Star Trek "second-choice" casting

[alpha_leonis]

Over the years I've heard several alternate casting scenarios for various Star Trek characters. I wonder how the respective shows would have been different if any the following changes (plus any others I'm not aware of) had made it beyond discussion into reality:

1. Jeffrey Hunter was unavailable to play the TOS captain past "The Cage", and William Shatner was a second choice. What if Hunter had been able to continue?

2. DeForrest Kelley was originally approached to play Spock, but turned down the role (and eventually did a fantastic job as McCoy.) Leonard Nimoy was actually their third choice; if he'd turned it down, Martin Landau would have been their next choice. How would TOS have been different with either Kelley or Landau playing Spock?

3. Eric Menyuk was the second choice to play Data in TNG (and received the Traveller as a consolation prize.)

4. Tim Russ was the second choice to play LaForge, and got a couple of bit parts instead before he was finally cast as Tuvok in Voyager.

5. The initial concepts behind Deep Space Nine brought in Ro Laren as a main character, but Michelle Forbes was unavailable/uninterested. Therefore they created Kira Nerys as a new character instead. What if the character had been Ro as originally intended?

6. Genevieve Bujold actually started working as Captain Janeway before she realized she was unable to cope with the fast-paced environment of TV production. What if they'd found a way for Bujold to work out?

 

[PicardSpeedo]

Tim Russ would have been terrible as LaForge. The only reason he managed to pull off a convincing Tuvok was because "flat, dull, and uninspired" encapsulates the Vulcan personality perfectly.

 

[Harvey]

To do a little self-promotion here, I posted one of the early casting memos for 'The Menagerie' from 1964, which lists a lot of potential names for the first pilot, including a number that would later show up on the series in other roles.

http://startrekfactcheck.blogspot.com/2013/09/casting-ideas-for-star-treks-first-pilot.html

There's also this early TNG casting memo, which lists some of the alternate names being discussed here:

http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/08/star-trekcasting.html

 

[alpha_leonis]

To do a little self-promotion here, I posted one of the early casting memos for 'The Menagerie' from 1964, which lists a lot of potential names for the first pilot, including a number that would later show up on the series in other roles.

http://startrekfactcheck.blogspot.com/2013/09/casting-ideas-for-star-treks-first-pilot.html

There's also this early TNG casting memo, which lists some of the alternate names being discussed here:

http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/08/star-trekcasting.html

Interesting that they seemed to be deliberately limiting themselves to black actors for LaForge -- but they were open to Asian actors playing Data and Yar. Part of me wonders why.

Also missing is any reference to Worf. Rumors have told me before they were also limiting that character as well to black actors (mostly for reasons of makeup logistics: for some reason it's easier to take dark skin and make it lighter than the reverse. The less time spent on touching up the makeup, the better for their budget. So I've heard.)

 

[Harvey]

The addition of Worf was done very late in the show's development, which is probably why he's not listed there.

 

[AgentCoop]

I've seen footage of Bujold as Janeway and frankly I thought she was terrible. She projected no sense of authority whatsoever. No way would I have been able to buy her as captain of a Starfleet vessel.

Eric Menyuk did a fine job as the Traveler, but I can't see him as Data. So much of what I love about that character (my favorite in all of Trek) comes from what Brent Spiner brought to the role. It was just the perfect combination of actor and character. I think in the hands of any other actor, Data would not have become as beloved as he did.

 

[BigJake]

Jeffrey Hunter was unavailable to play the TOS captain past "The Cage", and William Shatner was a second choice. What if Hunter had been able to continue?

The Captain would have been a much less vivid and iconic character; what he became owed a great deal to Shatner's drive (and yes, his egoism) and to his sense of humour. Pike was a much more typical square-jawed hero-type of SF pulp.

OTOH the original series might also have developed more of an ensemble dynamic, as TNG later did. Kirk's development also stunted the prospects for some other characters on the show. Hard to say whether the overall effect would have been better or worse.

How would TOS have been different with either Kelley or Landau playing Spock?

Kelley was so completely perfect as Spock's foil that imagining him as Spock is impossible for me. I think Landau would've made a very fine Spock, however, if a very different one. Since Vulcans were largely an improvised creation, it would also mean that Vulcans as a whole would be different -- though it's hard to say how.

Eric Menyuk was the second choice to play Data in TNG (and received the Traveller as a consolation prize.)

I'm sure he could have done a fine job.

Tim Russ was the second choice to play LaForge, and got a couple of bit parts instead before he was finally cast as Tuvok in Voyager

Tim Russ is one of a very few actors whose Vulcan ever really convincingly matched up with Nimoy's Spock. A shame he was wasted on a show as lacklustre as Voyager. But I don't think his energy would have been right for a boy scout character like LaForge.

The initial concepts behind Deep Space Nine brought in Ro Laren as a main character, but Michelle Forbes was unavailable/uninterested. Therefore they created Kira Nerys as a new character instead. What if the character had been Ro as originally intended?

Nana Visitor grew on me, but I would've watched the heck out of a show co-starring Ro Laren. Michelle Forbes was one of the most charismatic cast members TNG Trek ever had.

Genevieve Bujold actually started working as Captain Janeway before she realized she was unable to cope with the fast-paced environment of TV production. What if they'd found a way for Bujold to work out?

With Bujold's experience in playing regal characters it was a shame none of that energy seem to come through in her attempts at Janeway. The choice they finally made was the better one, Bujold wouldn't have worked at all.

 

[alpha_leonis]

The Captain would have been a much less vivid and iconic character; what he became owed a great deal to Shatner's drive (and yes, his egoism) and to his sense of humour. Pike was a much more typical square-jawed hero-type of SF pulp.

OTOH the original series might also have developed more of an ensemble dynamic, as TNG later did. Kirk's development also stunted the prospects for some other characters on the show. Hard to say whether the overall effect would have been better or worse.

IMO we got a great sense of that at the very end of "The Cage" -- from Hunter/Pike's deadpan reaction to "Who would've been Eve?"... to the energy behind the final interaction ("What, are we running a cadet ship here?") I think that particular scene stacks up favorably to the "let's tease Spock" closer that eventually developed.

Especially if you consider that Number One was the logical character in "The Cage", rather than Spock. I wonder if she would have become the teasing target instead? (And how would Vulcan culture have developed since Spock was specifically *not* the emotionless one?)

 

[PicardSpeedo]

I'm quite glad that Wesley Snipes didn't get picked up for Geordi, and equally as glad that Eddie Murphy (rumored to be Roddenberry's favorite choice) turned down both the role of Geordi and the role of Dr. Gillan Taylor.

Gene had some weird casting ideas. Especially when you consider that JD Roth, his ONLY pick for Wesley Crusher, was the host of a children's game show called "Fun House" at the time, and the transition from that to outer-space-boy-wonder would have been jarring for some viewers, I think.

 

[Kirby]

Reggie Jackson as Geordi?!? Please tell me there is a real actor named Reggie Jackson, not THE Reggie Jackson.

 

[Pondwater]

As I heard from commentary of another popular franchise, second choices turn out to work better than the initial ones.

 

[Green Shirt]

Reggie Jackson as Geordi?!? Please tell me there is a real actor named Reggie Jackson, not THE Reggie Jackson.

Nope, sorry. They really meant Mr. October.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

It's strange how Landau and Nimoy were interchangeable in the 60s and early 70s. I suspect that Landau would have made a reserved, rather than emotionless, Spock. On the other hand, he might have come with the beautiful Barbara Bain!

 

[PicardSpeedo]

I heard at a convention once that Ice-T was B&B's first choice to play Sisko on DS9, but he supposedly couldn't get out of his Law & Order and rap album commitments.

 

[Wadjda]

I think i would have preffered Jeffrey Hunter.

 

[Kirby]

Reggie Jackson as Geordi?!? Please tell me there is a real actor named Reggie Jackson, not THE Reggie Jackson.

</p>

Nope, sorry. They really meant Mr. October.

Well to his credit his performance in Naked Gun was astounding - "Must kill the Queen... Must kill the Queen..."

 

[BigJake]

I heard at a convention once that Ice-T was B&B's first choice to play Sisko on DS9, but he supposedly couldn't get out of his Law & Order and rap album commitments.

Ice-T on a Star Trek show would have been so gorram weird that it might actually... have been kind of awesome.

 

[AgentCoop]

^Indeed. Think Sisko was a hardass before? Ice-T would've had The Dominion high-tailing it back through the wormhole after first contact.

 

[Push The Button]

Martin Landau would have been a great Spock.

Martin Landau is awesome.

 

[PicardSpeedo]

^Indeed. Think Sisko was a hardass before? Ice-T would've had The Dominion high-tailing it back through the wormhole after first contact.

I would have also enjoyed seeing Ice-T as Jean-Luc Picard.