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In a 2020 interview with the Hollywood Reporter, actor Patrick Stewart recalled the frustrations he encountered while working with Gene Roddenberry, the creator of "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Roddenberry notoriously didn't want Stewart to play Captain Jen-Luc Picard, hating the fact that he was bald and not so keen on the fact that he's English. When Roddenberry visited the "Star Trek" set, Stewart recalls being treated with coldness, and he received little actual direction from the man. Stewart sought to discuss Captain Picard with Roddenberry over a lunch, but that wasn't a very helpful meeting; Roddenberry merely advised Stewart to read C.S. Forster's Horatio Hornblower novels. As the series creator said, "It's all in there." Not terribly helpful. 

Roddenberry's distaste of Stewart, however, was not shared by the general public. Captain Picard became a fan favorite character quite swiftly, with Trekkies responding to Stewart's commanding performance and to Picard...

When "Star Trek: The Next Generation" first began in 1987, LeVar Burton was probably the biggest star in the cast. He had already been nominated for three Emmys, once in 1977 for playing Kunta Kinte in the celebrated miniseries "Roots," and two more in 1985 and 1986 for hosting the beloved book-based kid program "Reading Rainbow." The latter show would end up netting him 12 Emmy wins between 1990 and 2007, and cement his reputation as one of his generation's preeminent TV celebrities. The fact that he would be selected to play chief engineer Geordi La Forge on "Star Trek" only more deeply entrenched Burton in the public's awareness. 

Geordi La Forge was, more than anything, a nerd. He was deeply interested in machines and engines, and Burton was given the lion's share of NextGen's nonsensical polysyllabic technobabble. He was also notoriously undersexed. Geordi was equipped with a visor that tapped directly into his brain, feeding him...

Cheryl Gates McFadden was a dancer before she was an actress. She studied theater in college (she has a Bachelor of Arts degree) and lived in Paris for a spell, performing with the celebrated movement coach Jacques Lecoq. In New York in the 1970s, she taught dance at various colleges, and formed her own theater troupes and comedy companies. In the 1980s, she landed a few high-profile gigs serving as a choreographer and movement coach on "The Muppets Take Manhattan" and "Labyrinth." She can be seen giving her commentary in a making-of documentary on the "Labyrinth" DVD. 

McFadden, however, exploded in popularity in 1987 when she was selected to play Dr. Beverly Crusher, the chief medical officer on board the USS Enterprise on "Star Trek: The Next Generation." McFadden (who was just going by Gates back then) didn't get to do much dancing on "Star Trek," but she was given a mature,...

Before securing the role of Data on "Star Trek: The Next Generation," actor Brent Spiner was perhaps most widely recognized for his recurring role as Bob Wheeler on the sitcom "Night Court." He also had one-shot appearances on various other hit TV shows like "Tales from the Darkside," "The Paper Chase," and "Ryan's Hope." He also had a bit part in the excellent cult musical "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains" and was one of the background students in "Grease 2." Spiner had been acting in Broadway productions throughout the 1970s.

Data was a boon to his career, making him a household name, and giving him a role that he would continue to revisit for decades. Spiner has always felt ambivalent about Data, however, loving the fame, but resenting how he had been typecast. He has since referred to Data as a double-edged sword. That said, his post-"Star Trek...

For three decades and two iterations, Frasier remains the one show fans cherish when thinking about Kelsey Grammer. However, Grammer reveals that if it hadn't been for the intervention of Paramount's boss, he would have gone in a different direction after his Cheers run ended.

During an interview on NPR's Bullseye with Jesse Thorn, Grammer confirmed he wasn't eyeing a Cheers spinoff featuring Dr. Crane after the hit series' conclusion. Instead, Grammer pitched a pilot to then-Paramount president John Pike chronicling a Malcolm Forbes-like media mogul who was paralyzed from the waist down following a serious accident and befriended his physical therapist during recovery. Though Grammer thought it "was time to let Frasier go," and felt the pilot script was "pretty funny," Pike rejected the idea, believing a Frasier spinoff had promise given how well fans connected with his Cheers character. Pike bluntly told Grammer, “Kelsey, I think a sitcom should befunny,...

Rosalind Chao had a recurring role on Star Trek: The Next Generation as Keiko O'Brien, the wife of Chief Miles O'Brien [Colm Meaney]. When Meaney moved to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, so did Chao. She actually appeared in more episodes on Deep Space Nine than she did in The Next Generation, but that didn't give her much more to do.

Her character was a minor one, and there were no standout stories for her, with the exception of Deep Space Nine's "The Assignment" when Keiko was possessed by a Pah-wraith who then tried to convince O'Brien to attack the Prophets. But had she gotten the role she was the actual favorite for, things might have turned out quite differently for her.

According to an April 13, 1987 memo to John Pike from John Ferraro provided by Letters of Note, regarding the casting of Star Trek: The Next Generation characters, Chao...

In the years since he was first cast as Starfleet officer William T. Riker on "Star Trek: The Next Generation," Jonathan Frakes has become an integral part of the "Star Trek" franchise not only as an actor but also as a director, shaping things behind-the-scenes. Back when the role was being cast in the late 1980s, however, Frakes wasn't the first pick for the roguishly handsome first officer. In fact, he was actually up against some other very talented performers.

In the end, though, it all worked out and Frakes ended up playing the guy who simply cannot sit in a chair the way it was designed (as "Star Trek: Lower Decks" once poked fun at). Still, things could have been very different on "The Next Generation" if one of the other actors in the running had secured the part. In fact, the person who almost took the role and...

Pro tip: always keep your head up when walking onto a studio lot.

I learned this the hard way when I attended a taping of the “Frasier” revival on the Paramount lot in Los Angeles over the summer. Looking down to consult my map, I almost walked directly into the path of a cyclist whipping between the soundstages. When I jumped out of the way, I realized it was none other Kelsey Grammer. What better way to get the blood flowing than biking around in full costume an hour before reporting to work?

Walking out of the taping, all I could say was that the biking is paying off. At 69 years old, Grammer is as full of life as ever. Even if reactions to the first season of the reboot were mixed, everyone seemed to agree that Grammer hasn’t lost a step when it comes to playing Dr. Frasier Crane.

3 different actors had the chance to portray Riker in Star Trek(Photo Credit –Instagram)

Let’s go back in time and investigate the possible outcomes inside the Star Trek world. Who knows, perhaps the series might have gone entirely in a different path if another actor had played Riker!

1. Michael O’Gorman: The Almost-Riker Who Quit Acting

Think of a Star Trek where Michael O’Gorman, not Jonathan Frakes, served as Riker’s face. It’s an idea worth considering. O’Gorman has a limited background in acting, having played quirky characters in a number of forgotten syndicated series, including Monsters and Miami Vice. Despite his short list of credits, O’Gorman was a serious contender for Riker.

In a memo dated April 13, 1987, from John Ferraro, Senior Vice President for Paramount Pictures, O’Gorman’s name appeared alongside other top contenders such as Gregg Marx and Ben Murphy. Ferraro’s memo...

David Hyde Pierce is an accomplished actor who's won awards for his various performances on stage and screen. But there's no doubt he's best known for playing the finicky Niles Crane, brother of the titular psychiatrist in "Frasier." Pierce won four Emmys for his performance in the beloved sitcom, which ran from 1993 through 2004, heralding what was basically the official end of the '90s when both it and "Friends" wrapped up in the same year.

To be fair, if all Pierce did in his career was play Niles, there'd be no problem. As the Washington Post put it in a 1996 profile of the actor, Pierce "may have been born to play Niles Crane." At the time, he'd been co-starring in "Frasier" for three years, but from the very first episode, he really did seem like the one and only choice to play Niles.

The pilot episode of "Frasier" remains truly...

When you think about it, "Frasier" is one of the most unlikely success stories in TV history. Running from 1993 to 2004, the show is one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time and has recently returned some 20 years after it went off-air for a revival series currently streaming on Paramount+.

But a lot had to happen in order for this impressive multi-decade run to pan out. After the show on which Frasier Crane first debuted, "Cheers," almost crashed and burned during its first season, it went on to become the most celebrated sitcom of the '80s and still enjoys a legacy as one of the finest TV shows ever. In season 3 of the series, we were introduced to Dr. Crane for the first time. Originally intended to be a character that appeared in a few episodes as a way to further the will-they-won't-they romance storyline between Ted Danson's...

For such a great show, it's remarkable how many times "Star Trek: The Next Generation" almost didn't get made. Read any behind-the-scenes story from the making of the show and you'll hear about chaos, power struggles, budget restrictions, and moments that almost blew up the entire project. William Shatner's 2014 film "Chaos on the Bridge" candidly documented the best, worst, and wildest stories from the making of the show, setting the record straight on decades-old gossip and giving actors, writers, and producers a chance to explain exactly what the hell was going on at Paramount from 1987 to 1994.

Hilariously, "Chaos on the Bridge" includes an entire section about situations in which legendary actor Patrick Stewart almost got fired. It's impossible to imagine "Star Trek" without its stoic genius Captain Picard, but apparently tensions on set led to at least one instance in which the actor ended up called to task by...

Rick Berman reveals that Billy Campbell was originally cast as Commander Riker, but John Pike vetoed the choice, citing a lack of command presence. Jonathan Frakes was the second choice for the role and turned out to be iconic in the role. Billy Campbell's impression on Berman and Paramount executives earned him a guest spot in a season 2 episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation as Thadiun Okona.

Star Trek producer Rick Berman reveals that Jonathan Frakes was actually the second choice for Star Trek: The Next Generation's Number One, with the role of Commander William Riker originally going to a different actor, Billy Campbell. While Campbell didn't become Riker, Campbell's impression on Berman and Paramount studio executives would later earn him a guest spot in Tng season 2, episode 4 "The Outrageous Okona". Campbell stars as the eponymous Thadiun Okona, a roguish cargo captain requesting assistance with his ship's guidance system.

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" introduced us to pop culture's truest Space Dad in the form of Patrick Stewart's Captain Jean-Luc Picard, a noble, commanding, trustworthy father figure for an entire generation of science fiction-loving dorks. But could you ask Captain Picard about girls? About alcohol? About having a good time? Of course not. That wouldn't be dignified for either of you. That's where Jonathan Frakes' Commander William Riker comes in. The Enterprise's First Officer was younger and a bit cockier (and a lot sillier) than the captain. He was a ladies' man, but one who always seemed respectful. He was always down for a good time, but was ready when duty called. He was charming, but never creepy. Tough, but never macho. Frakes had tapped into something special. He was the Space Uncle we all needed. We aspire to be like Picard. We learn how to live from Riker.

Spinoffs have long been a staple of the broadcast network landscape, but precious few have successfully captured an audience to such a degree that they lasted as long as the series that spawned them in the first place. “Frasier,” however, managed to defy the odds: it made its debut on NBC 25 years ago and ran for 11 seasons, which is the same length of time that its predecessor “Cheers” maintained its slot on the prime-time schedule.

“A lot of times shows really evolve a lot over the course of the first season, when you kind of discover what you have, but ‘Frasier’ was pretty solid going in,” Ken Levine tells Variety.

Levine wrote, directed and served as a creative consultant on the series at various points during its run. Some things, he admits, were discovered along the way, but he says there was never the need for “a real sea change.

After John Pike's father died, he turned to food to deal with his depression. By the time he was 16, the teen from Irvington, N.Y., had reached 280 lbs. "Physically, I was always drained of energy," Pike, now 17, tells People. "I would sleep most of the day. Emotionally, my depression grew. I moved to a new school and although it wasn't overt, I wasn't welcomed, and I became socially anxious as well." His weight also affected his health - Pike became pre-diabetic and developed liver problems. At the urging of his mother and aunt, the teen began meeting with personal trainer Sam Langer.

After John Pike's father died, he turned to food to deal with his depression. By the time he was 16, Pike had reached 280 lbs. "Physically, I was always drained of energy," Pike, now 17, tells People. "I would sleep most of the day. Emotionally, my depression grew. I moved to a new school and although it wasn't overt, I wasn't welcomed, and I became socially anxious as well." His weight also affected his health - Pike became pre-diabetic and developed liver problems. At the urging of his mother and aunt, the teen began meeting with personal trainer Sam Langer. "He wasn't very motivated at first,...

Two-thousand-double-one came in with the roar of Tiger Mommy and the tragic devastation of Japan’s tsunami. As it continued, the NBA waved farewell to Yao Ming, Gary Locke took a plane to Beijing — and Asians in the library made their cell phones ring. As 2012 begins, here are Tao Jones’s picks for the best, the worst and the most memorable events, individuals and phenomena of the year that was.

People of the Year: Angry men and brainy girls, diplomats,...

Here's an old Paramount Pictures memo that was in the archives of Paramount, or maybe they found it behind a desk while moving offices. The memo was written on April 13th 1987 to the head of Network Television. It gives us a look at the actors who were being considered for certain roles in the series. One of the most interesting names on the list is Wesley Snipes being considered for the role of Georgi! He was actually the frontrunner for the part. Could you imagine!

Check out a transcript of the list below and let us know what you think.

Transcript:

To: John Pike

Date: April 13, 1987

From: John Ferraro

Subject: Star Trek/Casting

Per your request, following is a list of actors who are being considered for their respective roles in Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Picard

Patrick Stewart

Mitch Ryan

Roy Thinnes

Yaphet Kotto

Patrick Bauchau

Tasha

Lianne Langland...

Letters Of Note have uncovered an old memo from the archives at Paramount, written on April 13th 1987 to the studio's Head of Network Television - detailing the actors being considered for the various roles in Star Trek: The Next Generation. It is interesting to see some of the names that were inconsideration for the cast, but didn't end up getting the part (for whatever reason). Hit the jump to see the full memo. Transcript: To: John Pike Date: April 13, 1987 From: John Ferraro Subject: Star Trek/Casting Per your request, following is a list of actors who are being considered for their respective roles in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Picard Patrick Stewart Mitch Ryan Roy Thinnes Yaphet Kotto Patrick Bauchau Tasha Lianne Langland Julia Nickson Rosalind Chao Leah Ayers Bunty Bailey Data Mark Lindsay Chapman Eric Menyuk Kevin Peter Hall (also for Geordi) Kelvin Han Yee Ryker Michael O'Gorman Gregg Marx...

Music In a world populated by flannel-clad indie rockers carrying around dog-eared paperbacks in their back pockets, Syracuse’s Ra Ra Riot is a welcome change of pace. The band's sophomore album, The Orchard, out August 24, comes on the heels of 2008’s The Rhumb Line, which was released after the sudden death, by apparent drowning, of the band’s original drummer, John Pike. The Orchard is packed with percipient pop songs driven by guitarist Milo Bonacci’s keyed-up guitar licks and lead singer Wes Miles’s high-pitched disquisitions on life, love, and dodgy social skills. Have we mentioned that cellist Alexandra Lawn and violinist Rebecca Zeller are a couple of string-sawing babes? rarariot.com...

Ra Ra Riot Upstate New York-based alt-rock ensemble Ra Ra Riot, founded in 2006, is comprised of Milo Bonacci (guitar), Alexandra Lawn (cello, vocals), Wesley Miles (keys, vocals), Gabriel Duquette (drums), Mathieu Santos (bass), and Rebecca Zeller (violin). The late John Pike (drums, vocals) co-wrote much of the group's 2007 debut release. Collaborations/shared stages include Chris Walla (Death Cab for Cutie), Rostam Batmanglij (Vampire Weekend), The Editors, and legendary New Wave unit Bow Wow Wow. With five releases to date, get "Winter '05," from Ra Ra Riot's 2008 project The Rhumb Line. Buy: iTunes.com Genre: AlternativeArtist: Ra Ra RiotSong: Winter '05Album: The Rhumb LineÓlöf Arnalds Icelandic multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Ólöf Arnalds was born in the Reagan era. By the age of 8, she picked up the violin and classical singing and never put them down, studying music through grad school at the Iceland Academy...