Caffeinated Clint
Long before Alice Eve got down to her undies in “Star Trek Into Darkness”, Christopher Lloyd got down with, um, Klingon in “Star Trek III : The Search for Spock”. Die hard Trekkies likely remember the “Back to the Future” star in the part of that film’s villain, just as they will the blink-and-you’ll-miss-him cameo from ’90s heartthrob Christian Slater in “Star Trek VI : The Undiscovered Country”. But others, like those only recently introduced to the series by way of JJ Abrams’ reboot and it’s 2013 sequel, likely have no idea that some of their “favourite stars” have done fleeting appearances in some of the past “Star Trek” movies. As such, here are ten names you’ll spot in the earlier flicks!
Kirstie Alley
As : Saavik
In : “Star Trek II : The Wrath of Khan”
The “Cheers” star, about to become a household name thanks to her role as the waitress on the hit sitcom, played in the second of the “Star Trek” movies. Alley was such a big star by the time the third movie came around though that she had to be replaced when producers decided to bring her character back. Did any fans notice?
Christopher Lloyd
As : Kruge
In : “Star Trek III : The Search for Spock”
Aside from his unmistakable voice, you’d never have known character actor Christopher Lloyd was behind all the make-up on the bad guy’s face. It was Lloyd’s one and only “Trek” movie, but his still stands tall amongst the series’ rogues gallery.
John Laroquette
As : Maltz
In : “Star Trek III : The Search for Spock”
Another actor who, like Lloyd and Alley, though later known for his sitcom work and mostly for being ‘funny’, started out accepting… well, any parts he could get. Like the welcomingly over-the-top Lloyd, the “John Laroquette” star made for a terrific Klingon! Years later, Laroquette would reunite with “Trek” star William Shatner for TVs “Boston Legal”.
Phil Morris
As : Trainee Foster
In : “Star Trek III : The Search for Spock”
Morris, probably best recognized for his roles on the TV series’ “Mission : Impossible” (Leonard Nimoy had starred on an earlier incarnation of the series) and “Smallville”, had a very small role in the second “Trek” sequel. He’d later play different parts in TVs “Star Trek : Deep Space Nine” and “Star Trek Voyager”.
Miguel Ferrer
As : ‘First Officer’
In : “Star Trek III : The Search for Spock”
TV vet Ferrer (George Clooney’s cousin, too!) – known for his roles in everything from “Twin Peaks” to “NCIS : LA” – would become sort-of a science-fiction movie regular, following up his short turn here with a showy role in Paul Verhoeven’s “RoboCop”.
Christian Slater
As : Excelsior Communications Officer
In : “Star Trek VI : The Undiscovered Country”
Slater, then a fairly big star at the time, did a cameo in 1991’s “Star Trek” offering. The “Young Guns II” star was not only a big fan of the franchise, but his mother was working costume on the film so a quick ‘hello!’ – and a chance to wear a Starfleet uniform – was easy to organize.
Kim Cattrall
As : Lt. Valeris
In : “Star Trek VI : The Undiscovered Country”
Years before she’d become typecast as a sex kitten-type thanks to her role as Samantha in “Sex and the City”, young Kim Cattrall was regarded as a rather versatile film actress who wasn’t pigeonholed by any one genre. At that stage, she had done numerous comedies (“Mannequin” being her most recognized one; she played the title role), thrillers (“Masquerade” with Rob Lowe comes to mind) and action/adventure blockbusters (“Big Trouble in Little China”) so though a different role for her at the time, it wasn’t a shock seeing Cattrall in Starfleet uniform – not like it would be now!
Kurtwood Smith
As : Federation President
In : “Star Trek VI : The Undiscovered Country”
Years before he’d stretch his funny bone with a memorable role on TV hit “That ’70s Show”, Smith – who, like Miguel Ferrer from “Star Trek III” had had a role in “RoboCop” – Smith played it straight with the part of a uninformed bigwig in “Undiscovered Country”.
Alan Ruck
As : Capt. Harriman
In : “Star Trek : Generations”
The actor, then just a year or so away from making his debut as the sleazy Stuart on TV hit “Spin City”, played the captain of the Enterprise in a short scene that opens the 1995 movie. Ruck, known to audiences then as ‘Cameron’ from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”, appears in one of the movie series’ most famous moments – the memorable ‘death of Captain Kirk’ sequence (well, the first of them).
Glenn Morshower
As : ‘Navigator’
In : “Star Trek Generations”
Funnily enough, the now-recognizable “24” star is still playing the same type of law-enforcing authority figure he started out doing – like the one here. In addition to his bit part in “Generations”, Morshower’s since played similar characters in the likes of the “Transformers” series, “Good Night and Good Luck”, “X-Men : First Class” and “The Men Who Stare at Goats”. If you’re on a good thing, stick to it.. hey!?
