Michael Dante Michael Dante is an American actor , stage and screen director and former professional athlete . He was a frequent extra on and was ultimately cast in the role of Capellan chieftan Maab in the episode , . He filmed his scenes between Wednesday and Monday at Desilu Stage 10 and on location at Vasquez Rocks . Personal . Dante was born Ralph Vitti in Stamford , Connecticut . He was a shortstop on the Stamford High School baseball team , then played for " The Advocate All - Stars " team which won a 1949 New England baseball championship . After graduating , he signed a bonus contract with the Boston Braves out of high school . His $ 6 , 000 bonus was used to buy his family a four - door Buick with whitewalls . He took drama classes at the University of Miami in Florida while training with the Washington Senators . Soon after , musician and bandleader arranged a screen test for Dante at Metro - Goldwyn - Mayer and Dante ' s professional acting career began . Dante and his wife Mary Jane have a home in Rancho Mirage , California . An avid golfer , Dante has hosted the Michael Dante Celebrity Golf Tournament , a charitable fund - raiser held annually in Palm Springs , California since 1991 . Acting career . Dante landed his first film role in the biographical drama " Somebody Up There Likes Me " . This film was directed by Robert Wise , who would go on to direct . Besides Dante , fellow " Star Trek " alumni Stanley Adams , Robert Easton , and Roy Jenson also appeared in this film . The following year , Dante appeared in the drama " Raintree Country " , which featured TOS star DeForest Kelley . Dante changed his name at the urging of Warner Bros . president , who thought " Vitti " wouldn ' t look good on movie marquees . Warner suggested some first names , from which the actor picked " Michael . " He chose the last name " Dante " because it had been used by some relatives . In total , Dante has appeared in 30 films and 150 television shows . He is also notable for spending seven years in supporting roles under contract to three major studios at once : MGM , Warner Bros . and Twentieth Century Fox . He considers his best performances to be the role he played in the " Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse " episode " The Killer Instinct " in 1959 . He also cites his roles in the films " Westbound " ( 1959 ) , " Seven Thieves " ( 1960 , co - starring Joan Collins ) and " Winterhawk " ( 1975 , with Elisha Cook , Jr . and Seamon Glass ) among his best performances . Other films featuring Dante include the Elvis Presley picture " Kid Galahad " ( with Bert Remsen , Paul Sorensen and Bill Zuckert ) , the 1964 drama " The Naked Kiss " , the cult 1971 horror film " Willard " ( starring Bruce Davison ) , the 1980 horror thriller " Beyond Evill " ( co - starring David Opatoshu ) and the 1983 crime film " The Big Score " ( starring and directed by Fred Williamson ) . He would later work with Williamson in 1986 ' s " The Messenger " . In addition to " Star Trek " , Dante has been seen on such television shows as " Cheyenne " , " Maverick " , " Perry Mason " , " Bonanza " , " Get Smart " , " The Big Valley " and " The Fall Guy " . He also had recurring roles on the soap operas " Days of Our Lives " and " General Hospital " . Over twenty years after his appearance on TOS , Dante again worked with TOS star George Takei on the 1989 war film " Return from the River Kwai " . Dante had a supporting role in the action film " Cage " that same year , co - starring Branscombe Richmond , Jimmie F . Skaggs and Paul Sorensen . This is his latest acting project to date . Michael Dante is currently the host of a syndicated radio talk show , " On Deck " ( previously known as the " Michael Dante Celebrity Talk Show " ) , on which he interviews some of Hollywood ' s biggest stars .