Did Majel Barrett have what it took?

[Harvey]

I sort of wonder if the rejection of John Hoyt was age related; perhaps the suits were thinking younger. Hoyt was 59 when he did "The Cage".

Paul Fix was 64 when the second pilot was shot, so, probably not.

According to Memory Alpha, age was surely an issue.

You are right that it does seem to have been an issue with the show's creative team (and, also, Roddenberry wanted Kelley for the role but deferred to Bob Butler and James Goldstone in casting the doctors in the two pilot episodes), but it doesn't seem to have been an issue with the "suits."

This is why I hate posting via my phone -- there's never enough time to get all the words out!

 

[Corylea]

Nimoy was also an alcoholic then; Quinto, presumably, is not.

My understanding is that Mr. Nimoy became an alcoholic during Star Trek, so his face when the series began would not have been affected by this, since it was in the future.

 

[2takesfrakes]

It always surprised me on STAR TREK, how some of the background extras actually looked alot better than the main cast, or even the guest stars, for that matter. There would be really hot, young women wandering the halls of ENTERPRISE and I watch and wonder, "why didn't they cast her as the love interest? She looks great!". There had to be some reason for this kind of casting. I suspect "they" wanted "realistic" looking actors, so as to seem more relatable, maybe.

 

[Commishsleer]

It always surprised me on STAR TREK, how some of the background extras actually looked alot better than the main cast, or even the guest stars, for that matter. There would be really hot, young women wandering the halls of ENTERPRISE and I watch and wonder, "why didn't they cast her as the love interest? She looks great!". There had to be some reason for this kind of casting. I suspect "they" wanted "realistic" looking actors, so as to seem more relatable, maybe.

Well you do wonder why the guys are falling over each other in "Mudd's Women" to see the ladies when they've got plenty of better looking women aboard.
Still the attractive looking extras probably are more models than actresses.

 

[BillJ]

It always surprised me on STAR TREK, how some of the background extras actually looked alot better than the main cast, or even the guest stars, for that matter. There would be really hot, young women wandering the halls of ENTERPRISE and I watch and wonder, "why didn't they cast her as the love interest? She looks great!". There had to be some reason for this kind of casting. I suspect "they" wanted "realistic" looking actors, so as to seem more relatable, maybe.

It could come down to actual acting ability?

 

[Zaku]

^^This one?

 

[Marsden]

It always surprised me on STAR TREK, how some of the background extras actually looked alot better than the main cast, or even the guest stars, for that matter. There would be really hot, young women wandering the halls of ENTERPRISE and I watch and wonder, "why didn't they cast her as the love interest? She looks great!". There had to be some reason for this kind of casting. I suspect "they" wanted "realistic" looking actors, so as to seem more relatable, maybe.

It could come down to actual acting ability?

Now, that just crazy talk! Best actors getting the lines?

 

[PCz911]

Sometimes it's not about talent or ability. Frequently it's more about does the actor have "it" on the screen and if they are right for the part. I don't think Majel had "it" for Number One or Chapel, but Mrs. Troi was another matter.

I never warmed to any of her roles beyond the computer voice. Not that I'm any expert (or have any talent myself) but I just never thought she was a good actor.

 

[LMFAOschwarz]

It's just so hard to tell. Chapel to me almost never seemed particularly charismatic or even happy, but was it the actress, or the scripted part she was playing?

But sometimes, an actor can be too good. In a Hawaii Five-O episode, Tom Skerrit played a cop, a childhood friend of Danny's, who it was revealed that he had murdered his wife. He ha a ton of angst over the direction his life had taken, and all through the episode, this palpable cloud of depression follows him around. It was acted so well, it almost makes it hard to watch the episode!

 

[Commishsleer]

Chapel had the crush on Spock and Rand had the crush on Kirk but I always thought that Chapel was embaressing while I had some sympathy for Rand.
I'm not certain whether its just because Chapel got rubbish lines or because of the actresses.

 

[2takesfrakes]

I'm just glad that GR didn't push her on STAR TREK even more than he did. Majel Barrett seems like she was a sweet lady, though. And that she supported her husband the way she did, throughout was a fine tribute to who she was, as a person. As an actress, she couldn't do accents, she didn't have much range, but she seemed like she was a Team Player.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

It's just so hard to tell. Chapel to me almost never seemed particularly charismatic or even happy, but was it the actress, or the scripted part she was playing?

But sometimes, an actor can be too good. In a Hawaii Five-O episode, Tom Skerrit played a cop, a childhood friend of Danny's, who it was revealed that he had murdered his wife. He ha a ton of angst over the direction his life had taken, and all through the episode, this palpable cloud of depression follows him around. It was acted so well, it almost makes it hard to watch the episode!

I remember that episode--Skerritt was great in the role...but that should have been expected, as I cannot recall a Skerritt performance where he was not strong / effective.

Regarding Barrett: I think some fans expected too much out of a role never designed to place anywhere near the stage of the Big Three, or even Scotty/Uhura level.

 

[EnriqueH]

It's pretty clear Chapel wasn't a particularly great role, but she was a comforting presence in Sickbay (at least to me) when I saw the show and wished she had a few more cameos as Chapel than she did.

I thought she did a very capable job in the one episode that DID focus on her "What Are Little Girls...".