# Spotting Star Trek actors in other programs

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, star-trek-paramount\
**Created:** [August 29, 2017, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982 "2017-08-29T00:49:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 16

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [October 23, 2017, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982/301 "2017-10-23T05:35:11Z")

</div>

> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#):
>
> Colm Meaney is arguably better known for his film work (_The Snapper, The Commitments, The Damned United_, etc.) than for his years as Miles O’Brien.

I would say yes, it’s arguable. I knew Meaney as Chief O’Brien before I was aware of any of his movies. And if you asked me, I could only name two (_The Rock_ and _The Englishman Who Went Up A Hill, But Came Down A Mountain_).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [October 24, 2017, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982/302 "2017-10-24T05:01:00Z")

</div>

I found another actor who was in TOS and NextGen; Brian Tochi. I don’t think he’s been mentioned in the thread, yet. He was one of the kids who took over the Enterprise in _And the Children Shall Lead_ (his second acting credit, when he was 9), and played an ensign in _Night Terrors_ 23 years later.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [October 24, 2017, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982/303 "2017-10-24T07:04:09Z")

</div>

> [@cochrane](#):
>
> I would say yes, it’s arguable. I knew Meaney as Chief O’Brien before I was aware of any of his movies. And if you asked me, I could only name two (_The Rock_ and _The Englishman Who Went Up A Hill, But Came Down A Mountain_).

I would add _ **Die Hard II** _, as the pilot of the British airliner that crashed. And _ **The Commitments** _, a really great movie.

I remembered another commercial of the early '70s, one that featured a _ **TOS** _ actor: Johnny Haymer, who played “The Constable” in “All Our Yesterdays” (“Aye, m’lord. Called him ‘Bones,’ he did!”). It was a commercial for a German beer (I forget the brand), and he was a BRD border guard who, IIRC, confiscated a whole two-four as “contraband” and then drank it himself. Spoke German the whole time, and pretty decently too. (The commercial had subtitles.)

This stuck in my mind because I had recently seen “All Our Yesterdays” for the first time and recognized him immediately.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BlutEngel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blutengel/32/7323_2.png) [@BlutEngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlutEngel)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2017, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982/304 "2017-10-25T01:46:11Z")

</div>

Arlene Martel, who played Spock’s betrothed in “Amok Time”, also appeared in Mission: Impossible after Leonard Nimoy joined the cast. Apparently, she also appeared with Leonard Nimoy in an episode of The Rebel, but I’ve never seen the latter.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [October 25, 2017, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982/305 "2017-10-25T01:57:56Z")

</div>

Nimoy played an “educated” Indian in some Western I watch on ME TV, I can’t remember which.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [November 5, 2017, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982/306 "2017-11-05T01:24:53Z")

</div>

Anthony Caruso, Gangster Mr. Oxmix, again played an Indian, a Cherokee this time in an early Have Gun Will Travel, where Paladin wore the silly white tie.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [November 6, 2017, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982/307 "2017-11-06T01:00:25Z")

</div>

Spectre of the Gun involves the gun fight at the OK Corral.  
DeForest Kelley was in [the film](http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Gunfight_at_the_O.K._Corral) with Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982/308 "2017-11-06T01:06:05Z")

</div>

> [@carnivorousplant](#):
>
> Spectre of the Gun involves the gun fight at the OK Corral.  
> DeForest Kelley was in [the film](http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Gunfight_at_the_O.K._Corral) with Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster.

He was also in the recreation of the OK Corral by “You Are There” ["You Are There" The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (October 26, 1881) (TV Episode 1955) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0751942/) - man just couldn’t get out of the corral.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [November 6, 2017, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982/309 "2017-11-06T01:12:06Z")

</div>

Cool. Thanks!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982/310 "2017-11-16T17:41:47Z")

</div>

I just saw the 1973 con-artist hit _The Sting_, and noticed two _Star Trek_ actors in it - James Sloyan and Charles Dierkop.

[http://www.aveleyman.com/Gallery/ActorsS/16084-18278.gif](http://www.aveleyman.com/Gallery/ActorsS/16084-18278.gif)

> **[James Sloyan](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/James_Sloyan)**
>
> James Joseph Sloyan (born 24 February 1940; age 83) is an actor who portrayed several Star Trek characters over the span of three series. His largest, most frequent role was that of Mora Pol, the Bajoran scientist who first studied Odo, appearing in...

[![](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYWJkY2MxOTctNDE4NC00MTQ1LTk3MzUtN2ZlODkxN2RlZTg0XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTI3MDk3MzQ@._V1_SX1777_CR0,0,1777,962_AL_.jpg) ](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYWJkY2MxOTctNDE4NC00MTQ1LTk3MzUtN2ZlODkxN2RlZTg0XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTI3MDk3MzQ@._V1_SX1777_CR0,0,1777,962_AL_.jpg)

> **[Charles Dierkop](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Charles_Dierkop)**
>
> Charles Dierkop (born 11 September 1936; age 86) played Morla in the Star Trek: The Original Series second season episode "Wolf in the Fold". He filmed his scenes between Tuesday 27 June 1967 and Monday 3 July 1967 at Desilu Stage 9 and Stage 10....

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982/311 "2017-11-16T18:32:02Z")

</div>

Has anybody mentioned [this gem](https://qz.com/1035897/the-bizarre-story-of-a-long-lost-horror-film-made-entirely-in-esperanto-starring-william-shatner/) in Shatner’s career?

Also, at some point in the late 70s, Shatner did TV commercials for the (now defunct) grocery store chain Loblaws.  
Of all the major stars of any ST series, Denise Crosby (she was being built up as the main female character in the early episodes) seems to have the worst post-Trek career. She keeps showing up every few years in something, but always in some neglible, sometimes nameless roles. The most notable part I’ve seen her play was in the remarkably awful “Pet Semetary” movie. She showed up in an episode of “Mad Men” as the rancher who took care of the horse Betty Draper rode. She also appeared in “the Walking Dead” as one of the members of the cannibal community.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [November 16, 2017, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982/312 "2017-11-16T18:36:44Z")

</div>

> [@Don\_Draper](#):
>
> Has anybody mentioned [this gem](https://qz.com/1035897/the-bizarre-story-of-a-long-lost-horror-film-made-entirely-in-esperanto-starring-william-shatner/) in Shatner’s career?

Shatner also showed up on THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN as Steve Austin’s pal who now also got a bona fide super-power, like a Justice Leaguer. No, not that one. No, not that one, either. You know the one who can talk to dolphins? That one.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982/313 "2017-11-16T18:43:47Z")

</div>

> [@Don\_Draper](#):
>
> …Of all the major stars of any ST series, Denise Crosby (she was being built up as the main female character in the early episodes) seems to have the worst post-Trek career. She keeps showing up every few years in something, but always in some neglible, sometimes nameless roles. The most notable part I’ve seen her play was in the remarkably awful “Pet Semetary” movie. She showed up in an episode of “Mad Men” as the rancher who took care of the horse Betty Draper rode. She also appeared in “the Walking Dead” as one of the members of the cannibal community.

She had a supporting but not negligible role as the mom of Elijah Wood’s girlfriend in _Deep Impact_.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [November 16, 2017, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982/314 "2017-11-16T19:52:06Z")

</div>

> [@Don\_Draper](#):
>
> Has anybody mentioned [this gem](https://qz.com/1035897/the-bizarre-story-of-a-long-lost-horror-film-made-entirely-in-esperanto-starring-william-shatner/) in Shatner’s career?
> 
> Also, at some point in the late 70s, Shatner did TV commercials for the (now defunct) grocery store chain Loblaws.

\*\*\*Incubus \*\*\*used to be on YouTube (probably still is). It’s not all that long, and it’s a hoot and a holler.

I remember Shatner doing a bunch of things in the '70s. He was a prosecutor in _ **The Andersonville Trials** _; a James West–type undercover agent in _ **Barbary Coast** _; a murderer on _ **Columbo** _; and a cold-blooded killer from “the States” in the Canadian police procedural _ **The Professionals** _.

He also did commercials for Promise margarine, in which he “promised” to buy no other brand.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [November 16, 2017, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982/315 "2017-11-16T19:56:21Z")

</div>

He also “sang” a lot on syndicated shows like Mike Douglas’s. Some of these performances have also been immortalized on YouTube.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982/316 "2017-11-16T20:04:48Z")

</div>

In fact, here’s one of [Shatner’s ads for Loblaws](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3Kh8Pii0p4).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [November 16, 2017, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982/317 "2017-11-16T20:14:48Z")

</div>

> [@terentii](#):
>
> I remember Shatner doing a bunch of things in the '70s. He was a prosecutor in _ **The Andersonville Trials** _; a James West–type undercover agent in _ **Barbary Coast** _; a murderer on _ **Columbo** _; and a cold-blooded killer from “the States” in the Canadian police procedural _ **The Professionals** _.

He showed up on MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE as an aging mobster who literally knows where the bodies are buried but still ain’t talking even decades later – and so our heroes pump him full of drugs, and make him look like he did back when he was a young crook on the rise (by which I mean _“remove the old-age makeup so he looks normal-age”_) and have him playact his way through a day in the life as if waking from a mere dream of men walking on the moon and Nixon being president.

Oh, look: he’s just now thought of a place to hide the body!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [November 16, 2017, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982/318 "2017-11-16T20:30:47Z")

</div>

> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#):
>
> He showed up on MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE as an aging mobster who literally knows where the bodies are buried but still ain’t talking even decades later – and so our heroes pump him full of drugs, and make him look like he did back when he was a young crook on the rise (by which I mean _“remove the old-age makeup so he looks normal-age”_) and have him playact his way through a day in the life as if waking from a mere dream of men walking on the moon and Nixon being president.
> 
> Oh, look: he’s just now thought of a place to hide the body!

I remember that episode too. The IMF even got a Ford Trimotor to fly over the Depression-era movie set where the scam was carried out, just to convince him it really was the 1930s. (Funny how there were no jet airliners over Los Angeles that day.)

The best part was when the drugs started wearing off and Shatner realized he’d been had. :eek: They pulled off a similar scheme with Vic Morrow around that time, but in reverse: they convinced him he’d lost his memory of the last umpteen years, and they needed nuclear material he had hidden in the '70s in order to bring World War III to an end.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [November 16, 2017, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982/319 "2017-11-16T21:11:01Z")

</div>

> [@Don\_Draper](#):
>
> Has anybody mentioned [this gem](https://qz.com/1035897/the-bizarre-story-of-a-long-lost-horror-film-made-entirely-in-esperanto-starring-william-shatner/) in Shatner’s career?

I actually paid money for that. Somethibng like a $2.50 DVD from China.

I think…Shatner…acquired his…acting… _style_…trying to remember his lines in Esperanto.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982/320 "2017-11-16T21:22:15Z")

</div>

> [@Don\_Draper](#):
>
> In fact, here’s one of [Shatner’s ads for Loblaws](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3Kh8Pii0p4).

If you look really, _really_ closely, you can see him dying a little inside as he does that ad.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982.md?page=15)

[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-star-trek-actors-in-other-programs/794982.md?page=17)
