of the Star Trek television series, films, and expanded universe; others help advance the franchise's stories. Throughout the franchise's production, spacecraft have been depicted by numerous physical and computer-generated models. Producers worked to balance often tight budgets with the need to depict convincing, futuristic vessels.

• 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Star Trek: First Contact . November 22, 1996.
• 1 2 3 " Tribunal ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Tin Man ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Yesterday's Enterprise ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 " Redemption, *Part II ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• 1 2 3 " Non Sequitur ". Star Trek: Voyager . UPN.
• ↑ " You Are Cordially Invited... ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Second Chances ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Defiant ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• 1 2 3 4 " Conspiracy ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 " Emissary ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Data's Day ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Hollow Pursuits ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Apocalypse Rising ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Charlie X ". Star Trek . NBC. In Star Trek: The Motion Picture , NCC-501 is also referred to as "Columbia" (this takes place right before V'Ger attacks the outpost).
• 1 2 3 " Descent, Part I ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Tapestry ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• 1 2 " Where No One Has Gone Before ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• 1 2 " Lower Decks ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 " The Best of Both Worlds, Part II ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• 1 2 " Ménage à Troi ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• 1 2 " Brothers ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ Dibdin, Emma (May 8, 2013). " ' Star Trek Into Darkness': 10 teasers for JJ Abrams sequel – Spoilers" . Digital Spy. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013 . Retrieved May 24, 2013 .
• ↑ " Choose Your Pain ". Star Trek: Discovery .
• ↑ " The War Without, The War Within ". Star Trek: Discovery .
• 1 2 " A Time to Stand ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Firstborn ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• 1 2 " The Die is Cast ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Night ". Star Trek: Voyager .
• ↑ " Too Short a Season ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• 1 2 3 " Treachery, Faith, and the Great River ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Peak Performance ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• 1 2 3 " Favor the Bold ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• 1 2 " The Battle ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Elementary, Dear Data ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Identity Crisis ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• 1 2 3 4 5 6 " In the Pale Moonlight ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " The Doomsday Machine ". Star Trek . October 20, 1967. NBC .
• ↑ " The Tholian Web ". Star Trek . November 15, 1968. NBC .
• ↑ " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part I ". Star Trek: Enterprise . April 22, 2005. UPN .
• ↑ " Mirror, Mirror ". Star Trek . October 6, 1967. NBC .
• 1 2 3 4 Star Trek III: The Search for Spock . Paramount Pictures . June 1, 1984.
• 1 2 3 Star Trek (film) . Paramount Pictures . May 8, 2009.
• 1 2 Star Trek Beyond
• 1 2 3 4 " The Ultimate Computer ". Star Trek . March 8, 1968. NBC .
• ↑ " The Omega Glory ". Star Trek . March 1, 1968. NBC .
• 1 2 " Obsession ". Star Trek . December 15, 1967. NBC .
• ↑ " The Immunity Syndrome ". Star Trek . January 19, 1968. NBC .
• 1 2 3 4 5 Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country . Paramount Pictures . December 6, 1991.
• 1 2 3 4 5 Star Trek: The Motion Picture . Paramount Pictures . December 7, 1979.
• ↑ "Star Trek: The Motion Picture Official Blueprints" . CBS Paramount . Archived from the original on February 6, 2007 . Retrieved September 13, 2016 . The refitted Enterprise is more powerful than any vessel in Starfleet because of its linear inter-mix chamber, which not only boosts the magnatomic-initiator stage of the new nacelles, but also fires directly into the deflection crystal of the new nacelles. (...) CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown ( link )
• ↑ "Star Trek: The Motion Picture Official Blueprints" . CBS Paramount . Archived from the original on February 6, 2007 . Retrieved September 13, 2016 . Normally patrolling in "packs" of three, the cruisers are deadly for a single Federation starship. The new Enterprise class, however, promises to even those odds. CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown ( link )
• ↑ Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan .
• ↑ Star Trek III: The Search for Spock .
• ↑ Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home .
• ↑ " Context is for Kings ". Star Trek: Discovery . October 1, 2017.
• ↑ " The Return of the Archons ". Star Trek . February 9, 1967. NBC .
• ↑ " Friday's Child ". Star Trek . December 8, 1967. NBC .
• ↑ " Power Play ". Star Trek: The Next Generation . February 24, 1992.
• ↑ " The Search ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " The Changing Face of Evil ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• 1 2 " The Dogs of War ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• 1 2 3 " What You Leave Behind ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• 1 2 " Valiant ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Legacy ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Reunion ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ "Exclusive Interview: Roberto Orci On All The Latest With Star Trek (and more)" . TrekMovie.com . Retrieved October 4, 2014 .
• 1 2 " Paradise ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Caretaker ". Star Trek: Voyager . January 16, 1995. UPN .
• ↑ " Shattered ". Star Trek: Voyager . January 17, 2001. UPN .
• ↑ " Angel One ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Chain of Command, Part I ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " The Neutral Zone ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• 1 2 " The Pegasus ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ Ritual Entertainment. Star Trek: Elite Force II .
• 1 2 3 Star Trek Generations . Paramount Pictures . November 18, 1994.
• 1 2 3 " Flashback ". Star Trek: Voyager . September 11, 1996. UPN .
• ↑ " Statistical Probabilities ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Chrysalis ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• 1 2 " Relativity ". Star Trek: Voyager . UPN.
• 1 2 " The Most Toys ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Field of Fire ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Encounter at Farpoint, Part I ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 " Sacrifice of Angels ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 " Tears of the Prophets ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• 1 2 3 4 5 Star Trek Nemesis . Paramount Pictures . December 13, 2002.
• ↑ " Sins of the Father ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Paradise Lost ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " For the Uniform ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Homefront ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• 1 2 3 " Unnatural Selection ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Unity ". Star Trek: Voyager .
• 1 2 3 4 " All Good Things... (Star Trek: The Next Generation) ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Endgame ". Star Trek: Voyager .
• ↑ " Timeless ". Star Trek: Voyager . UPN.
• ↑ " Favor the Bold ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Far Beyond the Stars ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• 1 2 3 4 " The Jem'Hadar ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• 1 2 " The Way of the Warrior, Part II ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Where Silence Has Lease ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Contagion ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Datalore ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Unification, Part I ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• 1 2 " Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " The Schizoid Man ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Lessons ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• 1 2 3 " In Purgatory's Shadow ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " The Vengeance Factor ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " We'll Always Have Paris ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " The Best of Both Worlds, Part I ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Clues ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• 1 2 " 11001001 ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Night Terrors ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• 1 2 3 Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan . Paramount Pictures . June 4, 1982.
• ↑ " In the Cards ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ Okuda, Michael & Okuda, Denise with Mirek, Debbie (1994). The Star Trek Encyclopedia: A Guide to the Future . Pocket Books. p.   342. ISBN   978-0-671-86905-2 . CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( link )
• ↑ Bernd Schneider (January 11, 2018). "Proto-Nebula Class Reconstruction" . Ex Astris Scientia . Retrieved January 16, 2019 .
• 1 2 " Message in a Bottle ". Star Trek: Voyager . January 14, 1998. UPN.
• 1 2 " ...Nor the Battle to the Strong ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• 1 2 3 " Interface ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Waltz ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Sarek ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " The Defector ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• 1 2 " The Wounded ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Second Sight ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ Star Trek Destiny - Gods of Night
• ↑ " Take Me Out to the Holosuite ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " The Adversary ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Tribunal ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Ensign Ro ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• 1 2 3 " Equinox ". Star Trek: Voyager . UPN.
• ↑ " Endgame ". Star Trek: Voyager . UPN.
• 1 2 " Affliction ". Star Trek: Enterprise . UPN.
• 1 2 " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part 1 ". Star Trek: Enterprise .
• ↑ " A Fistful of Datas ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " The Drumhead ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " The Naked Now ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Realm of Fear ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• 1 2 " Frame of Mind ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Hero Worship ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " The Icarus Factor ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Melora ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ novel Ship of the Line by Diane Carey
• ↑ T'Pol confirms this to Hoshi Sato as the Vulcans' reason for first landing there on April 5, 2063, in Star Trek: Enterprise episode "Desert Crossing" .
• ↑ " Cause and Effect ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• 1 2 " Relics ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Playing God ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Azati Prime ". Star Trek: Enterprise . UPN.
• 1 2 " The Arsenal of Freedom ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Force of Nature ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Ethics ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Inside Man ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Terra Nova ". Star Trek: Enterprise .
• ↑ " A Time to Stand ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Survival Instinct ". Star Trek: Voyager . UPN.
• 1 2 3 4 " Whispers ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " The Sound of Her Voice ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " The Raven ". Star Trek: Voyager .
• ↑ " Infinite Regress ". Star Trek: Voyager .
• ↑ " The Siege of AR-558 ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Future's End Pt.1 ". Star Trek: Voyager .
• ↑ " Afterimage ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• 1 2 " Penumbra ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• 1 2 " Past Prologue ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Q-Less ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Armageddon Game ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Our Man Bashir ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " One Little Ship ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Change of Heart ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Body Parts ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Battle Lines ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " By Inferno's Light ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " The Maquis, Part II ". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .
• ↑ " Future Tense ". Star Trek: Enterprise . UPN.
• ↑ Okuda, Michael & Rick Sternbach (1991). Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual . New York: Pocket Books. ISBN   978-0-671-70427-8 .
• 1 2 " The Galileo Seven ". Star Trek: The Original Series .
• 1 2 Star Trek V: The Final Frontier .
• ↑ Star Trek: Insurrection .
• ↑ " Parallels ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Life Line ". Star Trek: Voyager . UPN.
• ↑ " Unimatrix Zero ". Star Trek: Voyager . UPN.
• ↑ " Drive ". Star Trek: Voyager . UPN.
• ↑ " Samartian Snare ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Time Squared ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Rascals ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Journey to Babel ". Star Trek: The Original Series .
• ↑ Sarek & Amanda arriving
• ↑ shuttle landing
• ↑ " Metamorphosis ". Star Trek: The Original Series .
• ↑ shuttle in flight
• ↑ " The Immunity Syndrome ". Star Trek: The Original Series .
• ↑ shuttle on hangar deck
• ↑ " The Way to Eden ". Star Trek: The Original Series .
• ↑ shuttle on "Eden"
• ↑ " The Host ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " Suspicions ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " The Outcast ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " The Mind's Eye ". Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• ↑ " The Menagerie: Part One ". Star Trek: The Original Series .
• ↑ Starbase 11 shuttle in flight
• ↑ " Threshold ". Star Trek: Voyager . UPN.
• ↑ " Day of Honor ". Star Trek: Voyager .
• ↑ " The Doomsday Machine ". Star Trek: The Original Series .
• ↑ shuttle taking off
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Famous (2021) Streaming: Watch & Stream Online via Amazon Prime Video

Directed and written by Michael Leoni, Famous (2021) is an American drama film. The storyline follows an illustrious and celebrated film star who decides to move the boundaries of his friendship to expose the price one must pay to garner fame and acclaim.

Here’s how you can watch and stream Famous (2021) via streaming services such as Amazon Prime Video.

Is Famous (2021) available to watch via streaming?

Yes, Famous (2021) is available to watch via streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Jason Mast, an A-list celebrity, is nominated for an Oscar Award for his stellar performance in the recent film. Feeling overjoyed, Mast throws a lavish party to which the creme-de-la-creme of industry are all invited. However, this amazing evening turns into despair when a string of ugly events causes Jason to confront his past.

The film stars Josh Pafchek as Jason Mast, Brooke Butler as Heather Hayes, and Chris Kattan as Lawrence Nichols, among others.

Watch Famous (2021) streaming via Amazon Prime Video

Famous (2021) is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.

Amazon Prime Video provides a smooth streaming experience to avid cinema lovers across the globe.

You can watch via Amazon Prime Video by following these steps:

Go to  Amazon Prime Video

Select ‘Sign in’ and ‘Create your Amazon account’

Sign up for a Prime Video membership:

$14.99 per month or $139 per year with an Amazon Prime membership

$8.99 per month for a standalone Prime Video membership

Amazon Prime is the online retailer’s paid service that provides fast shipping and exclusive sales on products, so the membership that includes both this service and Prime Video is the company’s most popular offering. However, you can also opt to subscribe to Prime Video separately.

The official synopsis is as follows:

“Famous was filmed live on stage at the height of the #MeToo movement. Inspired by the lives of Young Hollywood stars like River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Heath Ledger, and Corey Haim, Famous takes you on a non-stop thrill ride behind the glamorous world of Young Hollywood and into the mind of A-list celebrity, Jason Mast. What appears to be a night of celebration for his first Oscar nomination, turns out to be an intricate plan to confront his past. Driven by a devastating need to expose the truth, Jason attempts to control the outcome of the evening and ignites a chain of events that pushes the boundaries of real friendship and reveals the true cost of fame.”

NOTE: The streaming services listed above are subject to change. The information provided was correct at the time of writing.

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The post Famous (2021) Streaming: Watch & Stream Online via Amazon Prime Video appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More .

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Loose Women fans in complete shock discovering star has very famous son

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People have been sent into a tailspin after discovering who Linda Robson’s famous son is.

The Loose Women star, 66, is best known for playing Tracey Stubbs in the sitcom Birds of a Feather , but also had roles in The Bill, Crossroads and Casualty .

She recently had an emotional moment that was captured on camera and shared on social media .

However, a detail shared in the video was a revelation for many.

This week a clip showed Linda crying while attending a Premier League match between Arsenal and Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium in North London.

She was moved to tears listening to Arsenal F. C.’s anthem, The Angel (North London Forever) , which echoed throughout the stadium as fans belted out the lyrics.

Louis Dunford’s mother, Linda Robson, reacting to hearing her son’s song ‘North London Forever’ for the first time at the Emirates. ❤️🎶 pic.twitter.com/2JQ8Za4OdP — DailyAFC (@DailyAFC) May 5, 2024

Providing an explanation for her crying, the person who filmed Linda said it was the first time she had heard the song, which was written and sung by her son Louis Dunford .

Louis, 32, is the son of Linda and Mark Dunford.

His song, which was written as a tribute to Islington, was released in 2022 and quickly became an anthem for Arsenal, a club he is a life-long supporter of.

It is now played before every game at the club’s home ground.

However, after finding out the performer’s connection to the TV star, many were shocked.

‘Hang on, Louis Dunford’s mum is Tracey from Birds of a Feather???? Huge plot twist,’ user GunnerBlog posted on X.

‘Say what now. Linda Robson from Birds of a Feather is Louis Dunfords mum?! Learn something new everyday!’ Jonathan shared.

‘HOW DID I JUST FIND OUT HIS MUM IS LINDA ROBSON?!’ Dani questioned.

However, some were already aware of the connection, with one joking ‘the number of people shocked Linda Robson is Louis’ mum’ was hilarious.

The actress and window cleaning company owner Mark have two children together, while Linda also has a daughter Lauren, 40, from her previous relationship with Tony Tyler.

Last year she confirmed she split from Mark after 33 years of marriage.

Loose Women airs weekdays at 12.30pm on ITV1.

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