Today in the Department of Before They Were Star Trek Stars, George Takei guest stars in "One Puka Puka," episode 22 of the single season of The Gallant Men (original air date March 2, 1963).
In this WWII drama, Takei plays Harry Ochi, a member of a detachment from the 100th Hawaiian Provisional Infantry Battalion, who work with some of the main characters to scout for German artillery in enemy territory. It's a fascinating and enjoyable episode, but George's part is very small. The main drama comes from one of the regular characters (Richard X. Slattery), a white regular Army Sergeant confronting his own prejudices and resentment at taking orders from the field-commissioned Hawaiian Lieutenant (Poncie Ponce), and the culture clash between them.
Keep reading for other Trek connections:
Frank Atienza plays Cowboy, an outgoing Hawaiian soldier equally skilled at dancing and gambling as he is at fighting. In the Star Trek episode "The Omega Glory," he played the Kohm villager in charge of executing Yang prisoners (center).
The Hawaiian lookout Murphy is played by David Cadiente, who made many uncredited appearances on The Original Series as a stunt and background performer. He is probably best remembered, however, as the Klingon Sergeant who kills David Marcus in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.
Actor/stuntman Tony Epper, who can be seen as a German soldier in "One Puka Puka," also had a small part as a drunken Klingon in the Deep Space Nine episode "Apocalypse Rising" (right).
Claude Binyon, Jr. served as Assistant Director of this episode of The Gallant Men and twelve episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series.
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