'Star Trek' Actress: 'William Shatner Was Interesting, Let's Put It That Way'

Yahoo

26-07-2025

'Star Trek' Actress: 'William Shatner Was Interesting, Let's Put It That Way' originally appeared on Parade.
The original Star Trek TV series ran for just three seasons between 1966 and 1969 on NBC, though it spawned dozens of TV shows and films that followed. But the original still holds a special place in fans' hearts.
The original series starred Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei and as the crew of the USS Enterprise, but it also welcomed many memorable guest stars over its three seasons.
One such notable guest star is of Father Knows Best, The Andy Griffith Show and The Odd Couple. She appeared in the season 2 episode "Metamorphosis," in which she played Assistant Federation Commissioner Nancy Hedford on a peacekeeping mission. In the episode, Hedford has contracted Sukaro's disease, which will eventually kill her, but the team discovers a man named Zefram Cochrane (Glenn Corbett) marooned on an unknown planet with an entity made up of electrical energy that restored his youth and keeps him young. In the end, Hedford ends up merging with the entity and remaining with Cochrane on the planet where they can have a life and live out their remaining years together.
In a new interview with Woman's World, Donahue, 88, reflects on her memorable Star Trek appearance, including what it was like working with Shatner, with whom she shared most of her scenes.
'I went to a Star Trek convention in Las Vegas a few years ago, and that was quite amazing, although Star Trek certainly became a phenomenon very early on. You could see that that was going to have legs for a long time. And William Shatner was interesting, let's put it that way," said Donahue.She goes on to say that he was "a little tough" on her because she was nervous in the dress rehearsal.
"He was a little tough on me in the beginning, because, like I said, I'm not good at rehearsals, I think I scare people or used to scare people in rehearsals, 'cause it always seemed to me as though they thought that I wasn't going to be able to do it right. I guess I kind of pull that out of the fire at the last minute.
"He got a little annoyed with me during the table read, and the director said, 'Just leave her alone, will you?' But it was fine. He saw that I was professional about my work and giving my best. That's all you can ask somebody, is to do their best, and it's what I've always tried to do," said Donahue.She also added that she and Shatner "ended up getting along fine."
Donahue also reflected on her decades-long career in show business, saying that her life "sounds quite unbelievable" at times.
"If I were hearing it from someone, I'd say, 'Oh come on, that can't possibly be true.' But all told, it was all just so magical. Honestly, I've had a lot of fun," said Donahue.
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'Star Trek' Actress: 'William Shatner Was Interesting, Let's Put It That Way' first appeared on Parade on Jul 26, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
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