# 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:** 2
**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:** [July 28, 2019, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/21 "2019-07-28T07:53:14Z")
[RIGHT][/RIGHT] > [@cochrane](#): > > Cattrall had already appeared in several movies before Star Trek 6 and was already a fairly well-known actress. And the paramour of a certain Canadian prime minister. You go, girl! ---
**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 28, 2019, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/22 "2019-07-28T18:47:08Z")
Before “Assigment: Earth,” Robert Lansing was Gen Frank Savage in the TV version of _ **12 O’Clock High** _. He was let go after just one year because he was difficult to work with (or so I’ve heard). He also did a series called _ **The Man Who Never Was** _ in 1966, which ran for only 18 episodes. He apparently went on to do lots of guest star roles until he passed away in 1994 at the age of 66, but I recognize very few of them. > **[Robert Lansing - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0487108/?ref_=tt_cl_t4)** > > Robert Lansing. Actor: 4D Man. His tall stature, tough looks and commanding manner belied an often thoughtful and introspective screen personality. Not that acting had necessarily been Robert Lansing's only career choice - there had been jazz. As a... ---
**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 28, 2019, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/23 "2019-07-28T18:51:50Z")
Terri Garr I first saw as a cute airline stewardess on _ **It Takes a Thief** _. This was in 1969, after her appearance in “Assignment: Earth.” ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2019, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/24 "2019-07-28T19:32:51Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > 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. I would say that most of Petty’s big movie roles (_Tank Girl_, _A League of Their Own_, _Free Willy_, _Point Break_) were before her appearance on _Voyager_. ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2019, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/25 "2019-07-28T23:35:33Z")
Former football player Fred “The Hammer” Williamson made his third dramatic TV appearance in TOS’ “The Cloud Miners.” He would achieve greater recognition for his role as “Spearchucker” Jones in _MASH_ the following year before becoming an icon of '70s blaxsploitation movies and wracking up over 20 credits as producer/director/star. ---
**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:** [July 29, 2019, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/26 "2019-07-29T04:43:17Z")
Abdullah bin al-Hussein, the king of Jordan,[appeared as an uncredited extra in the 1996 _Star Trek: Voyager_ episode “Investigations,”](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Abdullah_bin_al-Hussein) back when he was a prince. ---
**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 29, 2019, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/27 "2019-07-29T07:57:07Z")
> [@Dropo](#): > > Former football player Fred “The Hammer” Williamson made his third dramatic TV appearance in TOS’ “The Cloud Miners.” He would achieve greater recognition for his role as “Spearchucker” Jones in _MASH_ the following year before becoming an icon of '70s blaxsploitation movies and wracking up over 20 credits as producer/director/star. Nitpick: The episode was called _The Cloud Minders_. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2019, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/28 "2019-07-29T12:09:28Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Abdullah bin al-Hussein, the king of Jordan,[appeared as an uncredited extra in the 1996 _Star Trek: Voyager_ episode “Investigations,”](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Abdullah_bin_al-Hussein) back when he was a prince. Even harder to spot, [Mick Fleetwood](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Mick_Fleetwood) had a cameo as a fish-faced alien in the TNG episode “Manhunt.” The source of my screen name, Mr. Atoz, was played by [Ian Wolfe](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Ian_Wolfe). He had a very long acting career, with more than 200 films and 80 television appearances, going back to the 1930s. Before noticing him in _Star Trek_, I knew him primarily as Mama Carlson’s butler, Hirsch, on _WKRP in Cincinnati_. ---
**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 29, 2019, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/29 "2019-07-29T12:46:05Z")
In the '80s, France Nuyen (“Elaan of Troyius”) had a prominent role as a physician in _ **St Elsewhere** _. Other women in _ **TOS** _ (Marj Dusay, Arlene Martel, Sabrina Scharf, Antoinette Bower, Barbara Babcock, Marianna Hill) popped up at one time or another in _ **Hogan’s Heroes** _ in addition to being guest stars on many other shows. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2019, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/30 "2019-07-29T12:56:04Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > 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. I saw that ep not too long ago. No, you can’t recognize him because of the makeup, but you can definitely recognize that gravel-grounding voice. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2019, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/31 "2019-07-29T13:04:24Z")
> [@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. Nope, too young. She was a love interest for Wesley Crusher (and actor Wil Weaton’s first kiss). Lefler and Crusher were the two last remaining people not to be mind controlled by the “Game”–largely because they were too busy flirting to try it out earlier on, and thus noticed everyone acting strange later. I don’t remember her in Darmok, an earlier episode, but that makes sense, as she was just a random engineering person, and even had a different name originally in the script. I do not know if they put her in to give a bit continuity for the later episode, or if she just got her start there and it gave her a boost to get the much larger role in “The Game.” ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2019, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/32 "2019-07-29T13:25:19Z")
Angelique Pettyjohn went on to… ahem… bigger things. (you can google her yourself!) ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2019, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/33 "2019-07-29T13:29:55Z")
Interesting life stories of a couple of actors from TOS-_And the Children Shall Lead_: Melvin Belli, who played Gorgan, became well known as a celebrity lawyer. Craig Huxley, who played Tommy Starnes, the oldest kid, was a child actor who had parts in other TV series at the time. He went on to become a musician, and invented the [Blaster Beam](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihNjUA_8UQU), which was used in the first ST movie as the “V-Ger sound.” It’s an 18-ft long steel beam with wires strung across the length, like a massive bass guitar. Huxley used cylinders and bomb shell casings to draw across the strings to make the scratchy echo sounds, and hit the strings to make the scary booming sound. ---
**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 29, 2019, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/34 "2019-07-29T13:35:57Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Interesting life stories of a couple of actors from TOS-_And the Children Shall Lead_: Melvin Belli, who played Gorgan, became well known as a celebrity lawyer. Belli already was a well known celebrity lawyer when he appeared on TOS. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2019, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/35 "2019-07-29T14:24:25Z")
While well known in wrestling, one of Dwayne Johnson’s earliest acting credits was a wrestler alien on _Star Trek: Voyager_ in 2000, predating his breakout role in _The Mummy Returns_ by over a year. He even was credited under his wrestling name, as simply “The Rock.” I wonder if this was when he caught the acting bug. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2019, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/36 "2019-07-29T14:37:34Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > While well known in wrestling, one of Dwayne Johnson’s earliest acting credits was a wrestler alien on _Star Trek: Voyager_ in 2000, predating his breakout role in _The Mummy Returns_ by over a year. > > He even was credited under his wrestling name, as simply “The Rock.” I wonder if this was when he caught the acting bug. He was pretty much the pre-eminent WWE wrestler at this point… and pro wrestling is essentially acting with an athletic component. He was very well known already prior to becoming an official actor. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2019, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/37 "2019-07-29T14:45:36Z")
While I can’t name check any of them, one thing I noticed in the late 1980s was the overlap in bit parts between TNG and LA Law. Frequently I’d notice people appearing in similar roles. Admirals or Ambassadors in TNG would pop up as judges in LAL and vice-versa. John DeLancie popped up in LAL several times as some form of ‘expert witness’. Further solidified with Diana Muldaur having ongoing roles in both - though short-lived - and even Corbin Bernsen appearing as a member of the Q. ---
**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 29, 2019, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/38 "2019-07-29T15:31:23Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Angelique Pettyjohn went on to… ahem… bigger things. (you can google her yourself!) I liked her as Master of Disguise Charlie Watkins on _ **Get Smart** _. ---
**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:** [July 29, 2019, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/39 "2019-07-29T15:40:31Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Other women in _ **TOS** _ (Marj Dusay, Arlene Martel, Sabrina Scharf, Antoinette Bower, Barbara Babcock, Marianna Hill) popped up at one time or another in _ **Hogan’s Heroes** _ in addition to being guest stars on many other shows. And Mission Impossible. All filmed at Desilu. A very cost-conscious studio. One episode of MI used the Desliu water tower as a location (carefully framed so the logo wasn’t visible, of course), another used the standing set of Hogan’s Heroes. You’d think people would have noticed that one! ---
**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 29, 2019, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655/40 "2019-07-29T16:57:24Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Other women in _ **TOS** _ (Marj Dusay, Arlene Martel, Sabrina Scharf, Antoinette Bower, Barbara Babcock, Marianna Hill) popped up at one time or another in _ **Hogan’s Heroes** _ in addition to being guest stars on many other shows. So did many of the men from _ **TOS** _: John Hoyt, John Crawford, Theodore Marcuse, Hal Lynch, Roger C Carmel, Whit Bissel, Malachi Throne, Bruce Yarnell, James Gregory, Joseph Ruskin, Johnny Haymer, and Charles Napier. Add Karen Steele, Celeste Yarnall, and Leslie Parrish to the list of women from _ **TOS** _. And James B Sikking, not from \*\*\*TOS \*\*\*but from the movies. I think that’s everyone… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-actors-from-other-things-in-star-trek/837655.md?page=1)