Robert Schenkkan Robert Frederic Schenkkan , Jr . is the American actor , playwright , screenwriter , and producer who played the role of Lieutenant Commander Dexter Remmick in two first season episodes of , and . Footage of his appearance from the latter episode was later used for the second season episodes and . Schenkkan acted in several film , television , and stage productions from the early 1970s until 1994 , after which he began to focus exclusively on writing . In 1992 , he received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his series of one - act plays entitled " The Kentucky Cycle " . He later received a Tony Award nomination for the same work . Early life . Robert Frederic Schenkkan was born in Chapel Hill , North Carolina , and raised in Austin , Texas . He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Drama , " magna cum laude " , from the University of Texas at Austin and an Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Arts from Cornell University in Ithaca , New York . Acting career . Theater . Schenkkan made his stage acting debut playing Captain Tim in a Chicago , Illinois production of " Tobacco Road " , which ran for 35 performances in 1975 . In 1979 , he made his off - Broadway debut , playing Wayne Blossom , Jr . , in " Last Days at the Dixie Girl Cafe " . That same year , he was an understudy in the Broadway production of " G . R . Point " . In 1984 , Schenkkan played John Bates in an off - Broadway production of William Shakespeare ' s " Henry V " with Elizabeth Dennehy . From November 1984 through 1985 , Schenkkan portrayed Reverend David Marshall Lee in the original , off - Broadway production of Larry Shue ' s comedy " The Foreigner " . Christopher Curry also starred in this production . Schenkkan ' s other New York stage acting credits included " The Taming of the Shrew " ( 1977 ) , " The Passion of Dracula " ( 1978 ) , and " The Midnight Visitor " ( 1981 ) . His regional theater credits include " A Full Length Portrait of America " and " SWOP " at the Actors Theatre of Louisville in Kentucky in 1981 , with the latter production co - starring Ken Jenkins ( who also wrote the play ) and Cristine Rose . Television . Schenkkan made his first television appearance in 1979 , playing Father Wembley in the NBC movie " Sanctuary of Fear " . His co - stars in this movie included fellow " Star Trek : The Next Generation " guest actors George Hearn and Saul Rubinek . His next TV appearance was another NBC movie , " The Neighborhood " , in 1982 . This movie also featured William Sadler . Schenkkan portrayed Alexander Hamilton in the 1984 CBS mini - series " George Washington " . Other who appeared in this mini - series include Ron Canada , Josh Clark , Richard Fancy , Megan Gallagher , John Glover , Kelsey Grammer , Harry Groener , Patrick Horgan , Barrie Ingham , Jeremy Kemp , Richard Kiley , Stephen Macht , Clive Revill , Ned Romero , Nicolas Surovy , and Anthony Zerbe . In 1985 , Schenkkan was seen in another CBS mini - series , " Kane & Abel " . Harry Groener also worked on this mini - series , as did Lisa Banes . Schenkkan then appeared in a segment of the 1980s version of " The Twilight Zone " . The segment , entitled " Devil ' s Alphabet " , also featured Christopher Carroll , Ben Cross , and regular Ethan Phillips . In addition to his appearances on " Star Trek : The Next Generation " , Schenkkan has guest - starred on such series as " Newhart " ( in an episode with Roy Brocksmith and Hal Landon , Jr . ) and " L . A . Law " ( starring Corbin Bernsen and Larry Drake , in an episode with Paul Collins , Bob Gunton , and Jennifer Hetrick ) . Schenkkan and his TNG co - star , Jonathan Frakes , both appeared in the 1987 mini - series " Nutcracker : Money , Madness & Murder " , along with Lilyan Chauvin , the aforementioned John Glover , Daniel Hugh Kelly , Frank Military , George D . Wallace , and Noble Willingham . Schenkkan ' s TV movie credits during the late 1980s and early 1990s included " Police Story : The Watch Commander " ( 988 ; with David Graf , Gregg Henry , Roy Jenson , Mel Johnson , Jr . , Carlos Lacamara ) , " The Image " ( 1990 ; with Nicholas Cascone , David Clennon , and Brett Cullen ) , " Son of the Morning Star " ( 1991 ; with Terry O ' Quinn , Nick Ramus , and Tim Ransom ) , and " Victim of Love : The Shannon Mohr Story " ( 1993 ; with Ann Cusack , Bruce French , Gregg Henry , and Dwight Schultz ) . Films . Schenkkan made his feature film debut in the independent 1985 drama " Chain Letters " with Daniel Davis . This was followed by small roles in the 1986 films " Sweet Liberty " ( with Timothy Carhart and the aforementioned Saul Rubinek ) and " The Manhattan Project " ( also with Timothy Carhart as well as JD Cullum ) . In 1987 , Schenkkan was seen in this mystery / thriller " The Bedroom Window " ( with Brad Greenquist , Mark Margolis , and Wallace Shawn ) and the sports drama " Amazing Grace and Chuck " . In 1989 , he appeared in the action / comedy " Out Cold " along with Teri Garr and Bruce McGill . Perhaps Schenkkan ' s most notable film credit is his supporting role as high school guidance counselor David Deaver in the cult 1990 drama " Pump Up the Volume " . actor and " Star Trek " fan Christian Slater played the male lead in this film . Writing career . Schenkkan is the author of ten full - length plays and numerous one - act plays . His most famous work is " The Kentucky Circle " , a two - part collection of nine one - act plays which explores American mythology for which he received the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for Drama . " The Kentucky Cycle " was first performed in 1991 at the Intiman Theatre in Seattle , Washington , and transferred to Broadway in 1993 . The Broadway production earned Schenkkan nominations from the Tony Awards and the Drama Desk Awards in 1994 . The cast of " The Kentucky Cycle " included " Star Trek " alumni Gregory Itzin , Scott MacDonald , and Randy Oglesby . Schenkkan ' s other plays include : " Heaven on Earth " , which premiered off - Broadway in 1989 and which won the Julie Harris / Beverly Hills Theatre Guild Award ; " By the Waters of Babylon " , a production of which featured Shannon Cochran ; and " Lewis and Clark Reach the Euphrates " , which premiered in 2006 with Tony Amendola and Jeffrey Nordling in the cast . In addition to his plays , Schenkkan has ventured into screenwriting . He co - wrote the screenplay for the acclaimed 2002 film " The Quiet American " , the cast of which featured Tzi Ma and Holmes Osborne . He then wrote the 2004 TV version of " Spartacus " , which featured Ben Cross . Most recently , he wrote the 2008 mini - series " The Andromeda Strain " , which starred Daniel Dae Kim . Schenkkan also is a playwright who authored the stage production " All the Way " about the life and presidency of Lyndon Johnson . The play costarred Michael McKean as FBI director J . Edgar Hoover , Christopher Liam Moore as Walter Jenkins and Ethan Phillips as Speaker of the House John William McCormick of Massachusetts . The play was adapted into an HBO telefilm of the same name featuring Spencer Garrett as Walter Reuther , Hal Landon , Jr assuming Phillips ' s role as Speaker McCormick , Aisha Hinds portrayed civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer , Randy Oglesby was cast as South Carolina senator Strom Thurmond , Stephen Root took over from McKean as Director Hoover , Ray Wise performed as Illinois senator Everett Dirksen and Frank Langella was given the role of Johnson rival and Georgia senator Richard Russell . Personal . Schenkkan is the uncle of actor Benjamin Mackenzie who is known for his starring role on " The O . C . " which also starred Melinda Clarke and Michael Nouri .