Craig Zablo

Nichelle Nichols passed away last night from natural causes.  She was 89 years old.

Although best known for her role as Nyota Uhura on the original Star Trek television series, Ms. Nichols first became famous for her role in the play Kicks and Co.  This led to roles in a Chicago production of Carmen Jones and later a New York production of Porgy and Bess.  Nichelle Nichols also did singing and modeling jobs.

Prior to her groundbreaking role on Star Trek, Ms. Nichols began getting roles on television (The Lieutenant; CBS Repertoire Workshop; Payton Place; Tarzan) and theatrical films (Made in Paris; Mister Buddwing; Doctor, You’ve Got to be Kidding).  With her role on Star Trek, Nichelle Nichols became one of the first African-American women to be featured in such a prominent co-starring role on a television series.

When she was offered a role on Broadway, Ms. Nichols planned to leave the series.  However Martin Luther King, Jr. convinced her by saying, “…you cannot, you cannot (leave the show)…for the first time on television, we will be seen as we should be seen every day, as intelligent, quality, beautiful, people.”   Not only did Nichelle Nichols stay for the entire series, she voiced Nyota Uhura on Star Trek: The Animated Series, and returned for the Star Trek feature films (Star Trek; The Motion Picture; Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan; Star Trek III: The Search for Spock; Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home; Star Trek V: The Voyage Home and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country).

When Star Trek the series ended, and when she wasn’t making Star Trek feature films, Nichelle Nichols continued to act on television and feature films, worked with NASA to recruit minority and females, released two albums and did voice work for animation! Talk about multi-talented!

My first exposure to Nichelle Nichols was her role on Star Trek.  I can remember the controversy when she and William Shatner had one of the first interracial kisses on television.  I was just a kid, but thought, “What’s the big deal?  She’s a beautiful, smart women.  Kirk would be a fool not to kiss her.”  By all accounts Nichelle Nichols was as beautiful a person inside as out.  I’ve never heard a bad story about her.  Fans love her and rightly so.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Nichelle Nichols family, friends and fans.

Burt Metcalfe died on Wednesday, July 27th at the age of 87.  Mr. Metcalfe was an actor, writer, director and producer.

Burt Metcalfe began his career as an actor with an uncredited role in The Bridges at Toko-Ri.  That was followed by roles on the tv series The Man Behind the Badge and General Electric Theater.  Mr. Metcalfe was then drafted and spent two years in the Navy.  Burt Metcalfe then resumed his acting career.  Some of his roles included parts on Gidget; Have Gun, Will Travel; Death Valley Days; The Twilight Zone; The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis; The Outer Limits; Perry Mason; The Fugitive and the James Bond film Diamonds are Forever.

Burt Metcalfe was recruited to serve as the casting agent for the television series M*A*S*H.  He was given the title Associate Producer.  Mr. Metcalfe would go on to serve as a writer, Associate Producer, Line Producer and Executive Producer of M*A*S*H.  In fact Burt Metcalfe was the only Producer to stay with the series for its entire run.  Mr. Metcalfe was nominated 13 times for Primetime Emmy Awards for his work as a writer on the series!  He even returned to serve as the executive producer for the M*A*S*H 30th Anniversary Reunion Special in 2002.

It’s interesting that Burt Metcalfe  was a successful actor but then transitioned to behind the camera work where he experienced even more success.  Mr. Metcalfe appears in one of my favorite Twilight Zone episodes, The Monsters are Due on Maple Street!

Ken Levine, who worked with Mr. Metcalfe as a writer on M*A*S*H has a nice write-up about him.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Burt Metcalfe’s family, friends and fans.

Tony Dow, best known for playing Wally Clever on the television series Leave It to Beaver, died today from complications caused by cancer.  Mr. Dow was 77.

Tony Dow earned the role of Wally Cleaver despite little acting experience.  Mr. Dow played Beaver’s older brother throughout the series run from 1957 to 1963.  He reprised the role in a television movie and the subsequent series The New Leave It to Beaver which ran from 1983 – 1989.

When the original Leave It to Beaver series ended, Mr. Dow continued to act making guest appearances on television series such as Dr. Kildare, My Three Sons and Never Too Young.  From 1965 – 1968, Mr. Dow served in the National Guard.  When Mr. Dow returned to acting he alternated between television and feature films.  Appearances include: Adam 12, Love American Style, The Mod Squad, Emergency, Death Scream, General Hospital, Kentucky Fried Movie, Quincy, Murder She Wrote, Knight Rider, The New Leave It to Beaver, Charles in Charge, Freddie’s Nightmares and Diagnosis Murder.

Mr. Dow also wrote an episode of The New Leave It to Beaver, directed episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space 9, Babylon 5, Get a Life and Coach.  He was also a producer on The Adventures of Captain Zoom in Outer Space and It Came from Outer Space II.  In addition Mr. Dow was an accomplished sculptor.

Had Tony Dow only played Wally Cleaver in his career, he would merit mention.  His portrayal of Wally Clever made such a huge impact on the many kids who watched the show.  I’m sure that parents would admonish their unruly children to be more like Wally.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Tony Dow’s family, friends and fans.