To boldly go where no man has gone before. Those famous words were first uttered 60 years ago as the USS Enterprise ventured through space in the original Star Trek TV series. This September will mark the 60th anniversary since the world was introduced to Captain Kirk, Spock, Uhura and the crew of the USS Enterprise.
Yet despite Star Trek’s futuristic setting and time-traveling exploits, it will forever be linked to the imagination of a Texan, even if he didn’t live here his entire life. That wrinkle of imagination has left its mark on the entire franchise as seen in its actors, characters and starships. So, in celebration of Star Trek’s 60th anniversary on September 8, here’s all the Texas ties from the iconic sci-fi series.
Gene Roddenberry will forever be remembered as the creator of Star Trek. While he grew up in Los Angeles, Roddenberry was born in El Paso in 1921. Roddenberry launched the original series in 1966, produced the William Shatner-led films and helped kickstart Star Trek: The Next Generation before his death in 1991 at age 70.
Actor Brent Spiner was born in Houston in 1949 and attended both Bellaire High School and the University of Houston. He joined the Star Trek universe as Lt. Commander Data, an android, on Star Trek: The Next Generation, starring with the main cast for all seven seasons from 1987-94, all four TNG films and Star Trek: Picard.
Actor Michael Dorn was born in Luling in 1952 and grew up in California. He went on to play the Klingon Lt. Commander Worf for all seven seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation, five Star Trek films, four seasons of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Picard.
Bruce McGill, born in San Antonio, made a guest appearance as Captain Braxton in Star Trek Voyager. Meanwhile, Houston’s Robert Foxworth played Admiral Leyton in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Administrator V’Las in Star Trek: Enterprise.
Actor Noble Willingham, who was born in Mineola, played the character Texas in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “The Royale.” In that episode, various characters from the fictional novel Hotel Royale are brought to life in a hologram situation, Texas being the character of a high-stakes gambler from Lubbock.
Canadian actor Lori Hallier played Riley Frazier in the Star Trek: Voyager episode “Unity.” Frazier is described as the descendant of Texas homesteaders who also has a love for Texas barbecue and bluebonnets.
Actor Carlos Alazraqui voiced the character Les Buenamigo in the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks, a vice admiral who has a love for the Lone Star State and even has a Texas flag in his office. Buenamigo is responsible for secretly developing the Texas-class starships.
Star Trek: Lower Decks featured three Texas-class starships: the USS Aledo, USS Dallas and USS Corpus Christi. Unfortunately, all three malfunctioned due to faulty AI and were destroyed by California-class ships.
Prior to the Texas-class ships appearing, Texas got a shoutout with the USS Rio Grande, a Danube-class starship that appeared in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. All Danube-class starships are named after famous rivers like the Shenandoah and the Yangtzee.