# Spotting actors from other things in Star Trek. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 26, 2019, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655 "2019-07-26T04:58:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/1 "2019-07-26T04:58:15Z")
There’s a very long thread about actors most well known for Star Trek appearing in other series, but I have been rewatching _Star Trek: Voyager_ on Netflix lately and have been noticing the inverse – spotting actors who later went on to have bigger roles in some other program playing some small role on Star Trek. I’ve heard that it’s actually joke in Hollywood that every actor appears in Star Trek at some point in their career. So have you ever spotted any instances of this? Tonight, inspiring this thread, I rewatched the Voyager episode “Gravity”. The actress who played the alien woman Tuvok and Paris befriend when they’re stranded on a harsh desert planet looked very familiar. Sure enough, she was [Lori Petti](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001614/?ref_=tt_cl_t13), who played Lolly on _Orange is the New Black_. Ironically she didn’t have any scenes with Kate Mulgrew, who of course also is in OITNB and played Captain Janeway on Voyager. Back in season 3 of Voyager, Sarah Silverman appeared in the two part episode “Future’s End”. Jonathan Banks, Mike from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, played an alien in an episode of Deep Space Nine, although I’d have to go look at his IMDB page to remember which episode. I have to admit I didn’t actually spot that one; I only learned about it from IMDB. I suspect he was wearing so much makeup he was hard to recognize. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/2 "2019-07-26T05:02:46Z")
It’s the same with Dr. Who in Britain. Every British actor of note has been on it, seemingly. ---
**Author:** ![Dave.B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9f8e36/32.png) [@Dave.B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave.B)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/3 "2019-07-26T14:34:24Z")
The TNG episode “Half a Life” has David Ogden Stiers as the character Timicin. He was well known for portraying Charles Emerson Winchester III in M_A_S\*H. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/4 "2019-07-26T15:21:37Z")
> [@Dave.B](#): > > The TNG episode “Half a Life” has David Ogden Stiers as the character Timicin. He was well known for portraying Charles Emerson Winchester III in M_A_S\*H. Right, but that was the inverse of the OP - a well-known actor who appeared in Star Trek. **WildaBeast** is looking for actors who appeared in a small role in Star Trek, then later went on to bigger parts. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/5 "2019-07-26T17:03:01Z")
Charles Napier, who played Adam in “The Way to Eden,” went on to have a long career in movies and TV, most notably in _ **Dallas** _, _ **The Blues Brothers** _, _ **Rambo: First Blood, Part II** _, _ **The Silence of the Lambs** _, and the _ **Austin Powers** _ movies. He’s one of those actors whose name you might not know, but you still recognize him immediately. I’m sad to find that Mr Napier passed away in 2011, which seems like ages ago. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/6 "2019-07-26T17:17:19Z")
Ashley Judd’s very first acting credit (per IMDb) was as Ensign Robin Lefler in two episodes of TNG: “The Game” and “Darmok.” I’m not sure, but I seem to remember she was a short-term love interest for LaForge, but that might have been someone else. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/7 "2019-07-26T21:04:25Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > Ashley Judd’s very first acting credit (per IMDb) was as Ensign Robin Lefler in two episodes of TNG: “The Game” and “Darmok.” I’m not sure, but I seem to remember she was a short-term love interest for LaForge, but that might have been someone else. She was Wesley’s object of flirtation. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/8 "2019-07-26T21:36:20Z")
Kirstie Alley was in Star Trek 2 before she starred in Cheers Kim Cattrall was in Star Trek 6 before she starred in Sex and the City and they both played Vulcans ---
**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:** [July 26, 2019, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/9 "2019-07-26T21:44:47Z")
Terri Garr was in [Assignment: Earth](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708419/) (TOS) And, of course, Robert Lansing. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/10 "2019-07-26T21:54:22Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Kirstie Alley was in Star Trek 2 before she starred in Cheers > Kim Cattrall was in Star Trek 6 before she starred in Sex and the City > > and they both played Vulcans Cattrall had already appeared in several movies before Star Trek 6 and was already a fairly well-known actress. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/11 "2019-07-26T23:08:10Z")
I think most of the actors in \*\*\*TOS \*\*\* had been working for a while, but weren’t all that well known at the time. Examples include Marianna Hill, who went from being Dr Helen Noel to portraying the town floozy in _ **High Plains Drifter** _, and Kim Darby, who went from “Miri” to co-starring in the original _ **True Grit** _. I’d be hard pressed to name any other roles they’ve played. The same goes for Robert Walker, Jr, who played Charles Evans in “Charlie X.” The only other role of his that I can think of off the top of my head is Ensign Pulver in the movie of the same name (which was actually filmed before his appearance on _ **TOS** _). Another example is Leonard Nimoy himself, who had been in the industry for years before landing his breakout role of Spock. (And the rest, as they say, is history.) ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/12 "2019-07-26T23:32:03Z")
Shatner did not do a lot pre TOS. He did a few Twilight Zones and other shows. Afterwards he did TJ Hooker, The practice, Boston Legal, and other well known shows, ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/13 "2019-07-26T23:58:45Z")
I think Nichelle Nichols was the closest thing to a newbie to appear on _ **TOS** _. So far as I know, she had previously done only one episode of _ **The Lieutenant** _, where she had received an “And introducing” credit. Both Walter Koenig and George Takei had done television before, but probably weren’t recognized by a lot of viewers. The same could be said of Jimmy Doohan, who had been in the business for years. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/14 "2019-07-26T23:58:46Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Shatner did not do a lot pre TOS. He did a few Twilight Zones and other shows. Afterwards he did TJ Hooker, The practice, Boston Legal, and other well known shows, He was in a couple of motion pictures such as _The Brothers Karamazov_ in 1958 and _Judgment at Nuremberg_ in 1961. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/15 "2019-07-27T00:09:53Z")
Majel Barrett, aka M Leigh Hudec, had also spent years playing bit parts on TV (I remember her as a waitress in the original _ **The Untouchables** _) before Roddenberry gave her the role of Nurse Chapel in _ **TOS** _. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/16 "2019-07-27T00:20:14Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > He was in a couple of motion pictures such as _The Brothers Karamazov_ in 1958 and _Judgment at Nuremberg_ in 1961. He also did the _ **Alexander the Great** _ pilot, which mercifully was not picked up as a series. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/17 "2019-07-27T02:18:20Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > He also did the _ **Alexander the Great** _ pilot, which mercifully was not picked up as a series. But, but, it had Adam West in it, too. If had been picked up, though, both _Star Trek_ and _Batman_ would have been very different. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/18 "2019-07-27T03:14:06Z")
[Kurtwood Smith](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001748/?ref_=tt_cl_t6) had roles in both\* Voyager\* and _Star Trek VI_ long before he finally broke out as Red Forman in _That '70s Show._ ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2019, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/19 "2019-07-28T05:24:08Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > [Kurtwood Smith](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001748/?ref_=tt_cl_t6) had roles in both\* Voyager\* and _Star Trek VI_ long before he finally broke out as Red Forman in _That '70s Show._ Ah yes, I remember his character in Voyager! I thought he looked familiar, but I couldn’t quite place him (I didn’t really watch That 70s Show that much), and I didn’t bother to look him up. According to IMDB he was in an episode of DS9 as well. ---
**Author:** ![Eclipse\_Chaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Eclipse\_Chaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eclipse_Chaser)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2019, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/20 "2019-07-28T07:46:02Z")
David Soul, later in Starsky & Hutch (original version) was in the TOS episode The Apple. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655.md?page=2)