Charlie and I were discussing people who had passed away last month and I have to tell you sometimes life has a funny way of reminding us just how much entertainment becomes part of our lives. We lost several actors from Star Trek in October that has made me want to sit down and actually watch the shows which I haven’t done completely.
Because I might not remember an actor’s name, but I will see a familiar face and you may hear me Charlie or David say “Oh my goodness! He was in that movie!” Or we’ll recognize someone from a television show we watched years ago without remembering exactly where we saw him. That’s exactly what happened to me recently.
As I started seeing news about entertainers who passed away in October, I discovered that we had lost several gentlemen connected to a television franchise that has been around for generations: Star Trek. A show Charlie and I aren’t to crazy about but David likes so we’ve watched bits and pieces with him at times.
Then Charlie and I started talking. He emailed me and asked, “Mom, did you know this person passed away?” I told him no. He explained that the gentleman was from Star Trek. So I asked him if he knew another actor had passed away. He didn’t. I told him that made two from the same show.
Then Charlie came back with, “No, Mom, there were three!” But that wasn’t quite trued either as it turns out, we lost four gentlemen connected to Star Trek in October: Michael Forest, Richard Riehle, Walter Koenig, and Patrick Stewart. Can you believe that?
David knew all four of them. Charlie recognized some of them, and I immediately remembered Patrick Stewart. But as I started researching their careers, I discovered something I hadn’t realized before. Patrick Stewart was also Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men movies!
Now, Charlie and I have watched the X-Men movies together more times than I can count. We have enjoyed those movies together, and somehow I never connected Professor Xavier with Captain Jean-Luc Picard. You can imagine the light bulb that went off when I made that discovery! I cannot wait to tell Charlie.
And that’s one reason I don’t want this article to be just about losing four entertainers. I want us to celebrate their lives, revisit their work, discover movies and television programs we may have missed, and perhaps even find some new family movie nights along the way. Because even though these gentlemen are gone, their work is still here for us to enjoy.
Michael Forest: The man who played Apollo passed away October 14, 2026, at the age of 97. Star Trek fans will remember him as Apollo in the original Star Trek episode “Who Mourns for Adonais?” In this episode, the Enterprise crew encounters a mysterious being who claims to be Apollo, the Greek god.
What makes this episode especially interesting is the connection between science fiction and Greek mythology. For families who enjoy learning about ancient history, this is a wonderful starting point for exploring the Greek gods, mythology, and how ancient stories continue to influence modern entertainment.
Michael Forest also appeared in numerous other television productions, including:
- The Dick Van Dyke Show
- The Twilight Zone
- Gunsmoke
- Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
- Perry Mason
His movie career included The Message, 100 Rifles, The Assassination of Trotsky, and several other productions. He also worked extensively as a voice actor, providing English-language voices for anime productions. Something to revisit: “Who Mourns for Adonais?” is a wonderful place to begin if you want to see Michael Forest’s memorable Star Trek performance.
Richard Riehle: A Familiar Face in Movies and Television– passed away October 15, 2026, at the age of 78. Sometimes an actor’s face is more familiar than his name, and Richard Riehle is a wonderful example. He appeared in more than 400 film and television productions throughout his career.
Star Trek fans could find him in three different series:
- Star Trek: The Next Generation
- Star Trek: Voyager
- Star Trek: Enterprise
One of his Star Trek appearances was as Batai in the memorable Next Generation episode “The Inner Light.” But that was only a small part of his career.
Movie audiences may remember him from:
- Office Space
- The Fugitive
- Glory
- Casino
- Bridesmaids
- Wedding Crashers
- Fried Green Tomatoes
He also played Walt Finnerty in the television comedy Grounded for Life. I particularly enjoyed discovering just how many productions included this gentleman. Sometimes we watch a movie and never realize that the same actor appeared in something else we enjoyed years earlier. Something to revisit: Office Space is one of his best-known movie appearances. If you are a Star Trek fan, you can also revisit his guest appearances throughout the franchise.
For me I’m going to watch Bridesmaids and Wedding Crashers and see if I can spot him then move on to Fried Green Tomatoes. Anyone up for a movie night tonight? Just grab your favorite beverage and I will bring the snacks and popcorn and meet you in David’s man cave for movie night.
Walter Koenig: Remembering Ensign Pavel Chekov– October 25, 2026, brought another announcement when Walter Koenig passed away at the age of 90. Charlie remembered this gentleman, and Star Trek fans certainly have plenty of reasons to celebrate his career.
Walter Koenig portrayed Ensign Pavel Chekov in the original Star Trek television series. Chekov joined the Enterprise crew during the second season and became a familiar face to generations of viewers. Koenig also appeared in seven Star Trek feature films, continuing his association with the franchise for years.
But there was more to his acting career than Star Trek. Science fiction fans may also remember him from Babylon 5, where he portrayed Alfred Bester. That character was very different from the young navigator aboard the Enterprise, giving viewers another opportunity to appreciate his acting abilities.
He also worked as a writer and contributed to several television and creative projects throughout his career. Something to revisit: Watch an original Star Trek episode featuring Chekov and compare his character with Alfred Bester in Babylon 5. It’s a wonderful opportunity to see how one actor can bring two very different personalities to life.
Patrick Stewart: More Than Captain Jean-Luc Picard– October 28, 2026, marked the passing of another familiar gentleman, Sir Patrick Stewart, at the age of 86. Patrick Stewart is probably the gentleman I recognized most immediately and Charlie and even David.
For many people, he will always be Captain Jean-Luc Picard from Star Trek: The Next Generation. But here’s where I discovered something that made me stop and smile. He also played Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men movies! Which is looks like I need to go back and watch.
Charlie and I have watched the X-Men movies together more times than I can count. We have enjoyed them, talked about the characters, and revisited them over the years. And I never stopped to connect the gentleman playing Professor Xavier with Captain Picard. Did you?
Sometimes you can watch an entertainer for years and never realize just how much of their work you have enjoyed. Now I have another reason to revisit some of these movies, and I cannot wait to remind Charlie about this discovery. But Patrick Stewart’s career extended far beyond those two famous franchises.
Some of his other movie appearances include:
- Dune
- Excalibur
- Robin Hood: Men in Tights
- The Pagemaster
- Conspiracy Theory
- The Prince of Egypt
- Chicken Little
- Gnomeo & Juliet
- Logan
- The Kid Who Would Be King
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
He also returned to television as Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: Picard. And before becoming familiar to millions of movie and television audiences, Patrick Stewart spent many years performing Shakespeare and working with the Royal Shakespeare Company. That is another part of his career worth exploring, particularly for families studying literature, theater, and the performing arts.
While researching Patrick Stewart, I found three movies that caught my attention. Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) Patrick Stewart plays King Richard in this comedy from Mel Brooks. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever watched this movie from beginning to end. I’m not even sure whether Charlie or David has seen it. That might be something we need to investigate!
Conspiracy Theory (1997)- This movie stars Mel Gibson and Julia Roberts, with Patrick Stewart appearing as Dr. Jonas. I’ve seen bits and pieces of this movie over the years, but I have never sat down and watched the entire thing. Now that I know Patrick Stewart is in it, I have another reason to put it on our movie-night list. This is a thriller intended for mature audiences, so parents should preview it before choosing it for family viewing.
The Kid Who Would Be King (2019)– This is the one that really caught my attention from a homeschool perspective. Patrick Stewart plays the older Merlin in this modern fantasy adventure inspired by the legend of King Arthur. The movie brings together friendship, courage, leadership, and the legendary sword Excalibur. It also gives families an opportunity to explore Arthurian legends and compare traditional stories with modern adaptations. This is one I would particularly like to explore with Charlie.
One thing I love about researching entertainers and their careers is discovering how much educational value can be found in the movies and television programs we already enjoy. You don’t have to turn every family movie night into a classroom. Sometimes a little curiosity can lead to a wonderful learning experience.
Here are six ideas families can explore.
1. Science Fiction and Imagination– Watch a selected episode of Star Trek and discuss the technology aboard the Enterprise. What inventions shown in the original series seemed impossible at the time? Which ideas have become part of everyday life Have children draw their own spaceship or design an invention they believe might exist in the future.
2. Greek Mythology– Michael Forest’s portrayal of Apollo provides an opportunity to introduce children to Greek mythology.
Who was Apollo? What did the ancient Greeks believe about their gods? How did mythology influence literature, art, and storytelling? Compare the Apollo presented in Star Trek with the Apollo found in Greek mythology.
3. Acting and Character Development– Compare Walter Koenig’s Chekov with his character Alfred Bester in Babylon 5.
How does an actor make two characters seem so different? Have children write a short scene and perform it using two different personalities.
4. Literature and King Arthur– Patrick Stewart’s appearance in The Kid Who Would Be King provides an opportunity to explore King Arthur.
Read an age-appropriate version of the legend, discuss Merlin and Excalibur, and compare the traditional story with the modern movie. Children can even create their own illustrated version of the legend.
5. Movie and Television History– Choose one production from each entertainer.
Look at when it was made, what technology was available, how costumes and sets were created, and how entertainment has changed over the years. Children can create a timeline showing the careers of the four actors.
6. Research and Biography Writing– Have each child select one of these gentlemen and research his life.
Where was he born? What was his first acting role? What made him famous? What other productions did he appear in? Then have them write a short biography or create a presentation about the entertainer. Parents should preview movies and episodes before selecting them, since not every production is appropriate for every age.
When I started looking into the October announcements, I wasn’t expecting to discover four entertainers whose careers stretched across so many different movies and television programs. And I certainly wasn’t expecting to discover that the gentleman who played Professor Xavier in the X-Men movies was also Captain Jean-Luc Picard! That little discovery alone made this research worthwhile.
I may not know every Star Trek character or be able to tell you which spaceship appeared in which episode, but I know how much entertainment can become part of a family’s memories. David and Charlie have their favorites, and I have enjoyed watching them discover and revisit the shows and movies they love.
Sometimes it’s not even the program itself that stays with us. It’s the person sitting beside us on the couch, the conversation afterward, or the memory of watching something together years ago. These four gentlemen may no longer be with us, but their work remains available for new generations to discover. So instead of simply remembering the sadness of losing them, let’s celebrate what they gave us.
Let’s revisit an old episode, watch a movie we haven’t seen in years, introduce our children to a classic television program, or use an entertainer’s career as inspiration for a homeschool lesson. Because being gone doesn’t mean being forgotten. And sometimes the best way to honor someone’s life is to enjoy the work they left behind.
Now, I have a question for you. Are you a Star Trek fan? Which of these four gentlemen do you remember most? Was it Patrick Stewart as Captain Picard, Walter Koenig as Chekov, Michael Forest as Apollo, or Richard Riehle in one of his many television and movie appearances?
Did you watch the original Star Trek with your parents, introduce it to your children, or discover it later in life? Have you watched the X-Men movies? Did you recognize Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier before learning about his Star Trek career? And what about the other movies? Have you watched Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Conspiracy Theory, or The Kid Who Would Be King?
I’d also love to know which movies or television shows featuring these gentlemen you would recommend revisiting. Leave a comment and share your memories with us. After all, entertainment is even more special when we can share it with the people we love. Until next time, remember to stay Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed!
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Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
