William Shatner ’s Captain James T. Kirk supplant the originalCaptain of the Starship EnterpriseinStar Trek : The Original Series , Captain Christopher Pike , who was diddle by Jeffrey Hunter . Hunter star in the firstStar Trekpilotthat creator Gene Roddenberry wrote and raise for NBC studios , " The Cage" . Star Trek ’s original pilot burner boast Captain Pike as a prisoner of the Talosians , highly thinking aliens intent on keeping Pike on Talos IV as a mate for Vina ( Susan Oliver ) , whom they ’d rescued from a downed starship 18 years earlier . The Talosians would ply for Pike ’s every penury and want through their impressive telepathic skill , but Pike would be trapped in the fantasy with Vina .

accord to NBC execs , " The Cage " was"too cerebral"for sixties hearing , with a focussing on the questions raise by a hard morality play , alternatively of the pulpy , sci - fi activeness - adventure series -“Wagon Train to the stars”- that the internet was expecting . In fact , producer thought little aboutStar Trekactually worked . Leonard Nimoy ’s Spockwas"demonic " , with his pointed ear and brows . Majel Barrett ’s Number One , the USS Enterprise ’s First Officer , was too serious - and a charwoman . Most importantly , Jeff Hunter ’s Captain Pike did n’t seem like the right-hand kind of leading man forStar Trek . rather of scrappingStar Trek , however , NBC say a second fender , with one caution : the entire cast of characters needed to be replaced .

Susan Oliver ’s Vina began the long - stand tradition of the Star Trek captain ’s love life interest , and the TOS role go forward to make an encroachment .

Susan Oliver as three different Vinas in Star Trek’s The Cage

Why Jeffrey Hunter Was Replaced By William Shatner as Star Trek’s Captain

NBC Executives Wanted Roddenberry To Retool Star Trek’s Pilot

Jeffrey Hunter ’s Captain Christopher Pike was replaced by William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk as part of NBC ’s bid to completely revamp Gene Roddenberry ’s originalStar Trekconcept . In exchange for another shot at makingStar Trek , Roddenberry agreed to most of NBC ’s terms . Captain Christopher Pike was out , andTwilight Zoneactor William Shatner was brought on asStar Trek ’s new leading man , Captain James T. Kirk . The studio take into account Roddenberry to keep one of the original fictional character , and since it was crucial to the theme ofStar Trekthat an alien be among the Starship Enterprise ’s span crowd , Leonard Nimoy ’s Mr. Spock got to ride out .

Freed from Star Trek , Jeffrey Hunter go after picture show theatrical role or else of languishing on a television series .

Besides being ask to leave , Jeffrey Hunter but did n’t desire to doStar Trekafter the first original . Jeffrey Hunter was convinced by his wife , Barbara Rush , that he was a pic ace , so Hunter refused to return to tv set . Freed fromStar Trek , Hunter pursued moving picture function instead of yearn on a television serial . Pike ’s stretch as the Enterprise captain was explicate as preceding Kirk ’s inStar Trek : The Original Seriesin time of year 1 , episodes 11 & 12 , " The Menagerie " . TheTOStwo - parter intersperse footage from " The Cage " with new material that featuredSean Kenney as Captain Pike , now disfigured by a tragical accident .

Robin Curtis and Kirstie Alley as Lt. Saavik in Star Trek.

It Took Over 50 Years For Captain Pike To Return To Star Trek TV

Anson Mount Plays Captain Pike In Star Trek: Discovery And Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

It took over 50 eld for Captain Christopher Pike to regress to aStar Trektelevision serial . Captain Christopher Pike was little more than the answer to a trivia question untilAnson Mount ’s version of Captain Pike debut inStar Trek : Discoveryseason 2,which also feature Ethan Peck as Lieutenant Spock , Rebecca Romijn as Number One , and stigma - raw USS Enterprise sets . AsCaptain of the USS Discovery , Anson Mount ’s Christopher Pike was a full - fledged persona and a compassionate captain . Pike and his original USS Enterprise crew engender demand for the show thatStar Trek : The Original Serieswould have been if Hunter ’s Pike had n’t been replaced with Shatner ’s Kirk .

J.J. Abrams’Star Trek(2009 ) rebooted the enfranchisement with Captain Christopher Pike ( Bruce Greenwood ) preceding Captain James T. Kirk ( Chris Pine ) as police captain of the USS Enterprise , but Kirk is unquestionably the lead of Abrams’Star Trekmovies .

Anson Mount ’s Captain Christopher Pike leadsStar Trek : Strange New Worlds , in what may be the longest time ever between a show ’s pilot and its serial publication social club , asRoddenberry ’s original construct are update for theStar Trek : The Original Seriesprequel . Captain Christopher Pike , telephone number One , and Mr. Spock are all present in thecast ofStrange New Worlds , joined by other intimate type fromStar Trek : The Original Serieslike Jess Bush ’s Nurse Christine Chapel and Celia Rose Gooding ’s Ensigh Nyota Uhura . ButStar Treknever would have launched or become a phenomenon without Jeffrey Hunter ’s Pike being replace by William Shatner ’s Kirk as the Enterprise Captain inStar Trek : The Original Series .

Hugh Laurie in The Night Manager

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Cast

Jeffrey Hiunter as Captain Pike and William Shatner as Captain Kirk in 1960s Star Trek

The cast of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 1.

Star Trek The Original Series TV Poster

Headshot Of William Shatner

Headshot of Leonard Nimoy

Star Trek: The Original Series

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds