#Star Trek stunt people

[redshirtgal]

They Call Me Mister Tibbs  (1970) is the second in a trilogy of movies beginning with the better known In The Heat of the Night (1967)  and ending with The Organization (1971). All feature Detective Virgil Tibbs, played by Sidney Poitier. But what does this sequel have to do with Star Trek: The Original Series (and indirectly, redshirts)?

The actor on the far left is Dick Dial, who was a stunt double for Shatner in “Arena,” along with Anthony Zerbe and Don Hanmer.   Dial had two other uncredited roles as a stunt double in “Friday’s Child” and “The Immunity Syndrome.”  He was a well-regarded and often used in Hollywood as a stuntman in both film and television. He also doubled for other actors such as Lloyd Bridges on Sea Hunt, David Janssen on The Fugitive, and Peter Graves on Mission Impossible. Side note: Anthony Zerbe was also a Star Trek alumni, appearing as Vice Admiral Matthew Dougherty in Star Trek: Insurrection.

We are more familiar with Dick Dial in his role as Lt. Kaplan in “The Apple,” where in true redshirt fashion, he was killed by a bolt of lightning. He also played a security guard in “Where the Children Shall Lead” and a Fabrini guard in “For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky.”

The movie also included Garry Walberg and Jeff Corey (in this photo with Sidney Poitier, Norma Crane, and a very young Ed Asner). Walberg is the one in the grey business suit and the dark rimmed glasses. And honestly - you should be able to figure out which one is Jeff Corey.

Actually, you should recognize both these men. Garry Walberg is on the right. We just discussed the insignia on the uniform of his character Commander Hansen in “Balance of Terror” in the article on Tom Troupe. And on the right is Jeff Corey who played Plaxus in “The Cloud Minders.”

And the cinematographer for They Call Me Mister Tibbs? Another familiar name, Gerald (”Jerry”) Perry Finnerman. He was the Director of Photography for the first two seasons of The Original Series and for part of the third.

And our last TOS connection to They Call Me Mister Tibbs? Robert (”Bob”)  Herron performed stunt work for a number of Hollywood movies and television episode. That includes working as Jeffrey Hunter’s stunt double in “The Cage.” We know him mainly for his role in “Charlie X” - the hapless Sam who dared laugh at Charlie and was the first person Charlie caused to disappear in a fit of pique. But he did play another role that may be surprising to some. Bob Herron was also the Klingon Kahless the Unforgettable in “The Savage Curtain.” You’ve heard of “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon,” right? Also known as “Six Degrees of Separation,” where you name an actor and see if you can link him or her to Kevin Bacon through a chain of no more than six relationships. So many of us Trek fans often try to connect  the actors in a movie or TV episode to Star Trek. And it works with They Call Me Mister Tibbs.  In a single movie, we have Six Connections to Star Trek (Five to The Original Series).