This Week In Star Trek History, Jan. 9-14

StarTrek.com looks back at events across Star Trek history that occurred from January 9-14.

Jan. 9

A letter writing campaign had saved Star Trek and resulted in a third season, but another reprieve was not in the cards. As such, TOS ceased production on this day in 1969 after cast and crew wrapped the seventh and final day of shooting on the episode “Turnabout Intruder.”

Basil Langton was born on this day in 1912. The veteran character actor turned in one of his final screen appearances in 1995, when he played the Caretaker, in its human form, in the Voyager premiere, “Caretaker Part I.” Langton passed away in 2003 at the age of 91.

Jan. 10

John Newland died, at 82, on this day in 2000. A popular actor-turned-director in the 1960’s, Newland helmed a single episode of TOS, and it was a memorable one. He called the shots on “Errand of Mercy,” the hour that introduced the Klingons to Star Trek and featured the first appearance of John Colicos as Kor.

And speaking of Kor, on this day in 1994 the first draft of the Deep Space Nine episode “Blood Oath” was turned in. The teleplay, by Peter Allen Fields, brought together the TOS-era Klingons Kor, Kang and Koloth, played once again by Colicos, Michael Ansara and William Campbell, respectively.

Jan. 11

Character actor Mitchell Ryan was born on this day in 1934. Ryan played Kyle Riker, Will Riker’s estranged father, in the TNG episode “The Icarus Factor.” Trivia note: Ryan was considered for the role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard. The actor’s best known roles are probably his turn as the baddie in Lethal Weapon and Greg’s father on the long-running TV sitcom Dharma & Greg.

Also on this day, but in 1982, Nicholas Meyer directed Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khanscenes set in the laboratory of Carol Marcus. Coincidentally, actress Bibi Besch, who played Carol Marcus, worked twice with Mitchell Ryan, first on Peter Lundy and the Medicine Hat Stallion and later on Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story.

Jan. 12

Kirstie Alley was born on this day in 1951. Alley, of course, originated the character of Saavik in The Wrath of Khan.

Producer-director J.J. Abrams is scheduled to roll camera on the much anticipated Star Trek (2009) sequel on Jan. 12, 2012. The film will be released on May 17, 2013.

Jan. 13

The cast and crew of Enterprise completed production of the third-season episode “Azati Prime” on this day in 2004. The Xindi-heavy hour, directed by Allan Kroeker, aired on March 3, 2004.

Kim Manners was born on this day in 1951. Manners was a popular TV director whose career spanned from the late 1970’s to the late-2000’s, and included everything from Charlie’s Angels, Simon & Simon and The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. to The Commish, The X-Files and Supernatural. He made one visit to the Star Trek universe, directing the TNG episode “When The Bough Breaks.” Sadly, Manners succumbed to cancer in January, 2009, less than two weeks after his 58th birthday.

Jan. 14

The Voyager episode “Waking Moments,” aired on this day in 1998. A fourth-season hour, it was all about dreams (and zombies) and it marked the final contribution by director Alexander Singer, who ultimately helmed a grand total of 22 episodes of TNG, DS9 and Voyager.

Ricardo Montalban died on this day in 2009. Say it with us now: Khaaaaaaaan! Montalban first played Khan Noonien Singh in the classic TOS episode “Space Seed” and, of course, reprised the role in The Wrath of Khan, to great effect.  Montalban was 88 years old when he passed.