A starring role as Seymour in a Westside Playhouse production of Little Shop of Horrors brought Spiner to Los Angeles in 1985. Appearances on popular television series like Hill Street Blues , Cheers , and Night Court , and larger roles in several TV movies and miniseries kept Spiner in circulation. His recurring role of Bob Wheeler, the Yugoslavian hillbilly who opens a snack bar in the Night Court courthouse, provided his most regular gig, and he would likely have become a permanent member of the cast, if not for a very serendipitous audition. Next Generation got off to a choppy start, despite a capable crew commanded by Patrick Stewart 's Captain Jean-Luc Picard, and infinitely better special effects than the original Star Trek . The Next Generation had surpassed the popularity of the original series, and showed no signs of losing steam.
Yellow Eyes Is Back .
In 1994, at the height of its popularity, Paramount cancelled the series due to cost considerations, and in order to shift the focus of the franchise to filmmaking efforts. Generations , the following year. A certain number of fans have been rendered incapable of believing that Spiner is even human, let alone that he can be anything but Data. These performances hold out hope that he can move beyond the status of live-action figure. ABC News Internet Ventures.