Roddenberry's Regeneration

[VulcanVixen]

Why does Gene Roddenberry recycle his characters? lol He's done so with Nurse Christine Chapel and Zarabeth, both of whom have stolen my Spock! Well, not so much Nurse Chapel than Zarabeth. I just found it funny how he dyes their hair different colors, maybe changes up their makeup a bit and sends 'em off to the showroom again.

 

[Christopher]

Huh? First off, are you implying that Chapel and Zarabeth were played by the same actress (which they weren't), or are you attempting some kind of extended metaphor?

Second, Roddenberry had very little involvement with the third season. Zarabeth was not his character.

 

[KingstonTrekker]

Why does Gene Roddenberry recycle his characters? lol He's done so with Nurse Christine Chapel and Zarabeth, both of whom have stolen my Spock! Well, not so much Nurse Chapel than Zarabeth. I just found it funny how he dyes their hair different colors, maybe changes up their makeup a bit and sends 'em off to the showroom again.

I have no idea what you are trying to say...

 

[Therin of Andor]

I just found it funny how he dyes their hair different colors, maybe changes up their makeup a bit and sends 'em off to the showroom again.

Number One and Nurse Chapel were played by the same actress (Majel Barrett).

Nurse Chapel (TOS/TAS) and Dr Chapel (TMP/ST IV) were the same character.

Zarabeth was played by Mariette Hartley. She didn't remind me of Chapel at all. Spock was also romanced by other women in TOS: Leila Kalomi and Droxine come to mind.

 

[VulcanVixen]

I wasn't inferring that Nurse Chapel and Zarabeth were played by the same character! I just meant he USES those two women rather frequently in different roles!!! I may be a bit dim, but I'm not THAT stupid.

 

[Therin of Andor]

I wasn't inferring that Nurse Chapel and Zarabeth were played by the same character! I just meant he USES those two women rather frequently in different roles!!! I may be a bit dim, but I'm not THAT stupid.

Majel Barrett was GR's mistress, and later his wife. She insisted she get plenty of work on ST. It's also why we saw so much of Mrs Troi in TNG and DS9.

GR used Mariette Hartley's talents three times. IIRC, her "Earth II" role (which also morphed into her "Genesis II" role) was because he'd enjoyed her work in ST.

GR re-used many actresses over the years. When you find a good guest actor, you tend to invite them back.

 

[KingstonTrekker]

I wasn't inferring that Nurse Chapel and Zarabeth were played by the same character! I just meant he USES those two women rather frequently in different roles!!! I may be a bit dim, but I'm not THAT stupid.

We never inferred that --- your original post was just incredibly vague.

Modern Trek also re-used guest actors and actresses on a regular basis (Suzie Plakson, James Sloyan, Tony Todd, Jeffrey Combs, etc.)

 

[Christopher]

I wasn't inferring that Nurse Chapel and Zarabeth were played by the same character! I just meant he USES those two women rather frequently in different roles!!! I may be a bit dim, but I'm not THAT stupid.

I think you're using the word "character" when you mean "actress." That's the source of our confusion.

Roddenberry did give Majel Barrett a role in every show he ever made. As for Mariette Hartley, though, your premise is false. As I said, Roddenberry had little involvement in the third season, so casting Hartley may not have been his decision. She was a popular actress at the time and showed up in many productions. And sorry, Therin, but you're mistaken; Earth II was not a Roddenberry production. You must be mixing it up with Planet Earth, the retooled version of Genesis II. Hartley only appeared in two Roddenberry-created shows, Star Trek and Genesis II, and Roddenberry may not have had any say in her casting in ST, because he'd stepped back from direct involvement in the show by that point. So there is no pattern of Roddenberry reusing Hartley.

 

[VulcanVixen]

I wasn't inferring that Nurse Chapel and Zarabeth were played by the same character! I just meant he USES those two women rather frequently in different roles!!! I may be a bit dim, but I'm not THAT stupid.

I think you're using the word "character" when you mean "actress." That's the source of our confusion.

Roddenberry did give Majel Barrett a role in every show he ever made. As for Mariette Hartley, though, your premise is false. As I said, Roddenberry had little involvement in the third season, so casting Hartley may not have been his decision. She was a popular actress at the time and showed up in many productions. And sorry, Therin, but you're mistaken; Earth II was not a Roddenberry production. You must be mixing it up with Planet Earth, the retooled version of Genesis II. Hartley only appeared in two Roddenberry-created shows, Star Trek and Genesis II, and Roddenberry may not have had any say in her casting in ST, because he'd stepped back from direct involvement in the show by that point. So there is no pattern of Roddenberry reusing Hartley.

Ah, I see, thank you. It's just that I noticed Hartley was a Yeoman in "Shore Leave" and found it funny that they brought the actress back to play Zarabeth in season 3. I'm not used to seeing the same person play different characters, it doesn' appeal to me. They also did the same with a Romulan, which they had play a Vulcan in Amok Time (the guy Spock's 'wife' is in love with.) I don't know why I notice these things, but it just irks me! haha

 

[VulcanVixen]

I wasn't inferring that Nurse Chapel and Zarabeth were played by the same character! I just meant he USES those two women rather frequently in different roles!!! I may be a bit dim, but I'm not THAT stupid.

Majel Barrett was GR's mistress, and later his wife. She insisted she get plenty of work on ST. It's also why we saw so much of Mrs Troi in TNG and DS9.

GR used Mariette Hartley's talents three times. IIRC, her "Earth II" role (which also morphed into her "Genesis II" role) was because he'd enjoyed her work in ST.

GR re-used many actresses over the years. When you find a good guest actor, you tend to invite them back.

Haha, that sneaky little Barrett! Thank you for your answer. lol But, doesn't it take away from the show if you see the same actor or actress playing another role? It kills it for me, lol

 

[Christopher]

Ah, I see, thank you. It's just that I noticed Hartley was a Yeoman in "Shore Leave" and found it funny that they brought the actress back to play Zarabeth in season 3.

Yeoman Barrows in "Shore Leave" was played by Emily Banks, not Mariette Hartley. Zarabeth was the only Star Trek character played by Hartley.

They also did the same with a Romulan, which they had play a Vulcan in Amok Time (the guy Spock's 'wife' is in love with.)

Yes, Laurence Montaigne. There are numerous other actors who've played multiple roles in ST. Mark Lenard played a Romulan Commander and Spock's father, as well as a Klingon in ST:TMP. Gene Dynarski was in "Mudd's Women" and "The Mark of Gideon." Diana Muldaur was in "Return to Tomorrow" and "Is There in Truth No Beauty?" William Campbell played both Trelane and Koloth. It happens all the time.

But, doesn't it take away from the show if you see the same actor or actress playing another role? It kills it for me, lol

No; like I said, it's a standard practice. Just about every show has actors returning in multiple roles. If the producers find someone they work well with, they want to work with them again. Sometimes the best person for a particular part is someone who's already played another part. So why settle for second-best?

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

Gene Dynarski was in "Mudd's Women" and "The Mark of Gideon." Diana Muldaur was in "Return to Tomorrow" and "Is There in Truth No Beauty?"

Two actors that also returned to Trek in TNG. Dynarski as Commander Quinteros in "11001001." Muldaur, of course, as Doctor Kate Pulaski in season two.

Mark Lenard came back twice as Sarek of Vulcan in TNG and three times in the TOS movies.

So as Christopher pointed out, it's not unusually for actors to come back in different roles or the same ones.

 

[dru]

I'm not used to seeing the same person play different characters, it doesn' appeal to me.

With a statement like that, I suppose you aren't watching any show closely enough. It's routine in TV productions, not just Trek.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

He liked getting laid. A lot. Sometimes it worked out for him, sometimes it didn't.

The simple answers are usually the best.

 

[number6]

He liked getting laid. A lot. Sometimes it worked out for him, sometimes it didn't.

The simple answers are usually the best.

^

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

He liked getting laid. A lot. Sometimes it worked out for him, sometimes it didn't.

The simple answers are usually the best.

True dat!

 

[Christopher]

He liked getting laid. A lot. Sometimes it worked out for him, sometimes it didn't.

The simple answers are usually the best.

I doubt that explains why ST reused actors like Mark Lenard, Gene Dynarski, Barry Russo, Blaisdell Makee, Eddie Paskey, etc. The simplest answer is that shows reuse actors all the time, because the producers were satisfied with their work the first time. It's just that sometimes that satisfaction is on a more personal level.

 

[number6]

He liked getting laid. A lot. Sometimes it worked out for him, sometimes it didn't.

The simple answers are usually the best.

I doubt that explains why ST reused actors like Mark Lenard, Gene Dynarski, Barry Russo, Blaisdell Makee, Eddie Paskey, etc. The simplest answer is that shows reuse actors all the time, because the producers were satisfied with their work the first time. It's just that sometimes that satisfaction is on a more personal level.

No. Gene banged them as well!!

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

The thread title made me think that perhaps someone had found Genes' chameleon arch, allowing him to regenerate.

Disappointed.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I take it back. GR didn't sleep with actresses and never cast anyone because he wanted to get a leg over them. He was, after all, a married man.

Now, why the hell did the guy who preceded Daniel Jackson at trying to decode the Stargate change his name to Lucius and take up residence on a planet in the Pegasus galaxy? For that matter, why did he leave his political staff job in New York to become a philologist/cryptographer/whatever?