The Wild West Connection: Star Trek Actors Appear in Gunsmoke

Several actors from the popular sci-fi show 'Star Trek' appeared in episodes of the classic Western series 'Gunsmoke'. The most notable guest stars were William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, James Doohan, and DeForest Kelley.

Gunsmoke premiered on September 10, 1955, and ran for 635 episodes until its conclusion on March 31, 1975. During its run, the show featured a diverse range of guest actors, including several from 'Star Trek'.

William Shatner appeared in an episode titled 'Quaker Girl' in Season 12, playing a character named Fred Bateman. In an interview with PBS, Shatner recalled fearing for his life during filming due to another actor's aggressive behavior.

Leonard Nimoy also made a guest appearance in Gunsmoke before joining the cast of Star Trek. He played the title role in an episode titled 'Treasure of John Walking Fox', although he was criticized for wearing redface in the part.

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James Doohan, best known for his Scottish accent as Montgomery Scott, appeared in an episode titled 'Quint Asper Comes Home' without his characteristic accent. The episode also featured Burt Reynolds, who played the title character and went on to reprise the role 50 times during the show's run.

DeForest Kelley, who played Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy in Star Trek, appeared in the first season of Gunsmoke as Will Bailey. Kelley sports an impressive beard in this episode, which would have been a notable addition to his character's appearance if he had worn it during his time on Star Trek.

Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, and George Takei never appeared on Gunsmoke, but Ricardo Montalban, who played Khan Noonien Singh in the 1982 film adaptation of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, starred in an episode titled 'Chato' as a half-Native American outlaw.

Montalban's appearance on Gunsmoke is notable not only for his connection to Star Trek but also for its historical significance, as it marked one of the show's earliest instances of casting non-Native actors in Native American roles.