What if Paramount/Desilu/NBC/rodenberry had a hard rule on not reusing actors to play different parts? Pick actors from the period 1966-1969 to replace actors who wouldn't have been alowed to play other roles...... Replace Lenard as Sarek with..... Replace Montaigne as Stonn with... Replace Woodward as Cap Tracey with... Replace Mulduar as Miranda with..... Replace Russo as Com Wesley with.... Replace Homeier as Severin with..... Replace Wolfe as ATOZ with...... Replace Barbara Babcock as Philana Replace Herron as Kahless with... (Bob Herron played an uncredited "Sam" in Charlie X) Replace Campbell as Koloth with.... I'll start....... Joseph Wiseman as Sarek -- Vulcan features and a bit older than Nimoy Martin Landau as Severin--His voice and mannerisms could inspire followers Simon Oakland as Kahless--big guy, strong voice Lee Marvin as Cap Tracey-- someone mentioned he would have been a good guest Cyril Delavanti as ATOZ--same british type attitude Dean Stockwell as Stonn--thin and angular Ann Francis as Philana--could play a intense part Don Gordon as Koloth--tougher than Campbell was and closer to how Colicos might have played it if he could have reprised Kor. Note! I am not saying these actors would have been better or that they should not have allowed repeat actors--just what if. Any thoughts?
Dana Wynter. She had downgraded from features to TV by then, had been on TWWW. And she had the Muldaur class-act aspect, and MAY have even been under consideration, given she was later cast in THE QUESTOR TAPES. Leslie Nielsen would have been a great Commodore Wesley. (wil wheaton pops up here to say, "and don't call me wesley!")
Yes, Nielsen did a ton of TV in the 60s!! Great choice. I know Dana Wynter by name but I'll have to check the face. Okay, I checked--the female lead from '56 Body Snatchers--excellent!
For about 40 years, I've thought there were two actors who should have been on TOS because they were actively working during the 60s, but weren't on the show. The first was the aforementioned Leslie Nielsen, who was primarily doing villains in those days, and would have been perfect as Ronald Tracey or any other highly respected Starfleet officer gone mad. My second what-if was Ed Asner, who would have made a marvelous Klingon.
Nielsen and Asner were both good on THE WILD WILD WEST ... Nielsen was in the first Gene Coon ep, which in a lot of ways is the best -- along with NIGHT OF JACK OF DIAMONDS -- of the non-SF shows in the series. Lots of crossover with WWW and TRek actors like William Schallert and Percy Rodrigues and Mark Lenard and William Windom and Leslie Parrish to name a few (and the Barrymore guy who flaked out and had to be replaced on ALTERNATIVE FACTOR -- he is VERY good as an indian in the aforementioned Nielsen ep (called something like NIGHT OF THE DOUBLE EDGED SWORD, I think. has Katherine Ross and Elija Cook too.) WWW guest actresses ... man, consider Dawn Wells and Sharon Farrell as Yeomen!
I think there has been a serious character identification error here; it is Dr. SIMON VAN GELDER who is the nutty one. Captain Koloth - Don Rickels Sarek - Bill Cosby ATOZ - Liberace
But how are we doing this? Must the actor keep the first appearance role and the additional appearances recast? I'd suggest Lenard keep the Sarek role and the Romulan Commander be recast. Or must Lenard remain only as the Romulan because that came first?
If we need more candidates, Robert Duvall and Dabney Coleman were doing guest parts in those days. Ooh! Bradford Dillman was everywhere too and would have been great.
Yeah, I agree with the sentiment, but yes the second role has to be recast. Hey, it doesn't mean we really lose the perfomance it's what-if !!
Ed Asner as a Klingon? Brilliant! If I may...... Sharon Tate as one of the renegade hippie chicks on The Way to Eden....or the seductress sent to compromise Kirk on Bread and Circuses. If only......