Excellent Guest Stars Of STAR TREK...

[Farscape One]

I started this thread for VOYAGER, but it works for every series.

Casting is a very important part of any television/movie production. You can have a brilliant script, phenomenal sets, superb visual effects... but if roles are not cast right, it can spoil an otherwise flawless production.

The main cast is obviously at the center, but there are guest stars who come in for an episode that are not only great in the role, but elevate the entire episode... even outshining the leads. Or have such great chemistry with soneone else that you really wish they appeared more.

I am curious to see who everyone here thinks were extraordinary guest stars.

I will start.

"THE DOOMSDAY MACHINE" - William Windom, as Commodore Matt Decker.

This is one of THE very best episodes of the series, elevated even further by his performance. From his first scenes describing how he lost his crew, to his relieving Spock of command. He was absolutely brilliant, and I was sad to see him killed off, though I realize the story essentially worked better with his sacrifice.

He turned an excellent STAR TREK episode into one of the very best of the ENTIRE franchise.

 

[Forbin]

Sherry Jackson in What Are Little Girls Made Of?, because, well, if I was going to make a sexy gynoid assistant, it would definitely look like Sherry Jackson in a skimpy outfit.

Also, in the same episode, who else but Ted Cassidy, at that time, could possibly play Ruk?

 

[Greg Cox]

Mark Lenard, both times.

See also Elisha Cook Jr. as Cogley, William "Blacula" Marshall as Dr Daystrom, and Yvonne Craig as the insane Orion dancer.

 

[Kor]

I have always enjoyed Gary Lockwood's performance.

Kor

 

[Pauln6]

Diana Muldaur (both times), Mariana Hill, Joan Collins, and Susan Oliver. I love it when TOS does a decent female character (not often enough). Vina is one of my top ten sci fi heroines!

 

[BillJ]

Morgan Woodward as Simon Van Gelder ("Dagger of the Mind") and Ron Tracy ("The Omega Glory").

"We kill THOUSANDS, and they still came!"

 

[T'Bonz]

Mark Lenard

 

[Phaser Two]

Some good choices already.

Kathie Browne was excellent as Deela. The main guest actors in Return of the Archons (playing Reger, Marplon, Tamar, and Lindstrom) were also very good.

 

[GNDN18]

Two Very Special Guest Stars:

Robert Lansing

Jeffrey Hunter

 

[johnnybear]

Michael Ansara as Kang and John Colicos as Kor!
JB

 

[FormerLurker]

Personally, I'm just amazed by the sheer voice talent so many of the male guests had on TOS. From the obvious Ted Cassidy basso profundo, as Ruk, and again as the Balok puppet, and then the Gorn, through Mark Lenard, William Marshall, Morgan Woodward, and their stentorian baritones, but then even more, like Michael Ansara, Richard Webb as Finney, Roger C. Carmel, Stanley Adams. The majority of them had been stage-trained, which accounted for their more dramatic line-reading, and the full use of their vocal talents while doing so, but I'm still amazed at how good they all sounded.

 

[Phaser Two]

Personally, I'm just amazed by the sheer voice talent so many of the male guests had on TOS. From the obvious Ted Cassidy basso profundo, as Ruk, and again as the Balok puppet, and then the Gorn, through Mark Lenard, William Marshall, Morgan Woodward, and their stentorian baritones, but then even more, like Michael Ansara, Richard Webb as Finney, Roger C. Carmel, Stanley Adams. The majority of them had been stage-trained, which accounted for their more dramatic line-reading, and the full use of their vocal talents while doing so, but I'm still amazed at how good they all sounded.

Spot on. The voice actors were pretty uniformly outstanding. My personal faves were Bart LaRue as Yarnek and Vic Perrin as the Official Voice of the Metrons.

They must have had such a blast recording all of those sessions.

 

[Kilana2]

William Campbell as Trelane and Koloth .

 

[johnnybear]

BarBara Luna as Marlena in Mirror, Mirror and Sherry Jackson as Andrea in What Are Little Girls made of?
JB

 

[Kilana2]

Teri Garr as Roberta Lincoln. I'm glad Roberta reappeared in several novels.....

 

[Forbin]

BarBara Luna as Marlena in Mirror, Mirror and Sherry Jackson as Andrea in What Are Little Girls made of?
JB

My two all-time favorite Trek women.

 

[Miramanee]

Star Trek definitely made its guest actors work for their money. No wooden performances, everybody had to give it their all

 

[Spock's Barber]

Marj Dusay and Skip Homeier.

 

[Miramanee]

William Campbell as Trelane and Koloth .

I wonder if they tried to get Tony Randall first for Trelane

 

[Spock's Barber]

I wonder if they tried to get Tony Randall first for Trelane

Jack Klugman would have been better than Melvin Belli as the Gorgan.