Over the years, much of the original series cast has made allegations that potential screen time/scenes were sacrificed because Shatner wanted the spotlight. While this may be true, I've always wondered if some of the "second stringers" merited/deserved screen time because they didn't seem like the strongest actors. What do you think was the quality of acting of the original cast members? Was it "type casting" that prevented them from earning additional roles in non Star trek roles or a lack of acting chops?
Quality of Acting
- Thread starter Komack
- Start date
I sometime wonder if Shatner really had the power on the show to demand that lines that were supposed to go to say Takei, be added to his dialog? Or this one of those built up Trek myths?
Or was it a case of the production team simply "shoving" the character of Kirk into the spotlight?
Post Star Trek, both Shatner and Nimoy had considerable more work than their former co-workers. Shatner gets cut back by some on his acting ability, but he is a professional actor, and has developed his skill throughout his career. And he apparently possessed an aggressive series of agents.
I've only seen Nickels in a small number of non-Star Trek productions, and in all honestly she's average in terms of her ability. Other than her role as movie Uhura, my impression is that Hollywood wasn't exactly kicking down her front door to offer her work.
I though Koenig was fantastic (and very dark) in Babylon Five, better than he was as Chekov in fact. But Bester was a more complex character, and Koenig could dig his teeth into him and he really couldn't with Chekov.
Or was it a case of the production team simply "shoving" the character of Kirk into the spotlight?
Post Star Trek, both Shatner and Nimoy had considerable more work than their former co-workers. Shatner gets cut back by some on his acting ability, but he is a professional actor, and has developed his skill throughout his career. And he apparently possessed an aggressive series of agents.
I've only seen Nickels in a small number of non-Star Trek productions, and in all honestly she's average in terms of her ability. Other than her role as movie Uhura, my impression is that Hollywood wasn't exactly kicking down her front door to offer her work.
I though Koenig was fantastic (and very dark) in Babylon Five, better than he was as Chekov in fact. But Bester was a more complex character, and Koenig could dig his teeth into him and he really couldn't with Chekov.
You know, these guys were spear carriers. Let's make no mistake about it. They've had so much smoke blown up their skirts by rabid fans for half a century that they've forgotten that and developed delusions of grandeur. They were bit players.
Koenig, at least, seems to have gotten over it. His interview with Shatner is very interesting. He also describes himself there as a "good, not great" actor, in what seems to be an honest assessment.
Koenig, at least, seems to have gotten over it. His interview with Shatner is very interesting. He also describes himself there as a "good, not great" actor, in what seems to be an honest assessment.
Shatner was a line-hog; that's not really in dispute.
That said, guys like Takei are pretty clearly limited as actors by comparison. Several of them - sadly, not Nichols - had just enough moments in the spotlight later in their Trek careers to demonstrate how circumscribed or expansive their abilities are.
That said, guys like Takei are pretty clearly limited as actors by comparison. Several of them - sadly, not Nichols - had just enough moments in the spotlight later in their Trek careers to demonstrate how circumscribed or expansive their abilities are.
I honestly don't know. Shatner wasn't exactly a great actor (and still is not) when he started Trek. Only through having a lot of lines was he able to better his skills.
Mark Leonard was the only one of the group who came in that had real skills. When that guy was on screen, you paid attention.
Mark Leonard was the only one of the group who came in that had real skills. When that guy was on screen, you paid attention.
He appeared in two episodes as a guest star. Hardly one of the "group". Was Roger C. Carmel in the "group" too? ( he at least played the same character in his two episodes).
Yeah, I agree ...... I did see that interview with Shatner and it was pretty good.
Hunh? The man was extremely well regarded for his stage work before Trek. His performances in the first season are considered his best in the show's run. So how he could have been getting on-the-job- training?
The man is a very good actor, when he acts. He also has something that many today don't have: star quality. Charisma. I know bashing him has been a favorite sport in the Trek world for 30 years, but the fact is he blew a lot of his co-stars (including Sir Patrick) off the screen.
It's hard as considering that de, leonard & bill were the main characters in the show it's understandable they were going to get most of the scenes. In terms of bill being a line-hogger how come it's only been the "lesser-role" actors of the show who says this, jealously perhaps in that bill had more job chances after star trek than them?
I have to say the first season is when the quality of acting was very good, perhaps the change was due to cutting of budget, the stories becoming not so great and well written towards to the end?
I have to say the first season is when the quality of acting was very good, perhaps the change was due to cutting of budget, the stories becoming not so great and well written towards to the end?
I got a big smile in Generations during the riding scene where Shatner delivered his lines while dancing his horse around Stewart, who stood perfectly still on his own horse. Symbolic of acting circles around the other guy.
It seems that some just aren't familiar with his resume prior to TOS. And yeah, Bashing Shatner seems to be a sport for some.
I got a big smile in Generations during the riding scene where Shatner delivered his lines while dancing his horse around Stewart, who stood perfectly still on his own horse. Symbolic of acting circles around the other guy.
I always took that as Shatner being a horse lover and rider and more comfortable than Stewart on top of one but hey, I like your take on it.
Apparently Shatner gave Stewart some riding lessons and tips and the two got along very well. In Generations, Shatner seemed at ease and enjoying himself in his scenes with Stewart while the latter seemed to have a stick up his hind quarter. I say this as a huge fan of both actors and their ST shows.
C
Christian123
Guest
Hi all,
the quality of acting is just very good and amazing guys,
so keep posting and sharing about it guys.....
the quality of acting is just very good and amazing guys,
so keep posting and sharing about it guys.....
Isn't that pretty much how their characters were intended to act in the scenes though? Kirk is experiencing the high of the Nexus and Picard is worried about getting back to stop Soran.
Again with the "self-evident" type pronouncements. Posters here are certainly questioning his being a line hog. I dispute it too, simply because it seems just as likely to be sour grapes from puffed up bit players, as people have noted some of the little four became. He was the star of a network tv show with huge acting chops and creds.
Shatner certainly seems to have a big ego. But do you have sure, credible examples of instances he literally demanded lines be transferred to him? Maybe it happened, but so much of what we fans "know" is based on recollections decades after the fact.
You really can't hold this to the same standard of proof as a court of law, or science. But even so, there really is no dispute that Shatner was on the set every day, and was involved with the Directors and re-writes on the spot. You get this account from every source that was there. Whether that makes him a "line hog" is up to one's own interpretation, but the mechanics of what went on is indeed fairly well accounted for.
Canon violation. That was a Ressikan flute, not a stick.
From what I've read, Shatner was very professional. He learned his lines quickly and rarely made mistakes. Leonard was top notch as well. The rest? Well, their acting careers speak for themselves. They were 2nd-3rd string actors. As T'Girl and Beaker full of Death pointed out, the fame surrounding their work on Star Trek caused them to inflate their actual value.
I think in a couple of scripts, Shatner didn't like something and had things changed, which cost a few lines for the secondary characters. Something like this stuck in their craw, so they don't forget it and then amplify it as if it happened often. It did not, at least according to Herb Solow and Robert Justman.
I think in a couple of scripts, Shatner didn't like something and had things changed, which cost a few lines for the secondary characters. Something like this stuck in their craw, so they don't forget it and then amplify it as if it happened often. It did not, at least according to Herb Solow and Robert Justman.
