Which Trek actors were most famous before joining the cast?

[J.T.B.]

In the US, LeVar Burton. Roots was pretty much a pervasive cultural phenomenon, the center of much national conversation and covered extensively in the press. His character was a household name. He went on to make a lot of TV movies, which were heavily promoted with his name prominent ("LeVar Burton is the man called Dummy!"). In the era of three dominant networks, he had a level of name recognition that none of the other candidates could match.

 

[Shawnster]

If we're opening this up to all actors and not just the leads, then Whoopie Goldberg was definitely pretty famous before joining the cast.

Piccardo was also the gym teacher on "Wonder Years" before VOY.

 

[FormerLurker]

Robert Beltran played Raoul in the cult film "Eating Raoul".

I've said before, when Patrick Stewart was a guest at his first ever convention, the spring Star Trek convention in Denver, he was quoted as saying, "Before Star Trek I was only in four films. Of course, three of them were Excalibur, Lifeforce and Dune." and getting a mighty cheer.

Oh, and Robert Picardo only voiced Johnny Cab in the original Total Recall. The character was fully animatronic.

 

[HIjol]

Robert Picardo also had a brief, but excellent appearance in West Wing.

 

[DS9forever]

Is Avery Brooks worth a mention?

Known for playing Hawk in Spenser: For Hire and then the lead role in the spinoff A Man Called Hawk. He even featured in a few Spenser television films.

Very well known. That's why he couldn't look shave his head in the first seasons of the show.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I've said before, when Patrick Stewart was a guest at his first ever convention, the spring Star Trek convention in Denver, he was quoted as saying, "Before Star Trek I was only in four films. Of course, three of them were Excalibur, Lifeforce and Dune." and getting a mighty cheer.

I saw all three upon release and still didn't connect the guy playing Picard with them. Not sure I realized Leodegrance, Gurney and Armstrong were played by the same guy either.

 

[stardream]

Just saw Philips in a small role in Glory. He played the medic who attended to Broderick's wounds after the battle of Anteitam.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

I wasn't around in the sixties, but it's my understanding that William Shatner was fairly well known before TOS. He'd been on Broadway, starred in prominent movies like The Brothers Karamozov and Judgement at Nuremberg, and guest-starred on The Twilight Zone (twice!), The Fugitive, 77 Sunset Strip, Route 66, The Defenders, and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. He was at the very least a recognizable actor, if not yet a household name. Roddenberry & co. were happy to land him, as he lent a bit of prestige to their new series.

 

[Drone]

I would go with Goldberg, Auberjonois (many notable credits before DS9) , or Brooks.

 

[Andrew_Kearley]

Jeffrey Hunter perhaps?