So last night I'm watching the STAR TREK episode "Obsession" on Blu Ray with a friend of mine. In this particular episode, Kirk becomes - well - obsessed with destroying a vampiric cloud creature he encountered thirteen years earlier.
As Kirk pursues the creature, I noticed one of the security guards in the background looked familiar...
I know Basil Poledouris was a Klingon extra in the episode "Errand Of Mercy" but I've never heard that he was in any other episodes.
Take a look at these screengrabs and tell me if I'm crazy... but I'm positive that it's him. Is this common knowledge or have I made an amusing discovery here?
I did a lot of Extra Work in L.A. starting in 1984 and it was very common to work on the same show from time to time, playing different characters in the background. If the A.D.'s (Assistant Directors) liked you, they would usually call casting and request you back to the show.
Great find! Thanks for sharing.
Wouldn't it have been ironic if Basil wound up scoring a TREK Feature?
Interesting to think he was probably making about $25.00 dollars for 8 hours of work as an extra back then. And that's if he was in the Screen Extras Guild. Non-union usually pays about half or less of what Union gets.
In 1937 Union Extras were paid $5.50 for a days work.
I think in 1984 when I started, S.E.G. Union extras got about $68.00 for 8 hours of work. I was non-union and started at $30.00 to $35.00 for 8 hours of work.
Interesting to think he was probably making about $25.00 dollars for 8 hours of work as an extra back then. And that's if he was in the Screen Extras Guild. Non-union usually pays about half or less of what Union gets.
In 1937 Union Extras were paid $5.50 for a days work.
I think in 1984 when I started, S.E.G. Union extras got about $68.00 for 8 hours of work. I was non-union and started at $30.00 to $35.00 for 8 hours of work.
Zoob
$25.00 IN 1967 dollars would be about $175.00 today.... Inflation... My Word, our family of 4 could dine out for $5.00 back then.
Okay, Sarge, this is just about the coolest Trek news I've heard in a long time! What a brilliant post, thank you. (Where's the emoticon for 60 thumbs-ups? )
Do you or anyone have any screen shots of him as the Klingon? (Great screenshots - Blu-ray?)
Awesome. In the meantime, perhaps I'll pull out the Blu-ray and give the episode a watch. I wonder if he's in any others. I feel a new game coming on... "Spot The Basil!"
At 11:55 Kirk orders 4 men to beam down with him. Basil is one. Kirk at 12:57 says to Basil and the other Red shirt, "Benson, Bardoli, follow me". Wow, Basil was given an actual character name. He looks more like a Bardoli, then a Benson.
Wow, Basil was given an actual character name. He looks more like a Bardoli, then a Benson.
The other guy is definitely NOT a Bardoli - so we could safely attribute that name to Basil's character.
Here are the pics I found from "Errand Of Mercy" - in the first shot, Basil is the Klingon all the way in the back.
And in the shot below it looks like Basil is the anti-social Klingon sitting in the back drowning his sorrows with not just one, but TWO flagons of beer!
)
