Fran Bennett (1937–)
Performers, Television and Streaming
501-918-3025
calsfoundation@cals.org
calsfoundation@cals.org
Table of Contents
Exhibit
StAR Trekkin’
The original Star Trek television series debuted on NBC on September 8, 1966, and aired for three seasons. It was followed by an animated series and six feature films starring the original cast. The second television series in the franchise was Star Trek: The Next Generation, which began airing in 1987. There have been numerous other film and television installments in the broader franchise, in addition to hundreds of tie-in novels, comic books, computer games, and more. People with Arkansas connections have contributed to the franchise in multiple ways, from appearing in front of the camera like George Takei, who starred as Lieutenant Sulu in the original series and films, to writing novels set in the Star Trek universe or even having a song used in an episode of the series. Below, you will find a little more about each of these individuals.
Actors and Performers
Across multiple installments of the franchise, people with Arkansan connections have worked in front of the camera, either as actors or as stunt performers. George Takei has had the greatest tenure of any of these, but others who have appeared only a few times, such as Daniel Davis, have become fan favorites in their own right. Gil Gerard was more famous for another franchise entirely, Buck Rogers. Whatever their role, all of these people contributed to how Star Trek appeared on film.
Daniel Davis (1945–)
Actors and Filmmakers
Gil Gerard (1943–2025)
Actors and Filmmakers
Ena Hartman (1932–2025)
Actors and Filmmakers, Television and Streaming
Laurence Luckinbill (1934–)
Actors and Filmmakers
Harold Brett "Hal" Needham (1931–2013)
Actors and Filmmakers
Monica Staggs (1970–)
Actors and Filmmakers
George Hosato Takei (1937–)
Actors and Filmmakers, Television and Streaming
Writers
At least two Arkansans have contributed tie-in novels to the broader Star Trek franchise. Writing such novels can be challenging work, as the author has to create a dynamic story that does not contradict anything presented in the “canonical” television shows or movies. For some writers, doing tie-in novels can be a way to supplement an independent writing career, while others may make a whole career out of franchise work. Laurell K. Hamilton wrote the Next Generation novel Nightshade (1992), while Melissa Scott wrote the Deep Space Nine novel Proud Helios (1995) and the Voyager novel The Garden (1997).
Musicians
“The needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many.” You may remember this line from Captain Kirk at the end of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. You may agree or disagree with the sentiment, but as far as we know, Arkansas has been home to only one musician whose work has been featured in Star Trek, and you might think that outweighs all the musicians who haven’t contributed a ditty to our favorite Final Frontier franchise.
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