Cast the Characters of Trek Literature

[RookieBatman]

Commander Cavit said:

RookieBatman said:

Commander Cavit said:
The LOL smiley, pictured here: , is usually considered an indication of the poster's meaning what he wrote to be taken humorously.

The wink usually indicates much the same thing.

I know I was aiming that salvo more at Christopher.

I guess that's were we disagree, then. I don't think that Shatner is a scenery-chewing ham. I think that he really is a good actor.

And here's whenre Christopher and I largely agree. I don't see the terms as mutually exclusive. I've seen Richard Burton and Richard Harris be both. Some men are so full of greatness that even their halfbaked efforts have a grandeur to them.

My apologies for misunderstanding on both counts, then.

As for Caruso he's quite good in the first season of NYPD Blue (as mentioned), Session 9, Proof of Life, Gold Coast and King of New York.

My brother was just telling me about Proof of Life. I can't remember if he liked Caruso or not, but then, I think he kinda likes him in CSI:M, so I guess his opinion doesn't count for much.

 

[ClayinCA]

ClayinCA said:
Caruso was actually really good during the first season of NYPD BLUE - you can see why everyone went on and on about him to such a degree.

Christopher said:
Actually not, because that's where I first saw him and decided I totally disliked him. I haven't watched him in anything since, aside from the odd couple of minutes of his CSI show during channel-surfing..

Ah well, to each his own, I guess.

ClayinCA said:
A year or so back (this would have been after THE PRACTICE but before BOSTON LEGAL premiered), I went to a salute to William Shatner sponsored by the Museum of Television & Radio at the Director's Guild here in Hollywood. There was a Q&A with the man himself, preceded by a retrospective consisting of clips from throughout his career. It basically went chronologically, with the caveat that the STAR TREK stuff was saved until the very end, and it was very interesting to see his progression as an actor. In some of the earliest clips (what looked like kinescopes of live TV in some cases, as well as a few scenes with E.G. Marshall in THE DEFENDERS), it was amazing to see the subtlety and intensity of Shatner's acting. It becomes much easier to see why William Shatner was so well-regarded as an actor in the early Sixties, and how it was such a coup for STAR TREK to sign him up. But what was even more interesting to me was that you could almost pinpoint the exact moment where he seems to stop trying very hard, and becomes instead more known for the "hammy" acting he's so often criticized for.

Christopher said:
Could you specify when that moment was? I have a theory that it has something to do with the tinnitus (ringing in the ears) that he's suffered from since a special-effects explosion went off too close to him in an ST episode (maybe "Arena"). I gather it got really bad over the years. It seems to me that it must be hard to give a subtle, nuanced performance when you're trying to hear yourself over a loud ringing in your ears.

But I certainly think he gave some good performances after TOS. His turn as a Columbo murderer in 1976's "Fade in to Murder" was superb.

You know, I've never actually seen that particular Columbo, though I've always wanted to. Have to see if it's on DVD yet and put it in my Netflix queue.

As to the tinnitus, I never knew Shatner suffered from that - interesting. As to the moment when he "stopped trying," as I said they took STAR TREK out of the chronological order of his career, but the approximate time of TOS seems to be the dividing line; his performances shown after that seem to be much much what we now think of as "typical" Shatner acting, though obviously with some exceptions (I still think he was much better in the (don't laugh) T.J. Hooker pilot than he ever was in the series).

 

[Commander Cavit]

RookieBatman said:
My brother was just telling me about Proof of Life.

He plays Russell Crowe's hilariously over intense partner when they mount the rescue operation. He was a good foil for him.

In King of New York, he and Wesley Snipes are Detective partners. Laurence Fishburne's hood character derisively calls them "Howdy Doody and The Chocolate Wonder."

 

[Lord_Trekie]

I may or may not get shot for this but here goes (Titan Cast):

Capt. William Riker: Jonathan Frakes
Cmdr. Deanna Troi: Marina Sirtis
Cmdr. Christine Vale: Amanda Tapping
Lt. Cmdr. Ranul Keru: Frank Owen Smith
Cmdr. Tuvok: Tim Russ
Ens. Aili Lavena: Michelle Forbes
C.P.O. Axel Bolaji: Robert Duncan McNeil
Ens. Olivia Bolaji: Jennifer Hetrick
Lt. Melora Pazlar: Daphne Ashbrook
Lt. Alyssa Ogawa: Patti Yasutake

Oh please don't kill me!!!

 

[DS9Continuing]

Not shot perhaps, but definitely a little slap.

Neither of the Bolajis are Caucasian as I understand the situation.

 

[Rosalind]

no, if I remember correctly, Axel Bloaji is Australian Aboriginese.

 

[Christopher]

Yes, Axel Bolaji is Aboriginal Australian. I believe Olivia is ethnically African.

And... Frank Owen Smith for Keru????? That's the guy who "played" Curzon Dax in the "Emissary" flashbacks. Aside from both being Trill, Curzon and Keru bear no resemblance to each other whatsoever. Curzon, as rendered by Smith, was a frail elderly man with a reasonably full head of hair, while Keru is a big, burly, balding security chief in his prime.

 

[Lord_Trekie]

So make Keru a white Chris Judge... That would be a sight to see... As for the Bolaji's I've read the first 3 books but I am incapable of catching 70% of the detail first time I read, thanks for pointing that out.

 

[RookieBatman]

Lord_Trekie said:
I may or may not get shot for this but here goes (Titan Cast):

Cmdr. Tuvok: Tim Russ

Wait, Tim Russ...Tim Russ . . . that's the guy who played the security guard (and later the FBI agent) on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, right? I don't think he'd be quite right for an unemotional Vulcan...how about Taye Diggs?

(For those who haven't seen Equilibrium, this is a joke about how, in that movie, where everybody's supposed to be devoid of emotion, Diggs is grinning ear to ear in practically every scene.)
Oh well, I guess a joke is never funny if you have to explain it. Ah, it was worth a try.

 

[Lord_Trekie]

Tim Russ played Tuvok for 7 years on Voyager...

 

[RookieBatman]

Lord_Trekie said:
Tim Russ played Tuvok for 7 years on Voyager...

Wait, you mean that wasn't Taye Diggs? Next, you're gonna tell me that it wasn't actually Katherine Hepburn playing Janeway.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

RookieBatman said:

Lord_Trekie said:
I may or may not get shot for this but here goes (Titan Cast):

Cmdr. Tuvok: Tim Russ

Wait, Tim Russ...Tim Russ . . . that's the guy who played the security guard (and later the FBI agent) on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, right? I don't think he'd be quite right for an unemotional Vulcan...how about Taye Diggs?

(For those who haven't seen Equilibrium, this is a joke about how, in that movie, where everybody's supposed to be devoid of emotion, Diggs is grinning ear to ear in practically every scene.)
Oh well, I guess a joke is never funny if you have to explain it. Ah, it was worth a try.

No, no, I got it. One of my few problems with that movie.

 

[RookieBatman]

Emh said:
One of my few problems with that movie.

Agreed. Aside from that, I thought it was really great; great enough to force myself to ignore Digg's constant grinning. I just wonder, didn't the director or anybody notice this?
Anyway, don't want to get off-topic. Taye Diggs as a Vulcan.

 

[captcalhoun]

it's not just diggs' character. the guy played by angus mcfadyen's far too emotional as well. but, i don't give a shit. i love gun katas and christian bale rocks the HIZZZAUGH!

 

[ClayinCA]

RookieBatman said:
Next, you're gonna tell me that it wasn't actually Katherine Hepburn playing Janeway.

If only...

 

[MOntoya]

Hi All

Is there anyway that I could find out what the writers have stated in this post without having to take my whole weekend to read all the posts.

I am just curious to see what are the images they have in mind for any characters. :thumbsup:

 

[William Leisner]

^ You could hire someone else to read it for you.

 

[RookieBatman]

Well, I don't know about this thread, but if you go to David Mack's website, in his "Harbinger" annotations, he's got the fantasy casting for that.

 

[Defcon]

Maybe you should change the display type to threaded (there's a button on the right under the quick reply box). Normally this display type is crap IMO but if you search for posts by individual user it should be the better one.

 

[Ayelbourne]

Some random suggestions...

Christine Vale:
KRAD already picked Katee Sackhoff and I completely agree. She would fit perfectly. Although I'm having a bit of trouble imagining her with black hair.

Nan Bacco: I can't help but picture future Admiral Janeway from Voyagers "Endgame", everytime I read AOTF. Don't ask me why.

Ranul Keru: How about Gerard Butler from the upcoming "300"?