• Actor, director and producer Jonathan Frakes first gained success in the The Next Generation television series.

• Fast Facts

  1. Birthdate: August 19, 1952
  2. Birthplace: Bellefonte, in central Pennsylvania
  3. Spouse: Soap actress Genie Francis (married May 28, 1988)Boston Globe: General Hospitality
  4. Height: 6'4"
  5. Television debut: NBC soap opera The Doctors.
  6. Film debut: Star Trek: Generations
  7. Nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Director in 1997 (Star Trek: First Contact)IMDb: Jonathan Frakes Award Nominations

• Actor

  After some experience in theater, Frakes got his start on television in the late 1970s in the soap opera The Doctors. He had a steady stream of guest and supporting roles, mostly in evening soaps, until he was cast in Star Trek: The Next Generation as first officer William T. Riker. Though initially he seemed set to take on the action and lady-killing duties previously performed by Captain Kirk, as the series evolved so did the role. The series gave Frakes the chance to expand his career in a new direction: directing.

• Director

  Frakes began directing with several popular episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and would return to the franchise to direct episodes of Deep Space Nine and Voyager, as well as two of the more successful Next Generation-focused Star Trek feature films. Frakes has expanded his efforts out of the franchise with other science-fiction movies and television shows such as Roswell, Clockstoppers, and USA's popular Return to King Solomon's Mines, for which he is also directing the sequel.

• Gargoyles

  Frakes also voiced villain David Xanatos in Disney's popular animated series Gargoyles, alongside his Trek costar Marina Sirtis. Many other actors from the Star Trek franchise would also voice roles on the series.

• Related Mahalo Pages

  The Next Generation | Patrick Stewart | Voyager | Star Trek Films | Marina Sirtis | The Next Generation Episode Guide | Will Riker

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