Gene Roddenberry Had To Struggle For Jonathan Frakes’ Star Trek Casting

On “Star Trek: The Subsequent Era,” Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes) served as the primary officer on board the united statesS. Enterprise-D. Not like the taciturn and severe Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart), Commander Riker was gregarious and approachable. He gained over his crew’s loyalty by being pleasant, open and, within the phrases of a visiting tactician, jocular. He was additionally offered because the present’s central heartthrob, as he was tall, trim, and good-looking. 

When “Subsequent Era” started in 1987, Frakes was already a supporting TV staple, having appeared on reveals like “The Docs,” “Charlie’s Angels,” “Fantasy Island,” “Hill Avenue Blues,” “Freeway to Heaven,” and a dozen others. His highest-profile TV gig was taking part in a personality named Damon Ross in ten episodes of “Falcon Crest.” He was by no means a number one man, however he knew the enterprise effectively. 

The unique casting sheet for Commander Riker had the character listed as “Quantity One, a.okay.a. William Ryker” and described the character as “A 30- to 35-year-old Caucasian born in Alaska. He’s a pleasant-looking man with intercourse enchantment, of medium peak, very agile and robust, a pure psychologist.” The broad character description attracted many hopeful younger actors, and Frakes was amongst a number of last prospects for the function. Within the oral historical past guide “The Fifty-12 months Mission: The Subsequent 25 Years: From The Subsequent Era to J.J. Abrams,” it is stated that actor Billy Campbell was on the brief listing, together with Michael O’Gorman and “Trek” legend Jeffrey Combs. In the meantime, a casting memo from Letters of Be aware additionally lists Ben Murphy being in consideration. 

In a 2012 interview with StarTrek.com, Frakes remembers being in a room with a number of the above actors, and he recalled that the present’s creator, Gene Roddenberry, preferred him the perfect. Certainly, as Frakes tells it, the higher-ups and Paramount have been eyeballing Campbell probably the most intently, and Roddenberry needed to get up for Frakes.

For these interested by what actor Billy Campbell may need appeared like on “Star Trek,” watch the “Subsequent Era” episode “The Outrageous Okona,” during which Campbell performed the title character. He was a charismatic, Han Solo-type rogue, and vastly spectacular to the opposite characters. It isn’t arduous to see Campbell taking part in the a part of Riker. Frakes, nonetheless, revealed within the aforementioned interview that he may need been secretly favored over Campbell as a result of, effectively, Gene Roddenberry stored calling him at residence. Frakes knew Riker was finally going to go to him or to Campbell, and the calls from Roddenberry solely made him extra assured that the job was his. Frakes stated: 

“Gene referred to as me straight. He, by that time, had spent a lot time explaining the character and the twenty fourth century and his imaginative and prescient of Riker. I believe he needed to struggle for me. I am unsure if he was pro-Billy Campbell or if individuals on the studio have been, however I do know that it was not a unanimous resolution. I believe Roddenberry noticed a little bit little bit of himself in Riker, or greater than a little bit, and he informed me that not directly.” 

Riker was additionally, it needs to be talked about, one thing of a women’ man, and Roddenberry was notoriously sexy together with his “Star Trek” concepts. There’s each cause to consider that Roddenberry was making a sex-symbol avatar for himself with Riker. Frakes, it appears, matched how Roddenberry noticed himself in his head. 

Frakes performed Riker effectively sufficient, though his actual profession coup got here when he determined he needed to direct. Frakes appeared in 178 episodes of “Subsequent Era,” however has directed 29 episodes of the franchise, in addition to two of its characteristic movies. Greater than being Riker, he’s an elder statesman of the franchise. Campbell, in the meantime, has remained a prolific actor for many years. He most lately appeared in an episode of “Mr. & Mrs. Smith.”