Star Trek III: The Search For Spock - Cast

Cast

William Shatner reprises the role of Admiral James T. Kirk, Starfleet officer. Shatner remarked that being directed by Leonard Nimoy, his longtime co-star and friend, was initially awkward, although as the shoot went on it became easier as Shatner realized how confident Nimoy was. To reduce weight, Shatner dieted before the start of production, but as filming continued, he tended to "slip"; the costume department had to make 12 shirts for him.

Nimoy, in addition to his directing duties, appears towards the end of the film as Spock, but only appears in the opening credits as the director. Nimoy found the most difficult scene to direct was one in which Leonard McCoy talks to the unconscious Spock in sickbay, en route to Vulcan. Nimoy recalled that not only was he in the scene, but his eyes are closed, making it difficult to judge the quality of the shot or the actor's performance: "It drove DeForest Kelley crazy. He swears that I was trying to direct him with the movement and flutter of my eyelids." Nimoy was thankful the story required him to appear in a minimal number of scenes. The rapidly aging Spock, at the ages of 9, 13, 17, and 25, was portrayed successively by Carl Stevens, Vadia Potenza, Stephen Manley and Joe W. Davis. Frank Welker provided Spock's screams, and Steve Blalock doubled for Nimoy, so that a total of seven actors contributed to the role.

DeForest Kelley is cast again as Leonard McCoy, doctor and the carrier of Spock's living spirit. Kelley has the majority of the film's memorable scenes, but admitted to occasional difficulties in acting with and being directed by his longtime co-star. However, he has declared that he had no doubts about Nimoy's ability to direct the film. Responding to suggestions that Star Trek copied Star Wars, Kelley asserted that the opposite was true. Playing the other crew members are James Doohan, as Montgomery Scott, the chief engineer; George Takei, as Hikaru Sulu, Enterprise's helmsman; Walter Koenig, as Pavel Chekov, navigation and acting science officer; and Nichelle Nichols, as Uhura, the ship's communications officer. Nichols had always insisted on wearing a skirt; although the standard female uniform used slacks, the costume designer created a skirted version specifically for her. Takei was dismayed to hear that his character was called "Tiny" by a guard at McCoy's cell during the film, and argued with the film's producer to have the line cut. When Takei saw the first screening of the film, he changed his mind and promptly apologized. He would later admit in his To the Stars: The Autobiography of George Takei that "without that snipe from, the scene would not have played even half as heroically for Sulu."

At the age of 87, and after an acting break of 14 years, Judith Anderson accepted the part of T'Lar—a Vulcan high priestess who restores Spock's katra to his body—at her nephew's urging. Nimoy wanted someone with "power and magic" for the ethereal role. Anderson claimed to be 5 feet 2 inches (1.57 m) tall, but her true height was closer to 4 feet 8 inches (1.42 m), which presented a problem when the designers needed to make her look appropriately regal. The solution was to dress her with an overlong hem and built-up shoes which, combined with a crown, added 6 inches (15 cm) to her height. Kirstie Alley, who had played Saavik in The Wrath of Khan, did not return to reprise her role because she feared being typecast. Robin Curtis had arrived in Los Angeles in 1982; she made friends with the head of Paramount's casting department, who recommended her for the role. Nimoy met with Curtis, and gave her the assignment the next day.

Nimoy had admired Christopher Lloyd's work in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Taxi, and was impressed by his ability to play powerful villains. Lloyd was given the part of Kruge, a Klingon interested in securing the powerful secrets of Genesis for use as a weapon. Nimoy said that Lloyd brought a welcome element of theatricality to the role. Mark Lenard plays Sarek, Spock's father and Vulcan ambassador. Lenard had previously played the role in the television episode "Journey to Babel". Merritt Butrick appears as David Marcus, Kirk's son, a scientist who had helped develop the Genesis Device.

Other roles include Robert Hooks as Admiral Morrow, the commander of Starfleet; James Sikking as the Commanding Officer of the Excelsior Captain Styles, Miguel Ferrer as the Excelsiors First Officer and Helmsman; and Phillip R. Allen as Captain J.T. Esteban, the captain of the ill-fated Grissom. John Larroquette plays Maltz, a member of Kruge's bridge crew whom Nimoy describes as "the thoughtful Klingon". Catherine Shirriff plays Valkris, Kruge's doomed lover. Grace Lee Whitney, who played Janice Rand in the Star Trek television show, made a cameo appearance as "Woman in Cafeteria". Scott McGinnis plays a young man whom Uhura forces into a closet at gunpoint.