Best Kirk Stunt Double : Worst Kirk Stunt Double

[Spock's Barber]

William Shatner seemed to thrive on doing his own TOS stunts, but every once in a while…a stunt double stepped in. Shatner’s decision or the director’s? Who knows? It’s history now.

Some of the look-alikes were quite close to resembling Shatner : others appeared to be someone the producer just dragged off a street corner.

My Best : Paul Baxley in Shore Leave. Even in close ups, he was similar looking to Shatner. He might even be wearing one of Shat’s toupees.

My Worst : Shatner’s Stunt Double in ‘This Side of Paradise’. The confined area of the Transporter Room just magnifies the cameras ability to show that it’s not Shatner (and Spock, too).

Your choices?

 

[ZapBrannigan]

I enjoy the Engine Room fight in "Space Seed," where the young guy who looks nothing like Kirk shakes his head like a rattle, as he lunges toward the slight fellow who looks nothing like Khan. Those imperfect fights had charm coming out of their ears. I believe Adam West could climb a batrope like a yoyo on the upswing, and I believe TOS is what fistfights look like. I just love vintage TV.

And may I say, I enjoy the worst TOS fight way more than any fight in today's top-dollar action movies. Daniel Craig, call your office. What they do nowadays is frame every shot so close, you can't even see what is happening. And no shot lasts more than half a second. Add in unnaturally fast movement and killer motion blur, and it's a rapid-fire mess where you can't even tell who's hitting who.

 

[Ssosmcin]

Not sure if it counts as a stunt double nut the guy playing "Garth as Kirk" was spot on. But I can see why he would fall out of consideration especially since, I know you're well aware of the guy, Zap.

It seems like Shatner did more of his own stunts in the last two seasons, but obviously doubles did step in (Baxley for Mirror, Mirror). But Shatner did his own in Gamesters and it is all the better for it. And regardless of what The Book says, Shatner had no on screen stunt double for any of his vigorous action scenes for The Omega Glory. He and Morgan Woodward did all that stuff.

But really let's kick off the worst with the first:

So far so good

Sponge Bob Announcer: "One. Second. Later."

 

[Spock's Barber]

Shatner had no on screen stunt double for any of his vigorous action scenes for The Omega Glory. He and Morgan Woodward did all that stuff.

Captain Tracy doesn’t even break a sweat in his fight with Kirk.

 

[Metryq]

What they do nowadays is frame every shot so close, you can't even see what is happening.

Ah, yes! The patented ShakyCam shots.

While it's not Trek, nor Shatner stunt doubles, one of the most credible fights I've seen in the movies is between Logan 5 and Francis 7 in Logan's Run in the Library of Congress. The way they scramble and slip really sells it. Of course, I've read of many movies where the stars did their own fighting, and accidentally landed real punches, further stoking their performance.

 

[Nerys Myk]

They all looked good on my black and white TV.

 

[Ssosmcin]

Captain Tracy doesn’t even break a sweat in his fight with Kirk.

Starship commanders were ace fighters. Tracey and Matt Decker were both very skilled and defeated younger opponents with their fighting prowess.

Tracey had the upper hand here mostly because Kirk was still suffering from the blow he got from the guard earlier. But damn, Tracey was fast nevertheless - look at the grin, Tracey knows Kirk has no chance. These were great fights. Kirk got his ass handed to him in all of them until the end and the climactic fight was a hard win for him.

The Omega Glory gets shade for the flag waving, but I love this episode. It's pure Roddenberry and as "action adventure/Western in Space" as the show got, especially that late in the season.

 

[Spock's Barber]

Starship commanders were ace fighters. Tracey and Matt Decker were both very skilled and defeated younger opponents with their fighting prowess.

Decker sure took good care of this red shirt.

 

[Myko]

That's not Decker, that's Matthews!

or Vince Deadrick Sr. at least...

 

[M'Sharak]

They all looked good on my black and white TV.

Also in color. On 1960s broadcast TV, none of these "obvious" stuntmen were the least bit obvious.

M', bought it hook, line & sinker

 

[Spock's Barber]

That's not Decker, that's Matthews!

or Vince Deadrick Sr. at least...

“Cut! Guest Star Out! Stunt Double In! Action!”

 

[Metryq]

But Kirk never had a sex stunt team, like James Bond.

 

[Spock's Barber]

But Kirk never had a sex stunt team, like James Bond.

“Spock, can’t you come back in a few minutes?”

 

[Metryq]

Lousy trigger discipline on Dr. Noel, but then Kirk always did play it dangerously.

 

[M'Sharak]

Lousy trigger discipline on Dr. Noel, but then Kirk always did play it dangerously.

To be fair, trigger discipline wasn't consistently a thing among real-world professionals until at least a couple of decades after that ep was filmed, and wouldn't begin to become a regular thing on television until around 2000.

 

[Metryq]

But-but-but—it's the 23rd century! :P

 

[Spock's Barber]

“Requiem For Methuselah”

So far, so good in the close ups but…

…nice try stunt doubles, however the camera doesn’t lie.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Okay, what's with the sheets?

 

[Spock's Barber]

Okay, what's with the sheets?

The previous Rayna’s are taking power naps.

 

[Nerys Myk]

The previous Rayna’s are taking power naps.

That was my original thought, but the "peaks and valleys" in the first picture had me doubting ,