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

• Gene Roddenberry
• William Shatner
• Leonard Nimoy
• DeForest Kelley
• 280 User reviews
• 99 Critic reviews
• 16 wins & 31 nominations total

Episodes 80

Photos 2016

Top cast 99+

• Captain James T. Kirk …

• Mr. Spock …

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• Nurse Chapel …

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• Yeoman Rand …

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Stellar Photos From the "Star Trek" TV Universe

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• Trivia In the hallways of the Enterprise there are tubes marked "GNDN." These initials stand for "goes nowhere does nothing."
• Goofs The deck locations for Kirk's Quarters, Sickbay and Transporter Room vary (usually between decks 4-7) throughout the series.

Dr. McCoy : "He's dead, Jim."

• Crazy credits On some episodes, the closing credits show a still that is actually from the Star Trek blooper reel. It is a close-up of stunt man Bill Blackburn who played an android in Return to Tomorrow (1968) , removing his latex make up. In the reel, He is shown taking it off, while an off-screen voice says "You wanted show business, you got it!"
• Alternate versions In 2006, CBS went back to the archives and created HD prints of every episode of the show. In addition to the new video transfer, they re-did all of the model shots and some matte paintings using CGI effects, and re-recorded the original theme song to clean it up. These "Enhanced" versions of the episodes aired on syndication and have been released on DVD and Blu-Ray.
• Connections Edited into Ben 10: Secrets (2006)
• Soundtracks Star Trek Music by Alexander Courage

User reviews 280

• Jul 21, 2005

Women in Science Fiction

• How do they maintain Gravity on the the U.S.S. Enterprise ? .
• All aliens on all planets speak the English language?
• What does "TOS" mean?
• September 8, 1966 (United States)
• United States
• Star Trek: The Original Series
• Backlot, Culver Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
• Desilu Productions
• Norway Corporation
• Paramount Television
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

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• Runtime 50 minutes

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

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

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

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

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

William Shatner

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

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

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

George Takei

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

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

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

Walter Koenig

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

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

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

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10 Best Star Trek: The Original Series Episodes To Hook New Fans

Why star trek: the original series still works 58 years later, ahsoka season 2 can completely redefine the force - thrilling star wars theory explained.

• Star Trek: The Original Series debuted in 1966 and immediately developed a devoted following, eventually becoming a cultural sensation.
• The show featured iconic characters such as Captain James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock, who have endured for nearly 60 years.
• While the show has some aspects that haven't aged well, like outdated special effects and misogynistic undertones, the original cast remains intoxicating and capable of bringing passion and intrigue to even the thinnest of plots.

Star Trek: The Original Series - originally known simply as Star Trek - features some of the most iconic characters in all of science fiction with the crew of the original USS Enterprise. After its initial pilot episode was rejected by network NBC, Star Trek was massively overhauled with a largely new cast and a more adventurous tone. Star Trek debuted in 1966, and while it was never a ratings champion, the show immediately attracted a devoted following. Star Trek would go on to become a cultural sensation in syndication in the 1970s and was eventually revived as a hit film franchise as well as a series of successful television spinoffs that continues to this day.

There are aspects of Star Trek: The Original Series that have not aged especially well; the special effects are quaint at best, and the misogynistic undertones of many episodes are hard to ignore when viewed in the 21st century. That said, the original Star Trek cast remains intoxicating , a fantastic group of actors who could imbue even the thinnest of plots with passion and intrigue. There's a reason these characters have endured for nearly 60 years.

Star Trek: The Original Series may feel dated in some ways, but here are 10 episodes that should hook even the most skeptical new fans.

10 William Shatner As Captain James T. Kirk

Captain of the uss enterprise.

After Jeffrey Hunter declined to reprise his role as Christopher Pike from Star Trek' s initial failed pilot, "The Cage," he was replaced by William Shatner's Captain James T. Kirk . Where Hunter's Pike had been an introverted and weary man, Shatner's Kirk was a swashbuckling charmer , as likely to get into a fistfight with a Klingon as he was to seduce an Orion slave girl. Kirk was largely defined by his decades-long friendship with his Vulcan First Officer Spock (Leonard Nimoy), with Kirk's dynamic bravado bouncing off Spock's measured logic resulting in one of the most fascinating relationships in all of pop culture. For many, James T. Kirk remains the gold standard for Starfleet Captains.

Paul Wesley plays the younger Lieutenant James T. Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Words.

9 Leonard Nimoy As Mr. Spock

Science officer and first officer of the uss enterprise.

Arguably the most important character in all of Star Trek , Spock was the only character to be held over from the show's original pilot ,"The Cage," though the character was reworked to be far less outwardly emotional. A product of a human mother and Vulcan father, Mr. Spock was constantly torn between his two cultures; Spock chose to live his life as a Vulcan, though he most often surrounded himself with humans. Spock's unbreakable bond with Captain Kirk and his chaotic, tempestuous friendship with Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (DeForest Kelley) formed the central trio of Star Trek: The Original Series . No Star Trek character has had a greater cultural impact.

Ethan Peck plays the younger Lieutenant Spock in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

8 DeForest Kelley As Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy

Chief medical officer of the uss enterprise.

The USS Enterprise's resident curmudgeon, Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy was not only the ship's brilliant physician, he was among Captain Kirk's closest and most trusted confidants. McCoy routinely went on away missions or sat in on important meetings that a ship's primary doctor wouldn't necessarily take part in generally, but "Bones" was part of Kirk's inner circle, and the Captain valued his opinion. McCoy often clashed with his friend and consistent irritant Spock , as the passionate country doctor and the cold, emotionless Vulcan could not have viewed the universe any more differently. Still, they deeply respected each other, even if they'd be loath to admit it.

7 James Doohan As Montgomery "Scotty" Scott

Chief engineer of the uss enterprise.

Known to all as Scotty, Commander Montgomery Scott (James Doohan) wore many hats on the USS Enterprise, overseeing the transporters and serving as Second Officer. However, Scotty was primarily known as the ship's Chief Engineer, able to seemingly pull off technological miracles whenever Captain Kirk needed them . A proud Scotsman, Scotty enjoyed playing the bagpipes and drinking his scotch - perhaps a little too much. Scotty was skeptical of new, untested technology, preferring to work on machines he knew well. Prone to outbursts of righteous anger, Scotty still remained one of Captain Kirk's most trusted officers, able to get the Enterprise out of virtually any jam.

Martin Quinn plays the younger Lt. Montogomery Scott in Star Trek: Strange New World s.

6 George Takei As Hikaru Sulu

Uss enterprise's helmsman.

Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu (George Takei) was the USS Enterprise's primary helmsman under Captain Kirk's command. Generally a reserved, genial officer, Sulu quietly contained multitudes . When a virus drove much of the ship's crew mad in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "The Naked Time," Sulu was seen bouncing around the ship shirtless with a foil in hand. He displayed considerable bravery more than once, which eventually paid off for his career. By the time of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country , Sulu had been promoted to Captain of the USS Excelsior, beginning what would go on to become a Starfleet career just as revered as Captain Kirk's.

5 Nichelle Nichols As Nyota Uhura

Uss enterprise's communications officer.

Lieutenant Nyota Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) was the Communications Officer on the bridge of the USS Enterprise. One of the few female characters and virtually the only Black character in a position of authority on Star Trek: The Original Series , Uhura was a revolutionary presence at the time the show was produced. Uhura was often relegated to being a background character, but she always shined when given the opportunity, whether it be flirting with Spock on the bridge or entertaining the crew with a song. Modern Star Trek has been much kinder to Uhura than TOS , but Nichols' immortal version is still deserving of praise.

Celia Rose Gooding plays the younger Ensign Uhura on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

4 Walter Koenig As Pavel Chekov

Uss enterprise's navigator.

Introduced in Star Trek: The Original Series season 2 when George Takei was unavailable while shooting a movie, Ensign Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) was a wide-eyed young Russian officer. Mr. Chekov was introduced not only due to Takei's absence, but also to acknowledge the Russians' at the time advanced progress in the 1960s space race. Chekov brought an innocent, youthful energy to the show, with a truly unforgettable Russian accent. Chekov was rarely the at the center of the action on TOS , but he was a character who was easy to like, and would eventually get to do some heavier lifting in the TOS film franchise.

3 Majel Barrett As Nurse Christine Chapel

Key member of uss enterprise's medical team.

Christine Chapel (Majel Barrett-Roddenberry) was Dr. McCoy's top nurse aboard the USS Enterprise. Chapel had an unrequited love for Spock , often seen pining for the Vulcan who could never give her the emotional connection she so desired. Chapel was a victim of Star Trek: The Original Series ' subpar writing for women characters in general, though things took a turn for the better by the time of the movie franchise, where it was revealed Chapel became a doctor and a full Starfleet officer. Chapel would get a much-needed reworking for the Paramount+ series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds .

Jess Bush plays the younger Nurse Christine Chapel on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

2 Mark Lenard As Sarek

Vulcan ambassador and spock's father.

Introduced in the Star Trek: The Original Series season 2 episode "Journey To Babel," Sarek (Mark Lenard) was the Vulcan ambassador to Earth, as well as Spock's estranged father . Sarek disapproved of his son's decision to enter Starfleet Academy, preferring him to live his life among Vulcans. The relationship between Sarek and Spock was deeply complicated ; while Sarek may have disagreed often with his son, he and Kirk risked everything dear to them to revive Spock in Star Trek III: The Search For Spock . Spock's fraught relationship with Sarek is one of the most enduring aspects of Star Trek: The Original Series .

James Frain played the younger Ambassador Sarek i n Star Trek: Discovery, which revealed that Sarek adopted Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) as a child and raised him as Spock's sister.

1 Grace Lee Whitney As Yeoman Janice Rand

Captain kirk's yeoman in star trek: the original series season 1.

Janice Rand (Grace Lee Whitney) appeared in 8 episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series as Captain Kirk's Yeoman. Set up as a potential love interest for Kirk, Rand's role was severely reduced during production , often relegating Janice to bringing her Captain coffee and pining for the oddly resentful Kirk. The reason Whitney was fired from Star Trek was later revealed by the actress in her autobiography to be because she was assaulted by a network executive. However, Janice Rand did return in the Star Trek: The Original Series movies, and Grace Lee Whitney also played Commander Janice Rand in an episode of Star Trek: Voyager.

Star Trek: The Original Series is available to stream on Paramount+.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Koenig appeared in the 2018 film "Diminuendo."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Majel Barrett had a recurring role as Nurse Christine Chapel.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

James Doohan died at the age of 85 in 2005.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Whitney died in 2015 at the age of 85.

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

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

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