star trek enterprise trip actor

• Saturn Award nominees
• Engage guests

Connor Trinneer

• View history
• 1 Early career
• 2 Star Trek: Enterprise
• 3.1 Stargate Atlantis
• 3.2 Other television work
• 5.1 External links

Early career [ ]

Trinneer attended Pacific Lutheran University on a football scholarship, graduating with a BFA in acting. He then attended the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), where he obtained an MFA in Acting and Directing. His grandparents on his mother's side were all from southern Missouri and northern Arkansas, and provided the inspiration for the southern accent for his role as Trip Tucker.

Before signing aboard Enterprise , Trinneer guest-starred in a number of other television shows. The first of these was a 1998 episode of Pensacola: Wings of Gold titled "Trials and Tribulations", which also featured his future Enterprise third season co-star Tucker Smallwood . He followed this with an appearance in an episode of ER called "Sharp Relief", which aired only three days after his Pensacola episode and also guest-starred Clancy Brown and Eric Pierpoint , both of whom would go on to guest star on Enterprise .

His other TV appearances include an episode of the science fiction series Sliders (the creation of Dixon Hill episode writer Tracy Tormé and starring Jerry O'Connell ), an episode of FreakyLinks (a series starring Dennis Christopher ), and an episode of Gideon's Crossing with Tracy Middendorf . He also appeared in two made-for-television movies in 2001. The first was the acclaimed baseball drama 61* , in which he and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine guest star Dell Yount played a couple of writers. The movie also co-starred Bruce McGill , Christopher McDonald , Bob Gunton , Seymour Cassel , and Charles Esten . The second was Far East , a drama in which Trinneer had a supporting role opposite Bill Smitrovich .

Star Trek: Enterprise [ ]

Recording a new audio commentary for the Enterprise Blu-ray release in 2013

Trinneer worked on Enterprise from 2001 through 2005 , appearing in all 98 episodes. His character was killed in the series finale, " These Are the Voyages... ", an episode with which he, like his co-stars, was disappointed. Although his character "went out with a bang", he was saddened that he and his castmates were not able to share a memorable on-screen farewell together. However, he remains optimistic that his character can return should the need arise. [1]

Linda Park said in an interview with Star Trek: Communicator  issue 147 that Trinneer pitched a story idea similar to Pulp Fiction , in which we'd see a situation from the aliens' point of view, and the Enterprise crew's language sounds like gibberish until they can find a way to communicate.

Post- Enterprise [ ]

Stargate atlantis [ ].

Following Enterprise 's demise (and that of Trinneer's character) in 2005 , Trinneer had a recurring role as the vengeful Wraith-Human hybrid named " Michael " on the Sci-Fi Channel series Stargate: Atlantis . His character's creation was the result of a "retrovirus" created by Dr. Carson Beckett , played on the series by Paul McGillion . Among Trinneer's co-stars on this series was Voyager actor Robert Picardo , who became a regular on the series in its fifth and final season. Voyager guest actress Claire Rankin worked alongside Trinneer in his first appearance on the series, in the second season episode " Michael " (2006).

Trinneer appeared in a total of nine episodes of Atlantis , though his character actually appeared in ten. According to the Stargate Atlantis Season 2 DVD Commentary, Trinneer could not play the "Michael" in the character's second episode, " Allies ", due to scheduling conflicts (the birth of his first child); the role was instead played by actor Brent Stait from Gene Roddenberry 's Andromeda . Trinneer did, however, provide "Michael"'s voice for the episode. Trinneer's last episode was 2008's " The Prodigal ", in which his character is knocked off Atlantis' central tower to his apparent death.

Other television work [ ]

Trinneer's first television role after Enterprise was an innocent fugitive in an episode of Numb3rs called "Toxin", with Star Trek: Voyager guest actor Mark Harelik . He also guest-starred as a defense attorney in an episode of Close to Home called "Privilege", which aired in January 2006. This episode was directed by Star Trek: Voyager actress Roxann Dawson , who had previously directed Trinneer in several Enterprise episodes, from " The Andorian Incident " to " Awakening ". Besides series regular John Carroll Lynch , "Privilege" also featured Trek veteran Thomas Kopache in a guest role as a judge who had a few scenes with Trinneer's character.

Trinneer was also seen in the 2006 NCIS episode "Jeopardy" alongside Voyager star Tim Russ . Also in 2006, Trinneer played the coach of a missing high school basketball star in an episode of the CBS series Without A Trace . Star Trek: The Next Generation star Marina Sirtis played the boy's mother, but she shared no scenes with Trinneer. In addition, Without a Trace stars Trinneer's one-time Enterprise co-star Enrique Murciano .

In 2007 Trinneer's voice was briefly heard in the "Road to Rupert" episode of Seth MacFarlane 's Family Guy , in which he voiced an unfortunate victim of Sharon Stone . Trinneer had previously worked with MacFarlane when the latter made cameo appearances in two episodes of Enterprise .

In 2008 Trinneer starred in a Sci-Fi Channel movie Star Runners as a "space smuggler" with a beautiful woman as his cargo. Incidentally, this is similar to the Enterprise episode " Precious Cargo ", which revolves around Trinneer's "Trip Tucker" character aired in 2009.

Also in 2008, Trinneer guest starred in "Criminal Minds" season 4 episode 'Minimal Loss' as Dan Torre.

In 2009, Trinneer guest-starred on the science fiction/action series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles as a sheriff. Thomas Dekker was a regular on this series. Trinneer was also seen in the 23 March 2009 episode of the Fox Network series 24 , in which he portrayed Port Authority guard Carl Gadsen. He is the second Star Trek: Enterprise cast member to appear on the show during its seventh season, after John Billingsley . Enterprise show runners Brannon Braga and Manny Coto were writers and producers on the series; Jeffrey Nordling and Annie Wersching were among the regular cast.

Trinneer reunited with Enterprise co-star John Billingsley on a 2010 episode of The Mentalist entitled "Red Moon." In the episode, Trinneer plays a deputy assisting in the investigation of a triple homicide, while Billingsley portrays a faux psychic.

Personal [ ]

Trinneer married stage actress Ariana Navarre on 29 May 2004, following the conclusion of Enterprise 's third season. The two have one child, a son named Jasper, born on 11 October 2005. In 2022, during a broadcast of the webcast "The Shuttlepod Show", Trinneer revealed he and Navarre had divorced that year. ( citation needed • edit )

Additional characters [ ]

External links [ ]

• Connor Trinneer at Wikipedia
• Connor Trinneer at the Internet Movie Database
• Connor Trinneer at the Internet Broadway Database
• 2012 interview with Connor Trinneer at TrekCore
• Connor Trinneer at StarTrek.com
• " The one from Las Vegas with Connor Trinneer and Anthony Montgomery " at MissionLogPodcast.com , a Roddenberry Star Trek podcast
• Connor Trinneer at the Criminal Minds Wiki
• 1 Abdullah bin al-Hussein

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The Intriguing World Of Entertainment

Whatever Happened To Connor Trinneer, ‘Trip Trucker’ From Star Trek: Enterprise?

By Nick Lee | December 9, 2022

Connor Wyatt Trinneer was born in Walla Walla, Washington, on March 19, 1969. This film, stage, and television actor is best known for his roles in science fiction franchises. Trinneer, who measures in at 5’ 11” (1.8 m), has been active in the industry since 1996.

Trinneer spent his childhood in Kelso, Washington. While there, he attended elementary and middle schools and graduated from Kelso High School. Following that, he would attend Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington.

While there, he played football for a time but discovered acting and would graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting. He would later obtain a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

How did Conner Trinneer get into acting?

Trinneer took an interest in acting in college, discovering sports was not his passion. He would achieve degrees in acting and then would move into acting professionally.

He would make his debut in a production of Arcadia with the Huntington Theater Company in Boston. He would then transition to off-Broadway productions, including Hamlet and The Tempest.

However, his time in New York wouldn’t last, and he would make his way to Los Angeles.

Early Career

When he moved to Los Angeles, he began extensive work with the Circle X Theater Company in Hollywood. He would also begin to appear on television.

Like many actors, his early television career started with single-episode roles in existing series. His first credited role would be in the daytime drama One Life to Live in a 1996 episode of the series, which had been running continuously since 1968.

Trinneer would make several appearances in significant series in 1998, including ER, Touched by an Angel, and Sliders. Sliders , in particular, would be notable because it was Trinneer’s first brush with science fiction television that would define his career. He appeared in the episode “Prophets and Loss.”

However, in 2001, Trinneer would land his most crucial role, attached to one of television’s most significant science fiction franchises.

Notable Acting Roles

Star trek: enterprise.

In 2001, Connor Trinneer would be cast as Cmdr. Charles “Trip” Tucker III in the Star Trek series Star Trek: Enterprise.

Star Trek: Enterprise was a science fiction series that ran from 2001 to 2005 and was set in the distant past of the original Star Trek series from the 1960s. 

The character of Trip Tucker was the chief engineer on the Enterprise and was notable for being a character involved in canon-firsts, such as being the first human to be in a relationship with an alien and the first human male ever to become pregnant.

Trip was romantically paired with the Vulcan, T’Pol, played by Jolene Blalock . Trip was generally a pleasant, down-to-Earth figure who Trinneer played as an auto mechanic in space. Trip Tucker would be a fan favorite character in the series and continue the Star Trek tradition of a “triumvirate” of characters.

When Trinneer auditioned for the show, he had no idea that the franchise was as big as it was or how difficult the audition process would be. His auditioning process was the most difficult among the cast.

Trinneer continued to appear in other series while he was working on Star Trek: Enterprise, where he would appear in 97 episodes across the run of the show. He would appear in series such as Numb3rs and Close to Home.

Following the cancelation of Star Trek: Enterprise, he would land a role in another cult sci-fi franchise, though he was initially hesitant to join another science fiction series.

Stargate: Atlantis

Trinneer would be cast as the character of Michael Kenmore across ten episodes of Stargate: Atlantis from 2006 to 2008. The character would also be known as Lastlight and was a Human-Wraith hybrid.

Trinneer proved popular with the fans and production team of the show because he would be invited back in the Stargate prequel series Stargate Origins in 2018. He would play the character of Professor Langford, the father of the lead character Catherine Langford, played by Ellie Gall.

What is Connor Trinneer doing now?

Connor Trinneer is still an active actor, having landed many one-off appearances and recurring roles, such as The Purge television series in 2019. From 2018 to 2022, he appeared in several episodes of the series 9-1-1. He also recently appeared in the movie The Baby Pact (2022).

In The Baby Pact, Connor stars in the movie alongside notable Star Trek alumni, Cirroc Lofton and Chase Masterson .

Shuttlepod Show

Despite his reluctance to embrace sci-fi early in his career, his time with Star Trek as a franchise has provided him with many opportunities. One of which is an ongoing podcast series called the Shuttlepod Show , where he and Dominic Keeting (who played Lt. Malcolm Reed on Star Trek: Enterprise) discuss their careers and the impact of their roles.

As part of the podcast, he also developed the Star Trek Enterprise: 20th Anniversary Table Read .

Conventions

Beyond his projects, he is also available to meet fans through frequent convention appearances . In 2022 alone, he has appeared in Germany, Las Vegas, London, and a Stargate Tribute in Illinois.

Star Trek Cruise

He is also a headlining “crew member” aboard the Star Trek Cruise , an experience for fans to sail with their favorite Star Trek actors. The next cruise is set to take off in 2023.

Additionally, Connor Trinneer operates a Cameo account where fans can request personalized messages for $100.

Personal Life

Connor Trinneer was married, for a time, to Ariana Navarre. Not much is known about her. They would be married in May 2004 but would divorce in 2022 .

Connor Trineer is currently in a relationship with Jackie Smith, who appears to be a real estate agent for luxury properties.

Connor Trinneer had a child with Ariana Navarre named Jasper. Jasper Trinneer was born on October 11th, 2005.

Connor Trinneer can be found on social media through Twitter , Instagram , and Facebook .

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About Nick Lee

Nick is a Senior Staff Writer for Ned Hardy. Some of his favorite subjects include sci-fi, history, and obscure facts about 90's television. When he's not writing, he's probably wondering how Frank Dux got 52 consecutive knockouts in a single tournament. More from Nick

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Published Mar 19, 2024

The Best of Charles 'Trip' Tucker III

For Connor Trinneer's birthday, let's celebrate the NX-01's chief engineer!

StarTrek.com

That's why we chose this life, right? See things we've never seen before. Hell of a ride, though. Hell of a ride.

Trip Tucker, "Dawn"

We recently saw the return of Charles "Trip" Tucker III in the Star Trek: very Short Treks ' " Holograms All the Way Down ." Among the reaction, one thing's for sure — fans can't get enough Trip adventures starring actor Connor Trinneer.

In celebration of Trinneer's birthday today, we're highlighting a couple of our favorite Trip-centric Star Trek: Enterprise episodes that showcases the gifted orbital engineer's good humor, sense of humanity, and charisma.

" Shuttlepod One "

"Shuttlepod One"

The list kicks off with the episode "Shuttlepod One," which highlights the start of one of Star Trek 's best unlikely bromances — the congenial Trip Tucker and buttoned-up Malcolm Reed — in quite the predicament in the early days of space travel.

Returning from a mission, Trip and Reed happen upon a debris field at the Enterprise 's rendezvous point. With their sensors array and comm systems down, and seeing parts of their ship on an asteroid's surface, the duo assume the worst — the Enterprise is destroyed and their crew dead. Stranded with only 10 days of air, the odd couple start to get on each other's nerves as Trip hopes to be found alive clashes with Reed's "realistic" pessimism. Reed finds Trip's optimism "treacly" while Trip sees Reed as "the grim reaper."

Freezing and sharing a bottle of Kentucky bourbon, the duo start to see they have a lot more in common than they realized. However, their damaged shuttlepod is in a much dire state. Facing the slim possibility of survival, Trip tries to sacrifice himself so Reed has a better chance of survival. However, Reed would rather have Starfleet find two dead bodies instead of one. Thankfully, Enterprise arrives in time to save the two from lack of oxygen and hypothermia. And so begins an excellent friendship.

" Unexpected "

I'm the chief engineer. I spent years earning that position. I never had any intention of becoming a working mother!

Trip Tucker, "Unexpected"

"Unexpected" is another bright spot in the series. This is the one where Trip goes down in history as the first human male to become pregnant.

Following a three-day mission aboard an Xyrillian ship to help with repairs, Trip returns to the Enterprise . Noticing an unusual growth on his wrist, he visits Dr. Phlox. Turns out, the growth is a nipple, plus there's an embryo forming in his ribs. Congrats - Trip's pregnant! Phlox, Archer, and T'Pol refuse to believe the flirt was a mere "gentleman" aboard the Xyrillian ship. He suddenly recalls a pebble game, which was where the genetic material transfer occurred. The embryo contains none of his genetic material; he's simply a host for the alien embryo.

As the Enterprise tries to track down the Xyrillians, Trip begins to experience the gamut of pregnancy hormones like irritability, increase in appetite, and the overwhelming concern about the safety aboard the ship for the future child. Luckily for trip, they're able to locate the Xyrillians and transfer the embryo, but not without revealing his growing state to a ship of amused Klingons.

" Cogenitor "

"Cogenitor"

Not all first contacts go smoothly.

Preparing to study a hypergiant star, the Enterprise makes first contact with the Vissians, another species in the area studying the same phenomenon. When Archer invites Captain Drennik and his crew aboard the Enterprise , his crew starts to mingle with the Vissians. Trip meets a Vissian couple and their "cogenitor," a a member of the Vissian's third gender. Cogenitors are viewed as less than a pet; they're nameless and not allowed to learn. Despite having the same mental capacities as other Vissians, their only function is to facilitate pregnancies among Vissians.

Believing the couple's congenitor to be mistreated, Trip secretly begins to teach it how to read and to view itself as equal to other Vissians. However, Trip learns a hard lesson in non-interference with other cultures when the cogenitor requests asylum, and Archer had to deny the request. Archer comes down on his friend and colleague reminding him he's not a first-year recruit. Despite coming from a good place, Trip's impulsive actions led to the ruin of the lives of the Vissian couple who were planning on having a child as well as cogenitor who took their own life knowing they would not be able to live a fuller life.

" Similitude "

"Similitude"

When Trip is near-fatally wounded, Archer and Dr. Phlox decide they cannot afford to lose their chief engineer during this critical moment in the Xindi crisis. To save Trip, he uses one of his larvae to create a mimetic simbiot, or clone of Trip, to harvest its necessary organs for a transplant.

Over the course of "Similitude," the simbiot would grow and die in the span of 15 days. We witness "Sim" age from baby to kid to teen to adult. While Sim develops his own memories and relationships with the crew, he also possesses the original Trip's experiences and memories. As the crew bonds with Sim, they learn that the transplant to save Trip will be fatal to Sim. As Sim argues for his right to live, he starts to grow resentful towards Trip, who is also him.

" The Forgotten "

That's the name of one of the places you destroyed, Florida. Did you actually see the cities burning, the houses, the people being vaporized? You know, I had a sister there.

Trip Tucker, "The Forgotten"

"The Forgotten"

"The Forgotten" is a culmination of events in Season 3 following the Xindi's attack on Earth, which took 7 million lives including Trip's sister Elizabeth, as well as the most recent attack that took the lives of 18 crewman. Fueling Trip's drive is to track down the Xindi in the Delphic Expanse.

Trip is forced to confront his grief and loss when Archer orders him to write a condolence letter to the engineering crewman's family and the presence of Degra and Xindi-Arboreal from the Xindi Council. The Xindi weapon is to be launched in a matter of days; however, they have offered to stop it if Archer can provide concrete evidence that they've been manipulated.

In a standout moment, Trip calls out Degra for the Xindi's actions on Earth, forcing him to see its affects on others. Degra admits to Archer he never expected to meet anyone affected by what he's done. However, it's his private moment with T'Pol when he finally confronts what he's been suppressing all this time. He expresses his envy of the Vulcan's ability to express emotions. Comforting Trip, T'Pol helps him comes to terms with the grief and difficulty of the past few months. And in writing the letter to the crewman's family, Trip finally says goodbye to his sister as well.

" Demons " / " Terra Prime "

"Terra Prime"

The most ardent fans consider the penultimate two-parter "Demons" and "Terra Prime" as the series' conclusion, exemplifying Star Trek 's vision of an optimistic future. It's the NX-01 crew and their missions that paves the way for the good established by what will become the United Federation of Planets.

The two-parter's story and message is still very relevant to our world today. During a historic conference that sought to form a coalition of planets, an underground xenophobic terrorist group — Terra Prime — make known their opposition. Disgusted by Starfleet's alliances with other worlds, the group's leader John Frederick Paxton is intent on returning Earth to its "rightful owners" — humanity. In addition to taking control of Mars' verteron array, Terra Prime has also created a human-Vulcan hybrid infant from T'Pol and Trip Tucker's stolen DNA to show how humanity's genetic pool will be diluted and corrupted if alien-human relations continue.

In the series' finest moment, the Enterprise fights for Star Trek 's very ethos at a crucial time in Earth's progression and future. Confronting a Terra Prime member's hatred towards Vulcans, the two-parter holds a mirror to the start of the series as Archer and Trip often clashed with T'Pol's presence on their ship due to their mistrust of Vulcans, demonstrating the crew's growth across four seasons.

BONUS: " First Flight "

"First Flight"

While not a Trip-centric episode, we had to close out the list with another episode that gives us the origins of one of Trip's bromances.

"First Flight" serves as a prequel to Enterprise as Archer reflects on his early days of the NX test program, demonstrating Starfleet's pioneering spirit, as he and his rival competed to be the first to break the Warp 2 barrier. It's here Trip meets his future captain and builds the foundation of their friendship as they examine what went wrong with the NX-Alpha test, which utilizes a warp engine designed by Archer's father.

In addition to breaking up Archer's brawl with rival A.G. Robinson, Trip decides to help the two pilots keep the NX program on track with an unsanctioned test run with the NX-Beta. Manning the ground, Trip wishes he could be out there with Archer and Robinson. Archer promises Trip that he will be out there one day; and when he's commanding his own ship, he'll ensure the engineer will be right there among his crew. It was their actions that night that ensured the NX program continued, furthering human exploration.

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Christine Dinh (she/her) is the managing editor for StarTrek.com. She’s traded the Multiverse for helming this Federation Starship.

Connor Trinneer didn’t understand Trip’s death

By rachel carrington | aug 6, 2021.

Trip Tucker’s death was a bone of contention

The series finale of Star Trek: Enterprise after four seasons still stands out sixteen years later and not for good reasons. Most everyone disliked the inclusion of characters Will Riker and Deanna Troi from Star Trek: The Next Generation as well as the jump forward in time and the holodeck simulation. Overall, few fans have “These Are the Voyages” on their to-be-watched-again list. And faithful viewers who had grown attached to all of the characters on Enterprise were livid at the death of Chief Engineer, Charles “Trip” Tucker, III.

Trip had gotten out of a lot of situations in his time as the chief engineer, including almost dying from dehydration in the desert, almost dying aboard a shuttlepod in the freezing cold with Lt. Reed, and being trapped on a planet with an enemy who kept trying to kill him. That was another situation where he almost died from heat exposure. On top of those, Trip had helped get the Enterprise out of some pretty gnarly situations without dying. So what ends up killing him is his decision to blow up intruders on the ship? A fact Connor Trinneer said was “scripted somewhat arbitrarily because “I’ve gotten out of much worse scrapes than that”.”

Trip’s death just didn’t make sense

In reality, Trip was killed because, according to Trinneer, someone was going to die, and he just happened to get in the way.

"“They were going to kill somebody and I just happened to get in the way!”"

But the simple fact was the death was just thrown in with no lasting effects whatsoever. Less than three days later, Hoshi, Reed, and Travis were having a conversation like nothing had happened. Not one of them mentioned Trip. In fact, after Captain Archer’s short conversation with T’Pol in Trip’s quarters, he wasn’t spoken of again. Even Dr. Phlox seemed particularly jovial once the Enterprise had returned to Earth. We didn’t even get a death scene for Trip like they gave Sim in “Similitude.”

A beloved crew member died for no reason. The Enterprise’s crew would have been more than capable of handling the intruders who, by the way, shouldn’t have been able to catch up with the Enterprise and board her without any advance notice anyway. It was a flimsy reason to kill a character, and it’s no wonder it didn’t make sense to Trinneer or any of the rest of us.

Next. Enterprise’s Stigma caused a firestorm among fans. dark

10 Star Trek Actors Who Were On Criminal Minds

• Star Trek stars found unique roles in Criminal Minds, showcasing their range as actors in the dark crime drama.
• Criminal Minds delves into human depravity while Star Trek celebrates optimism and exploration.
• Many familiar Star Trek faces appeared in Criminal Minds, adding depth and variety to the crime drama's cast of characters.

The Star Trek universe may not have much in common with the world of Criminal Minds , but several Trek stars appeared in the dark crime drama. With its focus on exploration and its optimistic version of the future, Star Trek celebrates the best of humanity. Criminal Minds , on the other hand, explores the depths of human depravity, but still has moments of light as the heroes fight to put the bad guys behind bars. The familiar Star Trek faces on Criminal Minds display their range as actors , often playing characters very different (and significantly more homicidal) from their Trek characters.

With the nature of procedural crime dramas like Criminal Minds , every episode has a cast of characters involved in the crime of the week. Criminal Minds follows a group of FBI agents who work as profilers in the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) , and take on cases too complex or far-reaching for local law enforcement to handle. After its premiere in 2005, Criminal Minds became a ratings hit for CBS and remains popular today. Whether they were playing a victim or an unsub (unknown subject) or a member of law enforcement, these 10 Star Trek stars all appeared in at least one episode of Criminal Minds .

Criminal Minds was canceled by CBS in 2020 after its fifteenth season, but was picked up by Paramount+ in 2022 for a sixteenth season as Criminal Minds: Evolution . The seventeenth season began filming in January 2024.

How To Watch All Star Trek TV Shows In Timeline Order

Todd stashwick, captain liam shaw in star trek: picard, star trek: picard.

Cast Orla Brady, Michael Dorn, LeVar Burton, Brent Spiner, Jonathan Frakes, Jeri Ryan, Patrick Stewart, Alison Pill, Isa Briones, Evan Evagora, Marina Sirtis, Amanda Plummer, Whoopi Goldberg, Gates McFadden, Todd Stashwick, Santiago Cabrera, Michelle Hurd, John de Lancie, Ed Speleers

Release Date January 23, 2020

Writers Akiva Goldsman, Terry Matalas, Michael Chabon

Directors Terry Matalas, Jonathan Frakes

Showrunner Akiva Goldsman, Terry Matalas, Michael Chabon

Where To Watch Paramount+

Todd Stashwick's Captain Liam Shaw became a surprise fan-favorite in Star Trek: Picard season 3 , thanks in large part to Stashwick's compelling performance. As Captain of the USS Titan-A, Shaw did things by the book and was none too pleased when Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Captain William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) pulled his ship into a dangerous rescue mission.

Although Shaw sacrificed himself in Star Trek: Picard season 3's penultimate episode, Picard showrunner Terry Matalas has confirmed the character will return if the proposed spin-off, Star Trek: Legacy, ever becomes a reality.

Todd Stashwick has appeared in numerous genre television shows, including a guest spot on Supernatural and a starring role on Terry Matalas's 12 Monkeys . In Criminal Minds season 9, episode 5, "Route 66," Stashwick plays a robber who abducts his estranged daughter and later becomes a spree killer.

Jeffrey Combs

Shran in star trek: enterprise, weyoun & brunt in star trek: deep space nine, & others, star trek: enterprise.

Cast Dominic Keating, Connor Trinneer, Linda Park, John Billingsley, Scott Bakula, Jolene Blalock, Jeffrey Combs, Anthony Montgomery

Release Date September 26, 2001

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

Franchise(s) Star Trek

Writers Rick Berman, Manny Coto, Brannon Braga

Showrunner Manny Coto, Brannon Braga

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Cast Terry Farrell, Cirroc Lofton, Rene Auberjonois, Nicole de Boer, Michael Dorn, Andrew Robinson, Nana Visitor, Avery Brooks, Colm Meaney, Armin Shimerman, Alexander Siddig

Release Date January 3, 1993

Writers Ira Steven Behr, Michael Piller, Ronald D. Moore

Showrunner Ira Steven Behr, Michael Piller

The always versatile Jeffrey Combs has played numerous Star Trek characters across multiple series, and has become one of the franchise's favorite guest stars. Combs appeared in all four seasons of Star Trek: Enterprise as the Andorian Thy'lek Shran, who sometimes butted heads with Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula). In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Combs portrayed every Vorta Weyoun clone, a role created especially for him.

Combs also appeared as a couple of different Ferengi, most notably as Liquidator Brunt on DS9, as well as an unknown alien named Tiron and Tsunkatse coordinator Penk. Combs has had a prolific television career, and he appeared in Criminal Minds season 9, episode 12, "The Black Queen" as serial killer and computer hacker John Nichols.

Jeffrey Combs also provided the voice for the computer AGIMUS in two episodes of Star Trek: Lower Decks

Ethan Phillips

Neelix in star trek: voyager, star trek: voyager.

Cast Jennifer Lien, Garrett Wang, Tim Russ, Robert Duncan McNeill, Roxann Dawson, Robert Beltran, Kate Mulgrew, Jeri Ryan, Ethan Phillips, Robert Picardo

Release Date May 23, 1995

Showrunner Kenneth Biller, Jeri Taylor, Michael Piller, Brannon Braga

Ethan Phillips portrayed Talaxian chef Neelix in all seven seasons of Star Trek: Voyager . Neelix joined the crew of the USS Voyager soon after the ship found itself in the Delta Quadrant , and he acted as a consultant and guide for the unexplored area of space. Neelix's personality contrasted sharply with Security Chief Lt. Tuvok (Tim Russ) and the two developed an antagonistic friendship.

Neelix and Tuvok became one of Star Trek's best duos, and Neelix developed into a valuable and versatile member of Voyager's crew. Ethan Phillips has appeared in numerous television shows and films, including several crime procedural dramas. In Criminal Minds season 1, episode 17, "A Real Rain," Phillips portrayed Marvin Doyle, a schizophrenic serial killer who believed himself to be a vigilante.

John Billingsley

Dr. phlox in star trek: enterprise.

In all four seasons of Star Trek: Enterprise, John Billingsly portrayed Dr. Phlox, the Chief Medical Officer on the Enterprise NX-01 under the command of Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula). A member of the Denobulan species, Phlox cared deeply about his patients and often used unorthodox methods of treatment to cure their ailments. He kept a menagerie of alien animals in his sickbay to assist in various healing practices.

During his time on the Enterprise, Phlox became good friends with Captain Archer, and Archer often went to Phlox for counseling and advice. Like many television actors, John Billingsly has popped up in numerous crime dramas, including Bones and NCIS: Los Angeles . Billingsley appeared as budding serial killer Hugh Rollins in Criminal Minds season 4, episode 21, "A Shade of Gray."

John Billingsley Interview: TrekTalks 3 & The Future Of Star Trek Enterprise's Dr. Phlox

Wil wheaton, ensign wesley crusher in star trek: the next generation, star trek: the next generation.

Cast Michael Dorn, LeVar Burton, Brent Spiner, Wil Wheaton, Jonathan Frakes, Patrick Stewart, Marina Sirtis, Gates McFadden

Release Date September 28, 1987

Writers Jeri Taylor, Michael Piller, Rick Berman, Brannon Braga, Ronald D. Moore

Showrunner Jeri Taylor, Michael Piller, Rick Berman

Fresh off of the success of Stand By Me , Wil Wheaton joined the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation in the show's first season as the young Wesley Crusher. As the son of Chief Medical Officer Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), Wesley had more freedom on the USS Enterprise-D than most children. Wes was a bit of a child prodigy and often helped the Enterprise crew find solutions when the ship encountered problems.

Wesley left TNG in the show's fourth season to attend Starfleet Academy but later dropped out to join the enigmatic Traveler (Eric Menyuk) on his journeys throughout time and space. Wheaton has since become a fixture of the Star Trek franchise, hosting the official Star Trek aftershow, The Ready Room . In a very atypical role for Wheaton, he portrayed a psychopathic serial killer named Floyd Hansen in Criminal Minds season 4, episode 4, "Paradise."

Wil Wheaton briefly reprised the role of Wesley Crusher as a Traveler in the Star Trek: Picard season 2 finale.

Commander Tuvok in Star Trek: Voyager

Lieutenant Tuvok served as the Chief of Security of the USS Voyager for all seven seasons of Star Trek: Voyager . As a Vulcan, Tuvok often served as the logical voice of reason on Voyager, and he was one of Captain Kathryn Janeway's (Kate Mulgrew) most trusted advisors. Tuvok and Janeway were also close personal friends, who had met several years prior to the Vulcan's assignment on Voyager.

Tim Russ is no stranger to police procedurals, having appeared in episodes of Law & Order: Criminal Intent and NCIS , among others. One of the few actors on this list who didn't portray a suspect in Criminal Minds , Tim Russ appeared in season 13, episode 2, "To a Better Place," as Agent Lawrence. Lawrence was one of the committee members who helped reinstate Special Agent Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler).

Connor Trinneer

Commander charles "trip" tucker in star trek: enterprise.

Trip served as the Chief Engineer on the Enterprise NX-01, under the command of his good friend, Captain Archer. Outgoing and down-to-earth, Trip was a gifted engineer who was largely self-taught before joining Starfleet in 2139. Despite their differences, Trip and Vulcan Sub-commander T'Pol (Jolene Blalock) developed feelings for one another over the course of Star Trek: Enterprise , but their romance was cut short by the show's cancelation in season 4.

Trip was supposedly killed in Enterprise's controversial series finale , but the events were only seen via holographic recreations on the holodeck. Connor Trinneer had a memorable 10-episode stint on Stargate: Atlantis , and has appeared in 24, NCIS: Los Angeles, and ABC's 9-1-1 . In Criminal Minds season 4, episode 3, "Minimal Loss," Trineer portrayed Dan Torre alongside Luke Perry's cult leader, Benjamin Cyrus.

René Auberjonois

Constable odo in star trek: deep space nine.

The late René Auberjonois portrayed the stern but lovable Changeling, Constable Odo, in all seven seasons of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . As Chief of Security on DS9, Odo was a brilliant detective who was aware of nearly everything and everyone on the busy space station. He ran a tight station and often butted heads with Ferengi bartender Quark (Armin Shimerman) who regularly participated in illicit activities.

Throughout his time on the station, Odo developed feelings for Bajoran Major Kira (Nana Visitor) and she later came to reciprocate those feelings. René Auberjonois starred alongside William Shatner in Boston Legal , and has also appeared in episodes of Grey's Anatomy, NCIS, and Warehouse 13. Auberjonois portrayed attempted proxy killer Colonel Ron Massey in Criminal Minds season 7, episode 9, "Self-Fulfilling Prophecy."

Constable Odo's 10 Best Star Trek: DS9 Episodes

Mr. saru in star trek: discovery, star trek: discovery.

Cast Blu del Barrio, Oded Fehr, Anthony Rapp, Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Wilson Cruz, Eve Harlow, Mary Wiseman, Callum Keith Rennie

Release Date September 24, 2017

Showrunner Alex Kurtzman

Used to being covered in heavy prosthetics and make-up, Doug Jones has made Mr. Saru on Star Trek: Discovery one of Star Trek's best new characters. The first Kelpian in Starfleet, Saru has grown and changed a lot over the course of Discovery's five seasons, and even found love in an incredibly sweet relationship with the Vulcan President of Ni'Var, T'Rina (Tara Rosling).

With his tall stature and distinctive look, Doug Jones has had a prolific career playing monsters and creepy creatures in horror films, often working with director Guillermo del Toro. Jones played two different characters in two episodes of Criminal Minds : drug addict Domino Thacker in season 1, episode 11, "Blood Hungry" and fight club captain Beanie in season 4, episode 10, "Brothers in Arms."

Jonathan Frakes

William riker in star trek: the next generation & star trek: picard.

Jonathan Frakes began his Star Trek career portraying Commander William Riker , the First Officer on the USS Enterprise-D, on Star Trek: The Next Generation . He played Riker for seven seasons of TNG and four films, before reprising the role in Star Trek: Picard seasons 1 and 3. In TNG season 3, Frakes tried his hand at directing, and he has since become one of Star Trek's most beloved and prolific directors.

Frakes has directed episodes of numerous popular television shows, including crime procedurals like Castle and NCIS: Los Angeles . In Criminal Minds season 5, episode 12, "The Uncanny Valley," Frakes portrayed child psychiatrist and pedophile Dr. Arthur Malcolm , the father of serial killer Samantha Malcolm (Jennifer Hasty). Frakes is just one of the many recognizable Star Trek faces that have appeared on Criminal Minds throughout its fifteen seasons.

Criminal Minds & all of the Star Trek shows mentioned above are available to stream on Paramount+.

Criminal Minds

Cast Lola Glaudini, A.J. Cook, Rachel Nichols, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Matthew Gray Gubler, Paget Brewster, Thomas Gibson, Kirsten Vangsness, shemar moore, Mandy Patinkin, Joe Mantegna, Aisha Tyler

Release Date September 22, 2005

Showrunner Erica Messer, Jeff Davis

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Long-lost first model of the USS Enterprise from ‘Star Trek’ boldly goes home after twisting voyage

The first model of the USS Enterprise is displayed at Heritage Auctions in Los Angeles, April 13, 2024. The model — used in the original “Star Trek” television series — has been returned to Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, the son of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, decades after it went missing in the 1970s. (Josh David Jordan/Heritage Auctions via AP)

Joe Maddalena, executive vice president of Heritage Auctions, left, and Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, the son of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, shake hands over the recently recovered first model of the USS Enterprise at the Heritage Auctions in Los Angeles, April 13, 2024. The model — used in the original “Star Trek” television series — has been returned to Eugene, decades after it went missing in the 1970s. (Josh David Jordan/Heritage Auctions via AP)

Joe Maddalena, executive vice president of Heritage Auctions, left, and Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, the son of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, view the recently recovered first model of the USS Enterprise at Heritage Auctions in Los Angeles, April 13, 2024. The model — used in the original “Star Trek” television series — has been returned to Eugene, decades after it went missing in the 1970s. (Josh David Jordan/Heritage Auctions via AP)

• Copy Link copied

DALLAS (AP) — The first model of the USS Enterprise — used in the opening credits of the original “Star Trek” television series — has boldly gone back home, returning to creator Gene Roddenberry’s son decades after it went missing.

The model’s disappearance sometime in the 1970s had become the subject of lore, so it caused a stir when it popped up on eBay last fall. The sellers quickly took it down, and then contacted Dallas-based Heritage Auctions to authenticate it. Last weekend, the auction house facilitated the model’s return.

Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, CEO of Roddenberry Entertainment, said he’s thrilled to have the model that had graced the desk of his father, who died in 1991 at age 70.

“This is not going home to adorn my shelves,” Roddenberry said. “This is going to get restored and we’re working on ways to get it out so the public can see it and my hope is that it will land in a museum somewhere.”

AP AUDIO: Long-lost first model of the USS Enterprise from ‘Star Trek’ boldly goes home after twisting voyage.

AP correspondent Margie Szaroleta reports on the return of the original model of the USS Enterprise from the TV show “Star Trek.”

Heritage’s executive vice president, Joe Maddalena, said the auction house was contacted by people who said they’d discovered it a storage unit, and when it was brought into their Beverly Hills office, he and a colleague “instantly knew that it was the real thing.”

They reached out to Roddenberry, who said he appreciates that everyone involved agreed returning the model was the right thing to do. He wouldn’t go into details on the agreement reached but said “I felt it important to reward that and show appreciation for that.”

Maddalena said the model vanished in the 1970s after Gene Roddenberry loaned it to makers of “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” which was released in 1979.

“No one knew what happened to it,” Rod Roddenberry said.

The 3-foot (0.91-meter) model of the USS Enterprise was used in the show’s original pilot episode as well as the opening credits of the resulting TV series, and was the prototype for the 11-foot (3-meter) version featured in the series’ episodes. The larger model is on display at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

The original “Star Trek” television series, which aired in the late 1960s, kicked off an ever-expanding multiverse of cultural phenomena, with TV and movie spinoffs and conventions where a fanbase of zealous and devoted Trekkies can’t get enough of memorabilia.

This USS Enterprise model would easily sell for more than $1 million at auction, but really “it’s priceless,” Maddalena said.

“It could sell for any amount and I wouldn’t be surprised because of what it is,” he said. “It is truly a cultural icon.”

Roddenberry, who was just a young boy when the model went missing, said he has spotty memories of it, “almost a deja vu.” He said it wasn’t something he’d thought much about until people began contacting him after it appeared on eBay.

“I don’t think I really, fully comprehended at first that this was the first Enterprise ever created,” he said.

He said he has no idea if there was something nefarious behind the disappearance all those decades ago or if it was just mistakenly lost, but it would be interesting to find out more about what happened.

“This piece is incredibly important and it has its own story and this would be a great piece of the story,” Roddenberry said.

Thankfully, he said, the discovery has cleared up one rumor: That it was destroyed because as a young boy, he’d thrown it into a pool.

“Finally I’m vindicated after all these years,” he said with a laugh.

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The long lost original model of the USS Enterprise has been returned

The model, in the opening credits of Star Trek , had been missing since the 1970s. It popped up on eBay last fall. The seller helped facilitate its return to the family of the creator of Star Trek .

(SOUNDBITE OF ALEXANDER COURAGE'S "THEME FROM STAR TREK")

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Leila Fadel.

The long-lost original model of the USS Enterprise, the one that could be seen in the opening credits of the TV show "Star Trek," has been returned. Missing since the 1970s, the model popped up on eBay last fall. The seller eventually took down the item and helped facilitate its return to Rod Roddenberry, the son of the late "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry. Roddenberry, the son, says he now hopes to get the model into a museum for the public to enjoy.

It's MORNING EDITION.

Copyright © 2024 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Screen Rant

Star trek: enterprise was “magical” but “could have done better” with t’pol & trip, says jolene blalock .

Jolene Blalock rarely gives interviews but the actress addressed T'Pol and Trip when the Star Trek: Enterprise cast gathered for a 2012 reunion.

• Jolene Blalock considers her time on Star Trek: Enterprise "magical" but believes the show "could have done better," particularly in developing the relationship between T'Pol and Trip Tucker.
• As audiences reevaluate the series on streaming platforms, Star Trek: Enterprise is now viewed more positively than during its original broadcast run on the UPN Network from 2001-2005.
• The cast of Enterprise praised Scott Bakula for his leadership on set and his mentorship of younger actors like Connor Trinneer and Linda Park.

Jolene Blalock called her time on Star Trek: Enterprise "magical" but takes the prequel series to task because it "could have done better," especially regarding Subcommander T'Pol's relationship with Commander Trip Tucker (Connor Trinneer). Enterprise was canceled after 4 seasons, although the consensus is that the show greatly improved in seasons 3 and 4 when it took a more serialized approach that began to fulfill Enterprise 's true potential. Audiences began to reassess Star Trek: Enterprise on streaming services like Netflix and Paramount+, and the prequel is now seen more fondly than it was during its 2001-2005 broadcast run on the UPN Network.

As a special feature of the Star Trek: Enterprise season 2 Blu-ray release in 2012, the entire cast of Enterprise gathered for a rare group interview hosted by executive producer and showrunner Brannon Braga. Titled "In Conversation: The First Crew," the Enterprise actors' reunion was especially notable because Jolene Blalock, who usually shies away from speaking publicly about Enterprise , participated. Indeed, Braga said if Jolene said no to the reunion, he would have called it off. Read Braga, Blalock, and Scott Bakula's segment about Star Trek: Enterprise (from the 19:00 time stamp) and watch the entire 90-minute video below:

Brannon Braga: Do you miss the show? Did you enjoy the show? We have never really talked all that much.

Jolene Blalock: (laughs) No, we haven’t. I did [like Enterprise]. I feel like it could have done better. But it was a really magical moment… And I thank you, Scott, also, for being such a character in my life.

Scott Bakula: You’re welcome.

Jolene Blalock: But you do have that gift. You are a great leader, and I appreciate that. And I appreciate you fighting for us and trying to get us to where we needed to be, and I know that the odds were set against you. But I know you were always fighting for us.

Brannon Braga: I thought you were great as T’Pol. I really thought you brought something special to it. Were you happy with the way the character was written? I’m not sure you liked the whole thing with Trip. You can be candid because I’ve always wanted to ask you this.

Jolene Blalock: I think, honestly, I was a little judgmental about it. I think we probably should have gone there. See, the thing is, we never really went there. We kind of touched on it. We played with it. Nothing really…

Brannon Braga: It was neither here nor there.

Jolene Blalock: It was middle ground, so I didn’t really know what was happening.

Star Trek: Enterprise 's cast universally praised Scott Bakula for his leadership on set, and how he taught the younger actors like Connor Trinneer and Linda Park how to conduct themselves.

T'Pol's 10 Best Star Trek Enterprise Episodes

Star trek: enterprise didn't go far enough, enterprise's cast agreed the star trek prequel needed more 'grit'.

Beyond Star Trek: Enterprise walking the "middle ground" with Trip Tucker and T'Pol's relationship , the actors and Brannon Braga agreed that Enterprise did not go far enough and should have had more "grit." John Billingsley started the discussion by pointing out his disappointment that Enterprise didn't explore the conflict between the crew of the NX-01 starship since, as a prequel, they had the leeway not to be as 'perfect' as the later Star Trek casts who have more experience in the final frontier. Braga agreed Enterprise could have been "more violent" and said that Enterprise season 4 showrunner Manny Coto's sensibilities were better suited for the show.

Brannon Braga explained some of the limitations imposed on Star Trek: Enterprise by UPN and Paramount . The network wanted an episodic Star Trek show in space that hewed to the prior series' established format. Braga also said that controversial aspects of Enterprise like the Temporal Cold War storyline were added to appease the network, which didn't want a Star Trek prequel series, to begin with. Further, Braga agreed with the actors that Enterprise shouldn't have premiered right after the end of Star Trek: Voyager , but that was a fight executive producer Rick Berman lost with UPN. Jolene Blalock speaking about Star Trek: Enterprise and Trip and T'Pol's unfinished love story is one of the more fascinating aspects as the cast looked back on their four years as the first Starfleet crew.

Star Trek: Enterprise is available to stream on Paramount+.

Source: Preserve Entertainment YouTube

Long-Lost First Model of the USS Enterprise From 'Star Trek' Boldly Goes Home After Twisting Voyage

The first USS Enterprise has boldly gone back home, solving a decades-long mystery

Long-Lost First Model of the USS Enterprise From 'Star Trek' Boldly Goes Home After Twisting Voyage

Josh David Jordan

The first model of the USS Enterprise is displayed at Heritage Auctions in Los Angeles, April 13, 2024. The model — used in the original “Star Trek” television series — has been returned to Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, the son of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, decades after it went missing in the 1970s. (Josh David Jordan/Heritage Auctions via AP)

DALLAS (AP) — The first model of the USS Enterprise — used in the opening credits of the original “Star Trek” television series — has boldly gone back home, returning to creator Gene Roddenberry's son decades after it went missing.

The model's disappearance sometime in the 1970s had become the subject of lore, so it caused a stir when it popped up on eBay last fall. The sellers quickly took it down, and then contacted Dallas-based Heritage Auctions to authenticate it. Last weekend, the auction house facilitated the model's return.

Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, CEO of Roddenberry Entertainment, said he's thrilled to have the model that had graced the desk of his father, who died in 1991 at age 70.

“This is not going home to adorn my shelves," Roddenberry said. “This is going to get restored and we’re working on ways to get it out so the public can see it and my hope is that it will land in a museum somewhere.”

Heritage's executive vice president, Joe Maddalena, said the auction house was contacted by people who said they'd discovered it a storage unit, and when it was brought into their Beverly Hills office, he and a colleague “instantly knew that it was the real thing.”

They reached out to Roddenberry, who said he appreciates that everyone involved agreed returning the model was the right thing to do. He wouldn't go into details on the agreement reached but said “I felt it important to reward that and show appreciation for that.”

Photos You Should See - April 2024

Maddalena said the model vanished in the 1970s after Gene Roddenberry loaned it to makers of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," which was released in 1979.

“No one knew what happened to it," Rod Roddenberry said.

The 3-foot (0.91-meter) model of the USS Enterprise was used in the show's original pilot episode as well as the opening credits of the resulting TV series, and was the prototype for the 11-foot (3-meter) version featured in the series' episodes. The larger model is on display at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.

The original “Star Trek” television series, which aired in the late 1960s, kicked off an ever-expanding multiverse of cultural phenomena, with TV and movie spinoffs and conventions where a fanbase of zealous and devoted Trekkies can't get enough of memorabilia.

This USS Enterprise model would easily sell for more than $1 million at auction, but really “it’s priceless," Maddalena said.

“It could sell for any amount and I wouldn’t be surprised because of what it is," he said. “It is truly a cultural icon.”

Roddenberry, who was just a young boy when the model went missing, said he has spotty memories of it, “almost a deja vu.” He said it wasn't something he'd thought much about until people began contacting him after it appeared on eBay.

“I don't think I really, fully comprehended at first that this was the first Enterprise ever created,” he said.

He said he has no idea if there was something nefarious behind the disappearance all those decades ago or if it was just mistakenly lost, but it would be interesting to find out more about what happened.

“This piece is incredibly important and it has its own story and this would be a great piece of the story,” Roddenberry said.

Thankfully, he said, the discovery has cleared up one rumor: That it was destroyed because as a young boy, he'd thrown it into a pool.

“Finally I’m vindicated after all these years," he said with a laugh.

Copyright 2024 The  Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Original ‘Star Trek’ Enterprise Model Is Found After Being Missing for Decades

The 33-inch model surfaced on eBay after disappearing around 1979. An auction house is giving it to the son of Gene Roddenberry, the creator of “Star Trek.”

• Share full article

By Emily Schmall

The first model of the U.S.S. Enterprise, the starship that appeared in the opening credits of the original “Star Trek” television series , has been returned to Eugene Roddenberry Jr., the son of the creator of the series, decades after it went missing.

“After a long journey, she’s home,” Mr. Roddenberry wrote on social media on Thursday.

For die-hard Trekkies, the model’s disappearance had become the subject of folklore, so an eBay listing last fall, with a starting bid of $1,000, didn’t go unnoticed.

“Red alert,” someone in an online costume and prop-making forum wrote, linking to the listing.

Mr. Roddenberry’s father, Gene Roddenberry, created the television series, which first aired in 1966 and ran for three seasons. It spawned numerous spinoffs, several films and a franchise that has included conventions and legions of devoted fans with an avid interest in memorabilia.

The seller of the model was bombarded with inquiries and quickly took the listing down.

The seller contacted Heritage Auctions to authenticate it, the auction house’s executive vice president, Joe Maddalena, said on Saturday. As soon as the seller, who said he had found it in a storage unit, brought it to the auction house’s office in Beverly Hills, Calif., Mr. Maddalena said he knew it was real.

“That’s when I reached out to Rod to say, ‘We’ve got this. This is it,’” he said, adding that the model was being transferred to Mr. Roddenberry.

Mr. Roddenberry, who is known as Rod, said on Saturday that he would restore the model and seek to have it displayed in a museum or other institution. He said reclaiming the item had only piqued his interest in the circumstances about its disappearance.

“Whoever borrowed it or misplaced it or lost it, something happened somewhere,” he said. “Where’s it been?”

It was unclear how the model ended up in the storage unit and who had it before its discovery.

The original U.S.S. Enterprise, a 33-inch model, was mostly made of solid wood by Richard C. Datin, a model maker for the Howard Anderson Company, a special-effects company that created the opening credits for some of the 20th century’s biggest TV shows .

An enlarged 11-foot model was used in subsequent “Star Trek” television episodes, and is now part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum , where it was donated by Paramount Studios in 1974.

Mr. Roddenberry, who said he gave the seller a “reward” for its recovery but did not disclose the terms, assembled a group of “Star Trek” production veterans, model makers and restoration specialists in Beverly Hills to authenticate the find.

The group included a “Star Trek” art supervisor, Michael Okuda, and his wife, Denise, an artist on “Star Trek” television series and films, and Gary Kerr, a “Trek x-pert” who served as technical consultant for the Smithsonian during a 2016 restoration of the 11-foot model.

“We spent at least an hour photographing it, inspecting the paint, inspecting the dirt, looking under the base, the patina on the stem, the grain in the wood,” Mr. Roddenberry said.

“It was a unanimous ‘This is 100 percent the one,’” he said.

Gene Roddenberry, who died in 1991 , kept the original model, which appeared in the show’s opening credits and pilot episode, on his desk.

Mr. Kerr compared the model to 1960s photos he had of the model on Mr. Roddenberry’s desk.

“The wood grain matched exactly, so that was it,” he said on Saturday.

The model went missing after Mr. Roddenberry lent it to the makers of “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” which was released in 1979, Mr. Maddalena said.

“This is a major discovery,” he said, likening the model to the ruby slippers from “The Wizard of Oz,” a prop that was stolen in 2005 and recovered by the F.B.I. in 2018, and that Heritage Auctions is selling.

While the slippers represent hope, he said, the starship Enterprise model “represents dreams.”

“It’s a portal to what could be,” he said.

Emily Schmall covers breaking news and feature stories and is based in Chicago. More about Emily Schmall

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