‘Star Trek’ Actress: ‘William Shatner Was Attention-grabbing, Let’s Put It That Means’ initially appeared on Parade.
The unique Star Trek TV sequence ran for simply three seasons between 1966 and 1969 on NBC, although it spawned dozens of TV exhibits and movies that adopted. However the unique nonetheless holds a particular place in followers’ hearts.
The unique sequence starred Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei and William Shatner because the crew of the USS Enterprise, but it surely additionally welcomed many memorable visitor stars over its three seasons.
One such notable visitor star is Elinor Donahue of Father Is aware of Finest, The Andy Griffith Present and The Odd Couple. She appeared within the season 2 episode “Metamorphosis,” during which she performed Assistant Federation Commissioner Nancy Hedford on a peacekeeping mission. Within the episode, Hedford has contracted Sukaro’s illness, which can ultimately kill her, however the crew discovers a person named Zefram Cochrane (Glenn Corbett) marooned on an unknown planet with an entity made up {of electrical} power that restored his youth and retains him younger. Ultimately, Hedford finally ends up merging with the entity and remaining with Cochrane on the planet the place they’ll have a life and reside out their remaining years collectively.
In a new interview with Girl’s World, Donahue, 88, displays on her memorable Star Trek look, together with what it was like working with Shatner, with whom she shared most of her scenes.
“I went to a Star Trek conference in Las Vegas just a few years in the past, and that was fairly superb, though Star Trek definitely grew to become a phenomenon very early on. You might see that that was going to have legs for a very long time. And William Shatner was fascinating, let’s put it that approach,” stated Donahue.
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She goes on to say that he was “a bit of robust” on her as a result of she was nervous within the gown rehearsal.
“He was a bit of robust on me at first, as a result of, like I stated, I’m not good at rehearsals, I feel I scare folks or used to scare folks in rehearsals, ’trigger it all the time appeared to me as if they thought that I wasn’t going to have the ability to do it proper. I suppose I sort of pull that out of the fireplace on the final minute.
“He obtained a bit of irritated with me through the desk learn, and the director stated, ‘Simply go away her alone, will you?’ But it surely was fantastic. He noticed that I used to be skilled about my work and giving my greatest. That’s all you may ask someone, is to do their greatest, and it’s what I’ve all the time tried to do,” stated Donahue.
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She additionally added that she and Shatner “ended up getting alongside fantastic.”
Donahue additionally mirrored on her decades-long profession in present enterprise, saying that her life “sounds fairly unbelievable” at instances.
“If I had been listening to it from somebody, I’d say, ‘Oh come on, that may’t probably be true.’ However all instructed, it was all simply so magical. Actually, I’ve had a whole lot of enjoyable,” stated Donahue.
‘Star Trek’ Actress: ‘William Shatner Was Attention-grabbing, Let’s Put It That Means’ first appeared on Parade on Jul 26, 2025
This story was initially reported by Parade on Jul 26, 2025, the place it first appeared.
