Michael Forest, the actor best known for playing the Greek god Apollo in the iconic 1967 Star Trek episode“Who Mourns for Adonais?”, has died at 97. His friend James A. Brown announced the news Friday on Facebook. Forest’s career stretched across more than 200 credits, including appearances on The Twilight Zone, Gilligan’s Island, and Zorro, plus voice work, Roger Corman B movies, and the 2000 film Cast Away. And yes, he later reprised his Apollo role in the fan web series Star Trek Continues in 2013.
The Apollo episode remains one of the most memorable guest spots in original Star Trek history, and Forest’s story about landing the part is almost as good as the episode itself. He reportedly said they had him take his shirt off at the audition to see if he had the muscles they were looking for. Honestly, method acting at its finest.
Star Trek has always been a franchise that keeps its legends alive, and fan productions like Star Trek Continues prove it. Forest spent his final years at MorningStar Senior Living in Sparks, Nevada. So, here’s a question for you: what’s your all-time favorite Star Trek guest star?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.