# Most Successful Star Trek Alumnus/ae? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 14, 2014, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-star-trek-alumnus-ae/695503 "2014-08-14T10:43:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-star-trek-alumnus-ae/695503/21 "2014-08-14T15:25:34Z")
> [@Death\_of\_Rats](#): > > Armin Shimerman has done pretty well for himself as both a character actor and as a voice actor. Besides showing up in three of the Star Trek series, he was in Buffy and did voice work for both the Bioshock and Mass Effect game series. He also guested as Stan the Caddie on _Seinfeld_. ---
**Author:** ![Tanbarkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Tanbarkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanbarkie)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-star-trek-alumnus-ae/695503/22 "2014-08-14T15:26:28Z")
> [@Death\_of\_Rats](#): > > Armin Shimerman has done pretty well for himself as both a character actor and as a voice actor. Besides showing up in three of the Star Trek series, he was in Buffy and did voice work for both the Bioshock and Mass Effect game series. The DS9 cast has generally had pretty consistent work outside of the series. (It helps that DS9 had the strongest set of actors of any of the series.) As someone noted above, Meany has bit parts in all sorts of stuff (and is frequently the best thing in them). Same goes for Alexander Siddig, who has carved out quite a nice niche playing complex Middle Eastern characters in political dramas. Rene Auberjonois has been working steadily as a character actor for decades, as has Jeffrey Combs. And Michael Dorn does a ton of voice acting, although I’m not sure how much on-camera work he’s done lately. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-star-trek-alumnus-ae/695503/23 "2014-08-14T15:36:17Z")
> [@Tanbarkie](#): > > Same goes for Alexander Siddig, who has carved out quite a nice niche playing complex Middle Eastern characters in political dramas. He is set to play a Dornish prince on _Game of Thrones_ next season. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-star-trek-alumnus-ae/695503/24 "2014-08-14T15:54:52Z")
> [@Death\_of\_Rats](#): > > Armin Shimerman has done pretty well for himself as both a character actor and as a voice actor. Besides showing up in three of the Star Trek series, he was in Buffy and did voice work for both the Bioshock and Mass Effect game series. He also was in the recent Atlas Shrugged movie. Poor guy can’t escape getting type-cast as a Ferengi ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-star-trek-alumnus-ae/695503/25 "2014-08-14T16:44:06Z")
Man, I hate Latin plurals, but it would alumni/alumnae or alumnus/alumna … unless you are specifically looking for one man and many women I guess. (And who isn’t?) Besides all the ones mentioned so far, George Takei is surging now. He has about a billion Facebook followers (including me) and he seems to keep busy in show business too … mostly cameos and guest starring type roles, but quite a lot of them. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-star-trek-alumnus-ae/695503/26 "2014-08-14T16:47:52Z")
Walter Koenig hasn’t been as prominent as some other Star Trek alums, but his work as the psi-cop Bester on Babylon Five is pretty well-regarded. A villain, but a very nuanced one, and he played it with excellent, droll humor. Much more interesting role than Chekov. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-star-trek-alumnus-ae/695503/27 "2014-08-14T16:56:18Z")
> [@Greg\_Charles](#): > > Man, I hate Latin plurals, but it would alumni/alumnae or alumnus/alumna … unless you are specifically looking for one man and many women I guess. (And who isn’t?) > > Besides all the ones mentioned so far, George Takei is surging now. He has about a billion Facebook followers (including me) and he seems to keep busy in show business too … mostly cameos and guest starring type roles, but quite a lot of them. He is also going to be staring in a musical inspired by his early life in interment camps. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-star-trek-alumnus-ae/695503/28 "2014-08-14T17:29:08Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > He is also going to be staring in a musical inspired by his early life in interment camps. What’s it called, _The Niz_? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-star-trek-alumnus-ae/695503/29 "2014-08-14T17:42:01Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > What’s it called, _The Niz_? [Allegiance](http://www.allegiancemusical.com/). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-star-trek-alumnus-ae/695503/30 "2014-08-14T18:01:17Z")
Zoe Saldana? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-star-trek-alumnus-ae/695503/31 "2014-08-14T18:33:54Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Zoe Saldana? I assume the op wanted it limited to the TV shows. The people cast in the recent movie pretty much all have pretty active film careers, almost by definition. blockbuster movie franchises don’t really cast unknowns very often. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-star-trek-alumnus-ae/695503/32 "2014-08-14T19:10:23Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > He is also going to be staring in a musical inspired by his early life in interment camps. I would like to drive down to Rohwer, but I understand there isn’t much left to see. South of there is an oxbow lake created by the Mississippi river-Lake Enterprise. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-star-trek-alumnus-ae/695503/33 "2014-08-14T20:33:28Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I’d hazard a guess that Scott Bakula was the most well-known actor _before_ his Trek days. > [@Leaper](#): > > Or LeVar Burton, for certain generations. Avery Brooks or Kate Mulgrew for others, perhaps. > [@Loach](#): > > Wil Wheaton was well known before the show from his role in Stand By Me. Brent Spiner had some memorable appearances on Night Court, as well. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-star-trek-alumnus-ae/695503/34 "2014-08-14T20:40:47Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > 1. Whoopi Goldberg. Oscar. Some big movies. Anchoring The View. Pretty damn successful. But she was well known before the show and it was mostly for the types of things she did before that has made her successful. Not her role as a boring bartender. I also have a feeling like her career basically topped out around the same time she was on TNG. I don’t think I’ve seen her in anything since Sister Act (1992). ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-star-trek-alumnus-ae/695503/35 "2014-08-14T20:41:44Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Brent Spiner had some memorable appearances on Night Court, as well. Sure but I don’t think his country bumpkin character made anyone remember his name. More of a “that guy” thing. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-star-trek-alumnus-ae/695503/36 "2014-08-14T20:41:49Z")
> [@Tanbarkie](#): > > And Michael Dorn does a ton of voice acting My favourite is \*I am Weasel! \* ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-star-trek-alumnus-ae/695503/37 "2014-08-14T20:51:06Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > I also have a feeling like her career basically topped out around the same time she was on TNG. I don’t think I’ve seen her in anything since Sister Act (1992). You missed Sister Act 2. (1993) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-star-trek-alumnus-ae/695503/38 "2014-08-14T20:53:05Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > I also have a feeling like her career basically topped out around the same time she was on TNG. I don’t think I’ve seen her in anything since Sister Act (1992). I don’t know how accurate it is but a quick look through Google shows that her View salary is reported to be 2 million. And that was with Barbra Walters. She may be getting a bigger slice now. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-star-trek-alumnus-ae/695503/39 "2014-08-14T20:54:39Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Brent Spiner had some memorable appearances on Night Court, as well. I just saw him recently on _Ray Donovan._ I had no idea it was him until the credits rolled. [John Billingsley](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0082517/), who played Dr. Phlox on _Star Trek: Enterprise_, seems to turn up in everything. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-star-trek-alumnus-ae/695503/40 "2014-08-14T21:01:47Z")
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson had a cameo appearance as a gladiator on an episode of Voyager before he was hugely famous. He gave Seven of Nine his “Rock Bottom” wrestling move–and went on to make a ton of money in wrestling and movies. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-star-trek-alumnus-ae/695503.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-successful-star-trek-alumnus-ae/695503.md?page=3)