Jonathan Frakes

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Jonathan Frakes

Birth name:	Jonathan Scott Frakes
Date of birth:	19 August 1952
Place of birth:	Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Roles:	Actor, Director
Characters:	William T. Riker, Thomas Riker

Actor Jonathan Scott Frakes (born 19 August 1952; age 55) portrayed William T. Riker on Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the last four Star Trek films.

He studied at Penn State and Harvard University. Supposedly, while at Penn State, he played the trombone in marching band.

Besides Star Trek: The Next Generation, he has appeared in numerous TV roles, including the prime-time soap opera Falcon Crest.

In 1988, he married the actress Genie Francis (Laura Spencer on General Hospital, on which a pre-Spock Leonard Nimoy starred in 1963 and on which Corbin Bernsen starred long after playing Q2) after working together in the television mini-series North and South. Francis is the daughter of the late character actor Ivor Francis, and the colony mentioned in Star Trek: First Contact, Ivor Prime, may have been named after Frakes's father-in-law. Frakes portrayed the younger brother of fellow Star Trek actors Kirstie Alley and James Read in North and South and North and South: Book II. The sequel also starred DS9 guest star Jim Metzler.

His non-Star Trek feature-film directing credits include Clockstoppers and Thunderbirds

He has also co-written a book The Abductors: Conspiracy.

He recorded an audio commentary for the Star Trek: First Contact DVD, a film in which he both starred and directed. His efficient filming style on the set earned him the nickname of "Two-Takes Frakes".

Frakes was later a member of The Sunspots, along with Patrick Stewart, Michael Dorn, and LeVar Burton. They appeared as the background vocals for "It's a Sin to Tell a Lie" on Brent Spiner's 1991 album "Ol' Yellow Eyes is Back".

Frakes is also credited with playing trombone for "Riker's Mailbox" on the 1994 Phish album, "Hoist".

He personally feels that the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Naked Now" is the worst segment of Star Trek that he worked on. [1]

1 Acting credits
2 Directing credits
3 Other Star Trek Connections
4 External links

[edit] Acting credits

Jonathan Frakes is the only Star Trek regular cast member besides Majel Barrett to appear in all four modern Star Trek series: Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise.

He also played Riker's duplicate, Thomas Riker, in TNG: "Second Chances" and DS9: "Defiant".

TNG (1987-1994)
Star Trek films
- Star Trek Generations (1994)
- Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
- Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
- Star Trek Nemesis (2002)
DS9: "Defiant" (as Lieutenant Thomas Riker) (episode 3.09)
VOY: "Death Wish" (episode 2.18)
ENT: "These Are the Voyages..." (episode 4.22)

[edit] Directing credits

Jonathan Frakes has directed several Star Trek episodes, and, more recently, several movies.

Star Trek films
- Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
- Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)

TNG:
- "The Offspring"
- "Reunion"
- "The Drumhead"
- "Cause and Effect"
- "The Quality of Life"
- "The Chase"
- "Attached"
- "Sub Rosa"

DS9:

VOY:
- "Projections"
- "Parturition"
- "Prototype"

[edit] Other Star Trek Connections

Alfre Woodard, who starred in First Contact, is his self-proclaimed godmother.

He shares his birthday with Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and TNG co-star Diana Muldaur.

Aside from Voyager and Nemesis, Frakes has worked with Kate Mulgrew on two other projects: Gargoyles (which also featured the voice of numerous actors from Star Trek, including Avery Brooks, Nichelle Nichols, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn and Colm Meaney) and Camp Nowhere (which also starred Christopher Lloyd).