Actors Who Were Almost Cast As Star Trek's Geordi La Forge Before LeVar Burton

When "Star Trek: The Next Generation" first began in 1987, LeVar Burton was probably the biggest star in the cast. He had already been nominated for three Emmys, once in 1977 for playing Kunta Kinte in the celebrated miniseries "Roots," and two more in 1985 and 1986 for hosting the beloved book-based kid program "Reading Rainbow." The latter show would end up netting him 12 Emmy wins between 1990 and 2007, and cement his reputation as one of his generation's preeminent TV celebrities. The fact that he would be selected to play chief engineer Geordi La Forge on "Star Trek" only more deeply entrenched Burton in the public's awareness. 

Geordi La Forge was, more than anything, a nerd. He was deeply interested in machines and engines, and Burton was given the lion's share of NextGen's nonsensical polysyllabic technobabble. He was also notoriously undersexed. Geordi was equipped with a visor that tapped directly into his brain, feeding him visual signals that bypassed his nonfunctioning optic nerves. The show, tactfully, hardly ever called attention to Geordi's blindness, and certainly never used his disability as a plot point. Burton has said that the visor appliance had to pinch into his temples and gave him horrible headaches. 

Because Burton was already a star, he was one of the top picks that Paramount wanted for Geordi during the casting of "Star Trek: The Next Generation." A leaked memo, however (published on the Slice of Sci-Fi website) reveals that seven other actors were in serious consideration for the role. The memo was written by producer John Ferraro to Paramount TV president John Pike, and Ferraro had some pretty wild casting alternates for Geordi, including a future "Star Trek" regular, a major movie star, and ... a baseball player?

In 1987, Wesley Snipes wasn't yet a major superstar, having only appeared in "Wildcats," and the drama "Streets of Gold." He was also made sporadic TV appearances on shows like "All My Children" and "A Man Called Hawk" (incidentally, starring future "Deep Space Nine" captain Avery Brooks). "Star Trek: The Next Generation" debuted before Snipes would explode in films like "Major League," "Mo' Better Blues," "New Jack City," "Jungle Fever," and "White Men Can't Jump." Snipes is one of the most dazzling, charming movie stars there is (especially in person), so it's no wonder he was under consideration for Geordi La Forge. As mentioned, though, La Forge is a huge nerd, so one might wonder if a naturally cool actor like Snipes could have played the part effectively. 

Also on the casting sheet was Tim Russ, who Trekkies better know as the Vulcan Tuvok from "Star Trek: Voyager." Russ dipped in and out of "Star Trek" throughout the 1990s, playing a total of six different characters. Tuvok, incidentally, was still his best. In 1987, however, Russ already had a respectable filmography, appearing in many notable TV shows from "The Twilight Zone" to "Thirtysomething." Many may also recall his role as a supporting Spaceball who literally combed a desert with an outsize afro pick. He was the "We ain't found s***!" guy. Trek was kind to Russ and eventually provided him with his steadiest gig.

Victor Love was another Geordi finalist, having just turned out an impressive performance in the 1986 film adaptation of "Native Son." Love has continued to work steadily for many years, mostly in single episodes of hit TV shows. Love is one of those "I recognize him!" actors, as he likely had a few lines in one of your favorite shows. He was in "L.A. Law," "Melrose Place," "Babylon 5," "7th Heaven," and, most recently, "The Resident." 

Reggie Jackson played right field for the California Angels from 1982 to 1986 but had previously played for the Oakland A's, the Baltimore Orioles, and the New York Yankees. He played 21 seasons in his career and won six pennants and five World Series. When he retired from baseball in 1987, he had the sixth-highest number of home run hits in the game's history. He was a big deal. His sporting fame led to multiple guest spots on various TV shows, usually playing himself or a version of himself. Jackson was on "Diff'rent Strokes," "The Love Boat," "The Jeffersons," and "MacGyver." He's a very odd choice to play Geordi La Forge on "Star Trek," but perhaps the casting agents saw an amazing audition. Jackson was certainly funny in the 1988 comedy "The Naked Gun."

Chip McAllister was another longtime TV actor who brushed up against "Star Trek" in 1986, but who didn't get the role. McAllister, like Love, spent most of his career playing small roles in large shows. Before 1987, he was already on shows like "Highway to Heaven," "Police Woman," "The Paper Chase," and "The Facts of Life." He was also in 11 episodes of "Better Days," and in the truly bizarre 1986 spoof movie "Hamburger: The Motion Picture," playing a character named Magneto Jones. 

Finally, named on the Paramount memo was Clarence Gilyard, maybe instantly recognizable for his role as the computer hacker Theo in "Die Hard." Prior to the "Star Trek" auditions, Gilyard also played "Sundown" in "Top Gun," and a soldier in "The Karate Kid Part II." He also had the recurring role of Benjamin Webster on "CHiPs," and was one of the main characters on the short-lived, but very good Jim Carrey sitcom "The Duck Factory" in 1984. Losing "Star Trek" didn't hurt Gilyard, though, as he would go on to star in five seasons of "Matlock," and, even more notably, all eight seasons of "Walker, Texas Ranger," playing Walker's best friend Sergeant James "Jimmy" Trivett. He did okay. 

Remember when they rebooted "Walker, Texas Ranger?"