‘Star Trek’ icon Michael Forest dead at 97

See more of our coverage in your search results. Actor Michael Forest, best known for his appearances in the “Star Trek” franchise, has died. He was 97. Forest died Wednesday, according to his friend, James A. Brown, who announced his death Friday in a post on Facebook. “It is with great sadness that I report that we have lost Michael Forest,” Brown wrote. “I knew him as an actor and loved him as a friend. I’m sure others will share, but that’s all I’m capable of right now.” Actor Michael Forest, best known for his appearances in the “Star Trek” franchise, has died at age 97. (Forest is pictured above at the 2014 Hollywood Show in Los Angeles.) Getty Images Forest (seen above at the 17th annual “Star Trek” convention in Las Vegas in 2018) died Wednesday, according to his friend, James A. Brown, who announced his death Friday in a post on Facebook. Getty Images Brown shared the statement alongside a photo of himself with Forest (born Gerald Michael Charlebois) and a picture of the nameplate outside the actor’s room — which read “Jerry Charlebois” — at MorningStar Senior Living in Sparks, Nevada, where he had recently been living, according to Deadline. Among his more than 200 credits, Forest was best known for playing the Greek god Apollo in the original “Star Trek” series episode “Who Mourns for Adonais?,” which aired in 1967. He later reprised the role in the fan-produced web series “Star Trek Continues” in 2013. Forest was best known for playing the Greek god Apollo in the original “Star Trek” series episode “Who Mourns for Adonais?,” which aired in 1967. (Forest is pictured above in character.) Courtesy Everett Collection Forest later reprised the role in the fan-produced web series “Star Trek Continues” in 2013. (He is seen above at the 2017 Hollywood Show alongside a photo of himself as Apollo.) Getty Images Want more celebrity and pop culture news? Start your day with Page Six Daily. Thanks for signing up! In a 2012 interview with StarTrek.com, Forest discussed how he landed the role, revealing that he had to read for the producers three times before being cast. “They had me take my shirt off to see if I had the muscles they were looking for,” Forest recalled. “Then they wanted me to do it in a British accent. I said, ‘That, for me, won’t work out. I can give you Mid-Atlantic theater speech, which I think will work for this character.’ “So I read it in that vernacular and they said, ‘Yes,’ and came to the conclusion that I was the one to play the role.” In a 2012 interview with StarTrek.com, Forest discussed how he landed the role, revealing that he had to read for the producers three times before being cast. (Forest is pictured above at the 17th annual “Star Trek” convention in Las Vegas in 2018.) Getty Images Forest (pictured above at the “Star Trek” convention in 2008) also appeared in “Zorro,” “The Twilight Zone” and the 2000 film “Cast Away.” Jeff Frank/ZUMA Press Wire / Shutterstock Elsewhere in the interview, Forest admitted that he felt the work he had done before and after his “Star Trek” appearance was “as good, if not better” than the episode itself, but acknowledged that the role had “really given [him his] 15 minutes of fame.” Forest was also among 40 “Star Trek” actors to appear in Snoop Dogg’s 2020 sci-fi film “Unbelievable!!!!!,” a parody of the iconic franchise. Beyond “Star Trek,” Forest worked as a voice actor, starred in B movies produced by Roger Corman, and appeared in television series including “Zorro,” “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “The Twilight Zone” and “Gilligan’s Island,” as well as the 2000 film “Cast Away.” Community Guidelines Welcome to the Page Six Community! Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas in a safe space. In order to do so, we've created a simple set of rules that will improve your experience. Simply put, keep it civil. Your post will/might be rejected if it contains: Spam Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language and threats of any kind Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author User accounts will/might be blocked if we notice: Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected Racist, sexist, or homophobic comments Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk So, how can you be a power user? Stay on topic and share your passion. Feel free to elaborate to get your point across. 'Like' or 'Dislike' when you are filled with emotions! Protect your community. Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules. Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Don't forget, freedom of speech is not the freedom of reach!