# Original Star Trek-The Alternate Cast **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, star-trek-paramount\ **Created:** [September 12, 2021, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-star-trek-the-alternate-cast/950571 "2021-09-12T23:24:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2021, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-star-trek-the-alternate-cast/950571/1 "2021-09-12T23:24:46Z")
I am looking for alternate _contemporary_ actors that you think would have made the original series even better. I’ll start with James Coburn as James Tiberius Kirk. I think he would have interacted with the crew even better than Shatner ever did, and the show might have lasted at least two years longer. You? ---
**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:** [September 12, 2021, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-star-trek-the-alternate-cast/950571/2 "2021-09-12T23:35:07Z")
Peter Falk as McCoy? ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2021, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-star-trek-the-alternate-cast/950571/3 "2021-09-12T23:38:04Z")
Martin Landau as Spock. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2021, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-star-trek-the-alternate-cast/950571/4 "2021-09-12T23:46:18Z")
LLoyd Bridges would have made a decent captain, based on his performance in that Battlestar Galactica: TOS two-parter “The Living Legend”. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2021, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-star-trek-the-alternate-cast/950571/5 "2021-09-12T23:48:38Z")
Danny DeVito as Scotty? ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2021, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-star-trek-the-alternate-cast/950571/6 "2021-09-12T23:49:50Z")
Diana Rigg as Edith Keeler in the _City on the Edge of Forever_. ---
**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:** [September 12, 2021, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-star-trek-the-alternate-cast/950571/7 "2021-09-12T23:57:47Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Danny DeVito as Scotty? He was, what, twenty-one with no acting credits? I’m not sure that’s good a fit for a high-ranking guy with a thick Scottish accent as, oh, say, _Sean Connery_… ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2021, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-star-trek-the-alternate-cast/950571/8 "2021-09-13T02:21:17Z")
Kirk – John Saxon Spock – Raizô Ichikawa [https://www.google.com/search?q=Raizô+Ichikawa&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1920&bih=994&ei=JrU-Yc20DsO05OUP3K2I8As&oq=Raizô+Ichikawa&gs\_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzIECAAQGFCeDVieDWCnEmgAcAB4AIABUogBUpIBATGYAQCgAQKgAQGqAQtnd3Mtd2l6LWltZw&sclient=img&ved=0ahUKEwjN3\_q88fryAhVDGrkGHdwWAr4Q4dUDCAY&uact=5#imgrc=y1FW2QNiLAiz4M](https://www.google.com/search?q=Raiz%C3%B4+Ichikawa&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1920&bih=994&ei=JrU-Yc20DsO05OUP3K2I8As&oq=Raiz%C3%B4+Ichikawa&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzIECAAQGFCeDVieDWCnEmgAcAB4AIABUogBUpIBATGYAQCgAQKgAQGqAQtnd3Mtd2l6LWltZw&sclient=img&ved=0ahUKEwjN3_q88fryAhVDGrkGHdwWAr4Q4dUDCAY&uact=5#imgrc=y1FW2QNiLAiz4M) McCoy – John Hoyt (better than D. Kelly, imo) Uhuru – Tina Turner (Pam Grier was just a little too young) Sulu – Bruce Lee Chekov - ??? Scotty – Elsa Lancester (radical, I know) Yeoman Rand – Jayne Mansfield (after the 1966-67 season, Joi Lansing) Trelane – Andy Warhol ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2021, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-star-trek-the-alternate-cast/950571/9 "2021-09-13T05:04:51Z")
> [@erysichthon](#): > > Martin Landau as Spock. So, then, Leonard Nimoy is available to play Rollin Hand? ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2021, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-star-trek-the-alternate-cast/950571/10 "2021-09-13T05:16:07Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Peter Falk as McCoy? Nice choice, but note that this would lead to endless nitpicking, speculation, and fanwanking about his missing eye. (Then again, the same thing happened with James Doohan and his missing finger.) ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2021, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-star-trek-the-alternate-cast/950571/11 "2021-09-13T05:17:49Z")
How about Burt Ward as Chekov? ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2021, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-star-trek-the-alternate-cast/950571/12 "2021-09-13T05:30:16Z")
bruce would of been great especially since in the books sulu is supposed to know martial arts … (and he could of helped the fight scenes look better) ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2021, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-star-trek-the-alternate-cast/950571/13 "2021-09-13T07:27:25Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > He was, what, twenty-one with no acting credits? I’m not sure that’s good a fit for a high-ranking guy with a thick Scottish accent as, oh, say, _Sean Connery_ … Seam Connery would have been good. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2021, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-star-trek-the-alternate-cast/950571/14 "2021-09-13T14:32:21Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > How about Burt Ward as Chekov? How about Davy Jones?\* “Get me a Davy Jones type” “I can get you Davy Jones…” “uh…PERFECT!” “Stand up, Mr. Chekov.” “I im standeeng up, Keptin.” Chekov would give Kirk too much competition for the space babes. Chekov would look at them, and little stars would appear in his eyes, and it would be all over. . \*aren’t you a little short for a starship trooper? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2021, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-star-trek-the-alternate-cast/950571/15 "2021-09-13T16:46:53Z")
> [@Dropo](#): > > Yeoman Rand – Jayne Mansfield (after the 1966-67 season, Joi Lansing) I see your point in casting, but they were both pretty old to play Rand. ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2021, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-star-trek-the-alternate-cast/950571/16 "2021-09-13T17:01:59Z")
**David McCallum** for **Chekov**. TCMF-2L ---
**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:** [September 13, 2021, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-star-trek-the-alternate-cast/950571/17 "2021-09-13T17:32:08Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Peter Falk as McCoy? “Oh, one more thing, Jim…” ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2021, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-star-trek-the-alternate-cast/950571/18 "2021-09-13T19:02:25Z")
Kirk – Alan Hale, Jr Spock – Russell Johnson McCoy – Jim Backus Uhura – Dawn Wells Orion Slave Girl - Tina Louise Spock’s Mom - Natalie Schafer Red Shirt #17 - Bob Denver Klingon Crew - Harlem Globetrotters ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2021, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-star-trek-the-alternate-cast/950571/19 "2021-09-13T21:42:19Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > […a good cast…] Kirk: Elmer J Fudd (be wery qwiet - I’m hunting Kwingons) Spock: Bugs (It’s Romulan Season) McCoy: Daffy (It’s Klingon Season) Uhura: The Road Runner (Meep) Scotty: Porky Pig ( the di-di-di-dilyth…ah, no power Captain!) Every Red Shirt: Wile E Coyote Klingon Kommander: Kosemite Kam ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2021, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-star-trek-the-alternate-cast/950571/20 "2021-09-13T22:52:07Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Kirk – Alan Hale, Jr “Ahead warp factor three, little buddy.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-star-trek-the-alternate-cast/950571.md?page=2)