TheStar Trekfranchise employed several of the finest actors on the small screen. It broke new ground in the early days and pushed many of its stars to new levels of success. There’s also an impressive amount of appreciation for some of the character actors that fill out the roster. While not everyone can be Shatner or Stewart, some smaller roles attain shocking levels of celebration from hardcore fans and newcomers. Clint Howard portrayed five lesser-known characters across almost 60 years, and he deserves attention.
TheStar Trekfranchise is alot of things. It’s been on the air semi-consistently since 1966 with countless writers, directors, showrunners, producers, and performers shaping the ever-expanding universe. Even competing universes likeStar Warscan’t hope to demonstrate the level of depth and complexity thatStar Trekcontinues to exhibit. Going on forever carries upsides and downsides, but the franchise has built something impressive.
Every Clint Howard Role inStar Trek
Clint Howard first appeared inStar Trekwhen he was seven years old. He took a 30-year break before his next appearance, but he came back four times. Every appearance saw him portray an entirely different character. Here’s the list of his characters:
1966: Balok inThe Original Series
At seven, Howard portrayed Balok in “The Corbomite Maneuver,” the tenth episode of the firstseason ofThe Original Series. The episode follows theEnterprisecrew as they engage a mysterious alien vessel in a battle of wits. Kirk bluffs the enemy captain, Balok, leading to a standoff that theEnterpriseeventually wins. The end of the episode reveals that Balok, previously portrayed as a blue alien, is actually a hyperintelligent humanoid child. Balok expresses delight in the experience, happily inviting a crew member aboard to serve as a Federation emissary. While Howard portrayed the young alien, noted actor Walker Edmiston provided the character’s adult voice.
1995: Grady inDeep Space Nine
“Past Tense,” perhaps the finest episode ofDeep Space Nine, saw Howard return after 29 years. Now 36, Howard portrayed a homeless man in San Francisco’s Sanctuary District A. He suffers from paranoid hallucinations, leading him to believe that aliens have invaded. He meetsDS9crew member Jadzia Dax, an actual alien, but they part ways amicably after she convinces him she’s a good alien. Grady doesn’t really participate in thecentral Bell Riot narrativeof the episode, but his presence is enjoyable. Writer Ira Steven Behr reportedly wanted Iggy Pop for the role.
2002: Muk inEnterprise
Howard gets to play the villain in this season one episode ofStar Trek: Enterprise. He played Muk,one of four Ferengi pirateswho sabotaged and assaulted theEnterprise. This leads to a sort ofDie Hardscenario with Commander Tucker, who has to sneak around the vessel evading the Ferengi. Muk functioned like the muscle of the group, though he seemed somewhat incompetent throughout the heist. At the episode’s end, Muk and his allies are forced back onto their ship. Howard is barely recognizable in the prosthetics, but his voice certainly shines through
2018: Creepy Orion inDiscovery
Clint Howard’s fourth role doesn’t even have a name. He appeared in the15th episode ofDiscovery, “Will You Take My Hand?” He briefly interacted with Sylvia Tilly. The unnamed Orion attempted to knock her out and steal the case handcuffed to her wrist. This attempt led the Orion to discover the small and powerful explosive hidden away. The character isn’t around long, but he draws attention to the species' heavily criminal leanings.
2023: Buck Martinez inStrange New Worlds
Last but not least, Howard portrays this science division officer in a season twoepisode ofStrange New Worlds. As a high-ranking medical officer, Martinez commanded several other characters, including Joseph M’Benga and Christine Chapel. His most notable character quirk involved bungling almost every common idiom he tried to say aloud. He isn’t around long, but he’s clearly a struggling professional doing his best in a bad situation.
What else has Clint Howard done?
Clint Howard is an extraordinarily prolific performer with more than 200 credits to his name. He comes from a showbiz family. His parents were actors. His brother, Ron, is the director of classics likeA Beautiful MindandFrost/Nixon. Their careers frequently come together. Howard is very much still in the industry. Last year, he appeared in a Western alongside Nicolas Cage. Later this year, he’ll appear in the hotlyanticipated slasher sequelTerrifier 3. He doesn’t have any listed upcomingStar Trekroles, but he could easily come back.
Clint Howard never plays an especially important character, but it’s the little roles that often make the show fun. He was a minor antagonist,an important Starfleet functionary, and a mad homeless man. By coincidence, Howard is a featured player in several of the best episodes of the franchise. The importance of character actors cannot be overstated.
