There was a policy against the reuse of guest stars in different roles

[Navigator_NCC2120]

I was reading about the details of TOS episodes at Memory Alpha and found this while reading about the Season 3 episode "Is There in Truth No Beauty?" in the Background Information section

Background Information

When Jessica Walter, the original actress proposed for the role of Miranda Jones became unavailable and the search for other actresses also deemed futile, director Ralph Senensky recommended Diana Muldaur for the role, after they've worked together the previous season in "Return to Tomorrow" and an episode of "I, Spy". However, there was a policy against the reuse of guest stars in different roles. This problem was solved by having Muldaur wear a dark black wig, adding a different appearance. After a viewing of the rushes, co-producer Robert H. Justman walked out of the screening room saying "I wonder how she looks in a red wig.", jokingly referring to another possible appearance by Muldaur if the series would go on to a fourth season

Here is the link to the Memory Alpha webpage about the episode "Is There in Truth No Beauty?".

Whose policy was this, Paramount Pictures? I recall several actors playing different roles in TOS during it 3 seasons, most notably Mark Lenard as the Romulan Commander in "Balance of Terror" in Season 1 and as Spock's father Sarek in "Journey to Babel" in Season 2. There was Lawrence Montaigne as the Romulan crew member Decius in "Balance of Terror" and as the Vulcan Stonn in Season 2 episode "Amok Time". I remember actor Skip Homeier playing the Nazi character Melakon in Season 2 of "Patterns of Force" and Dr. Sevrin in Season 3 episode "The Way to Eden". Also, actress Phyllis Douglas playing Hippie Girl #2 in "The Way to Eden" and Yeoman Mears in Season 1 episode "The Galileo Seven".

Was this policy put into effect after Paramount bought Desilu Studios? Did the Screen Actors Guild try to fight this policy?


Thanks,

Navigator NCC-2120 USS Entente
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[Captain Robert April]

Re: There was a policy against the reuse of guest stars in different r

I think someone's talking out out of their ass. As you cited, they reused guest stars all the damn time. Hell, Jon Lormer was in "The Cage", "Return of the Archons" and "For the World Is Hollow And I Have Touched the Sky", Ian Wolfe was in "Bread And Circuses" and "All Our Yesterdays", etc., etc. And, of course, William Campbell in "The Squire of Gothos" and "The Trouble With Tribbles".

I smell Freiberger in this...

 

[Archaeologist]

Re: There was a policy against the reuse of guest stars in different r

Didn't the actor that played Trelane in The Squire of Gothos also play a Klingon Captain in The Trouble With Tribbles?

 

[Captain Robert April]

Re: There was a policy against the reuse of guest stars in different r

See the last sentence in my previous post.

 

[Pauln6]

Re: There was a policy against the reuse of guest stars in different r

Miranda Jones was great but I'd still have preferred Muldaur to be re-used in a second appearance by Ann Mulhall!

 

[Botany Bay]

Re: There was a policy against the reuse of guest stars in different r

I smell Freiberger in this...

Yep, it has that smell about it.

I just discovered Ralph Senenky's fabulous blog about his directing days. Another confirmation that Freiberger's season was a miserable experience for all involved.

 

[Grant]

Re: There was a policy against the reuse of guest stars in different r

There were about 40 TOS actors who had different parts

Ed McReady
William Campbell
Mark Lenard
Mark Tobin
George Sewaya
Blaisdal Mckee (sp)
Jon Lormer
Stuart Moss
Paul Baxley
Jerry Ayres
Lawrence Montagnie
Diana Muldaur
Barry Russo
Victor Brandt
Naomi Pollack
David Ross
Mike Howden
Michael Zaslow
John Arndt
John Harmon
Jay Jones
Garth Pillsbury
William MacCauley (Landru)
Dick Dial
Bart Larue
Morgan Woodward

etc etc etc

 

[T'Girl]

Re: There was a policy against the reuse of guest stars in different r

... is the link to the Memory Alpha webpage about ...

Memory Alpha is a nice source for information, but you need to be careful about taking everything there as gospel. It unfortunately has more than it share of inaccurate information.

I was just over there and whoever wrote the article I was reading clearly confused a scene in TMP with The Doomsday Machine.

 

[GSchnitzer]

Re: There was a policy against the reuse of guest stars in different r

... is the link to the Memory Alpha webpage about ...

Memory Alpha is a nice source for information, but you need to be careful about taking everything there as gospel. It unfortunately has more than it share of inaccurate information.

I was just over there and whoever wrote the article I was reading clearly confused a scene in TMP with The Doomsday Machine.

So what was the article? Let's get it fixed.

 

[Ssosmcin]

Re: There was a policy against the reuse of guest stars in different r

Whoever put that in Memory Alpha got it from Senesky's blog. It's in the post on "Is There In Truth No Beauty".

Now STAR TREK had a standing rule that guest stars would not repeat unless they were coming back to play the same role. At this point I daringly suggested we bring back Diana Muldaur (who had guest starred the previous season in RETURN TO TOMORROW), and that we put her in a black wig. That suggestion was finally accepted.

He is a "source." It doesn't make him correct, obviously, since so many actors did reappear as different characters. Did someone have to "convince" Freiberger to hire Barbara Babcock in "Plato's Stepchildren"?

 

[milo bloom]

Re: There was a policy against the reuse of guest stars in different r

What about the crewman that died but then kept showing up for duty? Kinda predates Kenny McCormick by a few decades...

 

[Nerys Myk]

Re: There was a policy against the reuse of guest stars in different r

What about the crewman that died but then kept showing up for duty? Kinda predates Kenny McCormick by a few decades...

The Leslie Brothers have valiantly and loyally served on board the Enterprise, even though one died in the line of duty.

 

[Captain Robert April]

Re: There was a policy against the reuse of guest stars in different r

Hey, there's an idea for the next movie.

Star Trek XII: Saving Ensign Leslie

 

[Greg Cox]

Re: There was a policy against the reuse of guest stars in different r

Let's not forget Mark Lenard, who played both the Romulan Commander in "Balance of Terror" and Sarek . . . .

 

[Navigator_NCC2120]

Re: There was a policy against the reuse of guest stars in different r

What about the crewman that died but then kept showing up for duty? Kinda predates Kenny McCormick by a few decades...

The Leslie Brothers have valiantly and loyally served on board the Enterprise, even though one died in the line of duty.

Thanks Myk, but were the Leslie Brothers triplets or clones?


Navigator NCC-2120 USS Entente
/\

 

[Navigator_NCC2120]

Re: There was a policy against the reuse of guest stars in different r

I think someone's talking out out of their ass. As you cited, they reused guest stars all the damn time. Hell, Jon Lormer was in "The Cage", "Return of the Archons" and "For the World Is Hollow And I Have Touched the Sky", Ian Wolfe was in "Bread And Circuses" and "All Our Yesterdays", etc., etc. And, of course, William Campbell in "The Squire of Gothos" and "The Trouble With Tribbles".

I smell Freiberger in this...

I would imagine that it would be a foul smell, no?


Navigator NCC-2120 USS Entente
/\

 

[FarDreaming]

Re: There was a policy against the reuse of guest stars in different r

Let's not forget Mark Lenard, who played both the Romulan Commander in "Balance of Terror" and Sarek . . . .

Mark was also offered the 3rd season role of Abraham Lincoln in The Savage Curtain, but was not able to take it due to his contract for Here Come the Brides. (It did not allow him to take roles outside the series.)

 

[Greg Cox]

Re: There was a policy against the reuse of guest stars in different r

Let's not forget Mark Lenard, who played both the Romulan Commander in "Balance of Terror" and Sarek . . . .

Mark was also offered the 3rd season role of Abraham Lincoln in The Savage Curtain, but was not able to take it due to his contract for Here Come the Brides. (It did not allow him to take roles outside the series.)

You know, I can see him as Lincoln . . . .

 

[Botany Bay]

Re: There was a policy against the reuse of guest stars in different r

Let's not forget Mark Lenard, who played both the Romulan Commander in "Balance of Terror" and Sarek . . . .

Mark was also offered the 3rd season role of Abraham Lincoln in The Savage Curtain, but was not able to take it due to his contract for Here Come the Brides. (It did not allow him to take roles outside the series.)

Nice bit of trivia, thanks

 

[Joel_Kirk]

Re: There was a policy against the reuse of guest stars in different r

What about the crewman that died but then kept showing up for duty? Kinda predates Kenny McCormick by a few decades...

The Leslie Brothers have valiantly and loyally served on board the Enterprise, even though one died in the line of duty.

Thanks Myk, but were the Leslie Brothers triplets or clones?


Navigator NCC-2120 USS Entente
/\

Well, I do know that the oldest was named Jango Leslie....the other clones....er, triplets followed: Boba Leslie, Cody Leslie...etc...