Nick Ramus Nick Ramus was a Native American actor from Seattle , Washington , who appeared as the Efrosian helm officer of the in . His makeup was sculpted by Brian Wade and applied by Rick Stratton . He was of heritage and received a Bachelors Degree from Eastern Washington College , majoring in Chemistry and minoring in Zoology . He began acting when he purchased a banjo from a friend and started performing folk songs , which led him to take voice and drama lessons . Ramus was the star of the first Native American language film , 1980 ' s " Windwalker " . He also had a recurring role as Gus Nunouz on the primetime soap opera " Falcon Crest " during its first season ( 1981 - 82 ) . actor Mario Marcelino played his character ' s son on the series , while Robert Foxworth was among the series regulars . Ramus later appeared in the recurring role of Black Kettle on " Dr . Quinn , Medicine Woman " , a series starring his " Star Trek IV " castmate , Joe Lando . Other " Star Trek " alumni with Ramus worked on this series include Colm Meaney , Edward Laurence Albert , Chad Allen , Barbara Babcock , Tim de Zarn , Richard Herd , Andrew Prine , James Sloyan , Gail Strickland , and Helene Udy . Making his television acting debut in an episode of " Gunsmoke " ( co - starring Mariette Hartley ) and his film debut with a role in the Fred Williamson blaxploitation adventure " Black Eye " ( both released in 1974 ) , Ramus appeared in an unsold pilot for a western series called " The Quest " , which co - starred Brian Keith and Morgan Woodward . Keith and Woodward again co - starred with Ramus in 1978 , when all three were among the many " Star Trek " performers to appear in the 1978 mini - series " Centennial " . Also appearing in this series were Michael Ansara , Henry Darrow , Cliff DeYoung , Robert DoQui , Robert Easton , Alex Henteloff , Sally Kellerman , Stephen McHattie , Clive Revill , Eric Server , James Sloyan , and Anthony Zerbe . Ramus ' other credits include the Disney TV special " Kit Carson and the Mountain Men " ( also featuring Ike Eisenmann and Gary Lockwood ) , the films " The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again " ( 1979 , with Kenneth Mars , John Arndt , Vince Deadrick , Lou Elias , Rex Holman , and Ed McCready ) , " Invasion U . S . A . " ( 1985 , starring Richard Lynch ) , " Love at Stake " ( 1988 , with David Graf ) , and " 3 Ninjas Knuckle Up " ( 1995 , with Charles Napier , Vincent Schiavelli , and Don Stark ) , the 1991 TV movie " Son of the Morning Star " ( co - starring Terry O ' Quinn , Tim Ransom , and Dean Stockwell ) , and guest appearances on " MacGyver " , " Harry and the Hendersons " ( starring Bruce Davison ) , and " Walker , Texas Ranger " ( starring Noble Willingham ) . In addition , he and Brett Cullen were regulars on the short - lived CBS series " The Chisholms " ( 1980 ) and co - starred with future regular Robert Beltran in the 1984 TV movie " The Mystic Warrior " . Outside of acting , Ramus ' hobbies included horseback riding , roller - blading , tennis , and bike - riding . He was also skilled in languages , ice skating , boxing , and bareback horse riding . He died in Benson , Arizona in 2007 . He is survived by his wife , Kaysie , and four children .